The Catholic World.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 7, 14 February 1901, Page 24

The Catholic World.

« CANADA— An appreciation of the Catholic Olergy.— The well-known novelißt, Mr. Gilbert Parker, in dedicating hit lateßt work to Sir Wilfred Laurier, says :— ' I hare, as you know, travelled far and wide during the past 17 years, and though I have seen people as frugal and industrious as the Frenoh Canadians, I have never seen such frugality and industry associated with so much domestic virtue, so much education and intelligence, and bo deep and simple a religious life : nor have I ever seen a priesthood at once so devoted and high-minded in all that conoerns the home life of their people as in Frenoh Canada.' Lord Durham In his 1 despatches ' paid a similar tribute to the priesthood, and he wrote that the people were ' mild and kindly, frugal, industrious, honest, hospitable, and distinguished for a courtesy and real politenes which pervades every class of society.' ENGLAND.— Presentation to the Hector of Chorley.— The Rector of St. Mary's, Chorley, Father Crank, was recently presented with a purse of gold by the members of the congregation as a mark of respect and esteem. The Late Superior of the London Oratory .—An earnest wish has been expressed by friends of the late Very Her. Father Gordon, Superior of the London Oratory, that some permanent memo* rial to him should be erected in the church, and a committee has been formed for the purpose. The Vicar-Qeneral of Westminster-— Monaignor Canon Fen ton has been appointed Vicar-General of the diooese of Westminster in succession to the late Provost Barry, and Canon Glide* has been nominated dean and rector of St. James' Church, Spanish Plaoe. r Death of the Pastor of King's Lynn.— King's Lynn jb mourning the demise of its Catholic pastor, the Rev. George Wrigglesworth, who died a few minutes after he had attended the meeting of the Board of Guardians. The little church of whioh he was pastor had a prominence of its own — for it is the nearest Catholic churoh to Sandringham, and is, therefore, attended on

Sundaye by the Catholic guests of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Indeed, his Royal Highness (now King Edward VII.) himself showed his appreciation of this convenience for such visitors of his by contributing with liberality to the building fund of the church ; while the Princess on more than one occasion invited Father Wrigg lee worth to Sandringham. The Westminster Cathedral-— The vast and stately Cathedral of Westminster is steadily approaching completion, but, apart from the deoorttiiou of iKo interior, many tVnonndq of pounds are ■till needed for the completion of thp structure. In the financial position, given in die Culuo\, Dirrrtr">j, it i« «tatM that up to December 1, 1900. £13(,G60 had been paid to contractors, architects, and clerks of works. With the exception of a portion of the roofing and about a third of the tall campanile, the whole ot the exterior is nearly complete, and forms a splendid vista through Ashley place to those passing along Victoria street. The total cost of the structure cannot as yet be known, for the price of each kind of work is fixed by contract and is paid for according to quantity as ascertained from time to time by measurement. The Cathedral is not in a conspicuous position, and so unnecessary external decoration is avoided, but the interior will be made second to none in grandeur worthy of a Catholic temple in the commercial metropolis of the world. The structural work of the inside is so far advanced as to give some hope that it may be opened in July next. Prohibiting Dancing in Catholic Schoolrooms— it is stated that the Bishop of Salford has issued a pastoral prohibiting dancing in all the Catholic schoolrooms in his diocese. The Pastor of St- Peter's, Hatton Garden, London — The Rev. J. P. Bannin, for 17 years rector of St. Peter's, Hatton Garden, has been presented with a cheque for £415 in recognition of his labors. In returning thanks Father Bannin mentioned the ourious fact that in the beginning of the year a Jew had left him a legacy of £450, which he had spent in re-decorating the church. A House with Interesting Catholic Associations — Sutton Place, near Guildford, the contents of which were sold a few weeks ago, is one of the most interesting houses to Catholics in England. Sutton Place was erected between 1520 and MM by Sir Richard Weston, and, according to tradition, Mass'had been said continuously within its walls until 1876. Celebrating his Sacerdotal Jubilee— On December 22 the Right Rev. Mgr. Carr celebrated his sacerdotal jubilee. The Right Rev. gentleman haa for many years past been stationed at Formby, Somersetshire, and has endeared himself to all, Catholic and nonCatholic, in the district by his unassuming manner, together with his geniality, kind-heartedness, and high moral courage. His ;,o years of priesthood have been filled with good works. Mgr. Carr was born in Preston on March l'.lth, 1826. At the age of 1 1 he was nent to Ushaw College, Durham. His classmates included Mgr. Nugent and the late Bishop O'Reilly. In 1850, a year memorable

for the establishment of the English Hierarchy, he was ordained priest by Bishop Hogarth, of Hexham and Newcastle, and was sent to his first mission, at the Liverpool Pro-Cathedral, where ha remained until 18">C>. He was then appointed rector of Douglas, Isle of Man, and the present magnificent church and presbytery of St. Mary remain as an enduring monument of his early devotion. In 1862 he established missions in Ramsey and Peel. In the same year rector Father Crowe, of Formby, died, and Monsignor Carr wai sent by Bishop Goss to his present charge. The Catholic p"P':!?. f 'O Ti C|f t-Vnt- time hping 1 mnrh smallpr than at present, Mass was said in a small chapel, a relic of the dayß of persecution, now the cottages in -"-Viieh thf »ohnnl mi stress and others live. The new rector soon perceived that further accommodation was required, and at once the foundation of the present beautiful French Gothic church, by Clutton, dedicated to Our Lady of Compassion, was laid. In IS6I, the Bishop of Liverpool, who was accompanied by 33 priests, solemnly opened the church. In 1866, the Rector was made a Canon of the Liverpool Chapter by Bi.shop Goss. The Catholio schools in Formby were erected through the generosity of the late fquire, Thomas Weld Blundell. In 1880, Bishop O'Reilly wishing to systematise the work of religious instruction, appointed Canon Carr the first diocesan inspector of schools and inspector of the Catholic Training Colleges in England and Scotland, work which entailed years of hard up-hill work. During this time were published the Catholic Pupil 7\ artier and the Lamp of the World, which have been such a boon to Catholic schools and Catholic teachers. In recognition of these signal services to the Church in England Leo XIII. appointed Canon Carr a Domestic Prelate, with the title of Monsignor, and with the right to wear the episcopal purple. At the death of Bishop O'Reilly he was appointed VicarCapitular whilst the See was vacant. In the discharge of his oneroufl duties he gained the esteem and affection of clergy and laity alike. The new Bishop, Dr. Whiteside, made him his VicarGeneral. A New Church for StOCkport- — Funds are being raised for the new church at Stockport, for which a site has been secured fronting the main street. This site was bought two years ago for £2750, and since that time the rector of the present Church of St. Philip and St. Jamea, Father Abram, has paid off £1000 of that amount. A piece of good fortune has fallen to the mission by a legacy of £6000. One condition attached to the legacy is that the site shall be free from debt. To-day there are 12,000 Catholics in btockport. At a recent meeting of parishioners nearly £1000 were promis-ed in subscriptions, including £105 from Mr. Charles and Miss Waterhouse, and £100 from Mrs. Worrall. Death Of a London Priest-— The death is reported of Very R°v. Canon Barry, Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Westminster. The final hours of the deceased were brightened by the presence at liis bedside of his Eminence Cardinal Vaughan, Mgr. Dunn (who haa been appointed executor of the deceased's estate), and all the clergy of the mission. The Very Rev. Michael Barry

was born in Wexford on February 21, 1838. He received his education first at St. Peter's College, Wexford, and later at St. Edmund's College, Ware, which has been the Alma Mater of so many notable figures in the English Hierarchy. At St. Edmund's Canon Barry had a distinguished career, and at the ooncluaion of his studies the ■üb-diaoonate was conferred upon him by the late Cardinal Wiseman. He waa ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Troy. Father Barry began his priestly labors at Poland Gardens, and Fulham, and then went to Spanish Place. Here Father Barry Xouud lU« work of his life in the erection of the magnificent edifice which will ever be associated with his name. It waa m huge undertaking, but the newly-appointed rector went to work with a will, sparing no endeavor to bring about the successful accomplishment of his plans. His indomitable will and the energy which he infused into the scheme were ultimately crowned with triumph, and in 1890 the church was opened free of debt. Cardinal Manning showed his appreciation of the work and piety of Father Barry by appointing him to a vacant stall in the Westminster Chapter, and he succeeded Mgr. Gilbert in the Vicar-Generalship. FRANCE.— The Religious Orders.— A Paris correspondent deoories in the political borison signs of a coming storm affecting religion in France. The Government is giving way more and more to the demands of the anti-clericals. A great outcry has been raised with regard to the result of the inquiry respecting the property of the Congregations. The valuation has been fixed at £42,400,000, but in this are included high estimates for convents, noviciates, churches and chapels, colleges and schools, orphanages and hospitals. It need not be said that it is entirely misleading to set down these buildings and institutions as the property of the religious Congregations. They are really the property of the nation and are an occasion of expense to those who occupy them. The members of the Orders work for the public interest and the welfare of the State, and in most countries the governing authorities recognise that m«>n and women who teach in colleges and schools and serve the people in many other capacities deserve national gratitude. In France unfortunately there is a strong element of extreme opposition to religion, and such is the energy with which the hostile crusade is carried on that Cabinet Ministers find themselves pursuing an anti-religious policy against their better judgment. GERMANY.-The Kaiser and {the Benedictines -For some time past the Kaiser has shown a special interest in the famous Benedictine Abbey of Maria Laach, whose Abbot is a frequent visitor to the Court when at Berlin. The Kaiser has now accepted from the Fathers a superb MS. volnme of 100 leaves of vellum, containing the rule of St. Benedict in Romanic script. For a whole year the nuns of Maredret, in Belgium, have worked at the gift with pen and pencil. The initial letters are in colors, and the writing is surrounded by richly decorated Biblical and allegorical representations. INDIA.— A Great Eucharistic Congress— A great Eucharistic Congress was held recently at Goa, the capital of Portuguese India. It was a Congress of all the Catholic Bishops composing the Indian Hierarchy. ROME-— The Health Of the Pope— The Pope, after much persuasion and patient argument on the part of Professor Lapponi, his medical attendant, allowed himself to be examined thoroughly by that gentleman and Dr. Mazzoni, who performed an operation fur cyst two years ago, to see whether his Holiness was in a fit condition to perlorm the fatiguing duties at the closing of the Holy Doors on Christmas Eve. The doctors found that the Pope wan in perfect physical health for one of his age, and that he was very well able to undertake the ceremony. The Pontiff himself, as u«ual, waa mu;h amused, declaring to the doctors that he would outlive them both with all their science. Another Latin Ode by the Holy Father— According to a Rome correspondent his Houneas the Pope has just composed an ode iv Latin celebrating the opening of the new century. His Holiness has been engaged on the work over two months and it will be seen that his intellectual power has not in the least diminished in spite of his ( JU years. SCOTLAND— The Bishop Auxiliary of Glasgow —The Right Rev. Dr. Maguire, Auxiliary Bishop of Glasgow, celebrated recently, the silver jubilee of his priesthood, and the clergy of the fourteen districts into which the diocese is divided marked the orxiasion by presenting him with an address recognising the value of his various labors during long years spent in their midst. The address was accompanied by a handsome cheque. A movement is on foot amone the laity of the archdiocese to buitably recognise the the Bit-hop s jubilee. Honoring an Edinburgh Priest— Within the hail of St. Catherine's Convent, Kdinburgh, about the middle of December, the numerous members of the Lauriston Christian Mothers' Association honored Very Rev. Father Bader, S.J., their zealous spiritual director, with au address and presentation. The address referred in most appreciative terms to all Father Bader had done for the association aa a body, while the presentation consisted of a purse of sovereigns with which to purchase a new carpet for the church sanctuary, benides a number of other handsome ornaments for the altar. Father Bader becomingly acknowledged the gifts. The late Archbishop Macdonald.— The personal estate of the late Archbishop Macdonald, Edinburgh, is recorded at £3732, and the duty paid on that sum has been £11. By his trust disposition and settlement, dated Slat October last, he bequeathed all his means and estate to his sister, Jane Veronioa Macdonald. The Glasgow Catholic Schools— At a recent meeting of the Glasgow School Board it was reported that there were 18,701 children on the rolls in the Catholio sohools of the city, aa increase of 355 on last year's figures.