The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 45, 10 November 1904, Page 27

The Catholic World

BELGIUM.— A Visitor's Impressions In the course of an article on Belgium and its people in the ' American Catholic Quarterly Review, Mr Bryan J. Clinch makes the following interesting statements : In Belgium to-day the administration and parliamentary majority are distinctly Catholic and it seems likely that this state will continue indefinitely, it, may be changed, however, from unexpected causes without any sensible change in the general attitude of the people towards the Church. The religious Orders are well represented in Belgium; and ,'enjoy as much popular consideration as among American or Irish Catholics. The teaching Orders appear to enjoy exceptional favor and their schools are largely attended. At one church in Brussels the building was filled every day at nine o'clock. Mass hy pupils of a Christian Brothers' school. The attendance at daily Mass of grown people of both sexes was ve,ry large at nearly all churches in Brussels,

x\ntwerp, and Malines equally. It was larger than in Dublin and very much larger proportionately than among the Catholics of any American city. The proportion of men was less than that of women on week days, but nearly equal to it at the Sunday masses and Vespers. 'lhe behaviour of the congregations everywhere wasi attentive and dcv.out, ajid very much resembled that of Irish congregations at home. ENGLAND. — A Pirvilege A concession or privilege (says tjfae ' Catholic Times ') ha.s recently been accorded to the Catholic dioceses in England by the Pope enabling them to have honorary Canons, to the number of three, attacned to the Cathedral Chapters. In accordance with this regulation, Canon wood, who retired from active work at SS. Peter and Paul's, Bolton, about three years ago, has become an honorary Canon. In succession to Canon Wood, the members of the Salford Chapter have elected the Rev. Peter Lonsdale, Rural Dean, Chancellor of the diocese oi Salford, and Rector of St. Alban's, Blackburn, to the vacancy. Monsignor Canon Maglione, of St. Joseph's, Blackburn, who has been in failing health tor some has also accepted an honorary Canonry. The selection for this vacancy in the Chap.ter falls, by rotation, to the Pope, and is expected to he made within a few weeks. The Gregorian Chant The ' Tablet ' states that the commission appointed several months ago by Pius X. to supervise the preparation of the Vatican edition of the Grego/rian Chant assembled recently at Appuidurcombe Abbey, Wroxall, Isle of Wight, and held its first sitting there in the afternoon of September G. There were present the Right Rev. Dom J. Pothier, Abbot of S. Wandrille, president ; the Rev. Father de Santi, S J., secretary ; Signor Guilio Bas, assistant secretary; the Rev. i>om A. Mocquereau, Prior of Solesmes ; Dom Janssens, Prior of Sant' Anselmo, Rome ; Dom Raphael Molitor, of Beuron , Dom Michael Horn, of Seckau ; Dom A. Gatard, of Fainborough , Dom Wilfnd Corney, of Downside, 0.5.8. ; MM les Chanomes Perriot, of Langres, editor of ' L'Ami dv Clerge ' ; Moissenet, of Lujon ; Gabont, of Poicticrs ,M. l'Abbe Grospellier, of Grenoble, editor of 'La Revue dv Chant Gregorien ' ; the Rev. M. Moloney, of London ; Dr. Wagner, of Fribourg ; M. Gastoue, ot Paris ; Mr. Worth, of London ; Mr. Booth, of Liverpool. FRANCE.— The Holy Father and Mgr. Geay Monsignor Geay, who has resigned the See of Laval, says that when he was received by the Pope and intimated his wish 1o satisfy the Holy Father his* Holiness said : ' Thou Knowest not what sleepless flights I have passed in prayer for thee, but now the good God has gi anted my prayer. Thou hast come. Thou wert my son, but now thou art my brother. Wherever I may he thou shalt b^e thy place, and if one day I should be reduced to a single mouthful of bread, 1 would, nevertheless share it with thee.' INDlA.— Catholic Missions From a tabular statement issued by the Apostolic | Delegation for the current year (says an exchange), we i gather that out of a total population of 286,302,029, there are 2,217,070 Catholics in India, or including catechumens, 2,262,985. Of this number, 34,751 are Europeans ; 57,001, Eurasians ; and the rest natives. The figures for Catholics show that since 1889 we have been increasing at the rate of 38,121 a year. And if we assign one-half of this number to births and immigration, the balance will give a fair idea of the steady progress of the work of converting India. But to this there should be added a proportion of some 20,000 infants of heathen parents baptised ' in articulo mortis,' which will give a fair average of 40,000 souls saved from the clutches of paganism every year. The work of our Missions is carried on by 2691 priests, assisted by '1329 monk ( s and 3117 nuns. Of the priests, 990 are Europeans or Eurasians, and 1701 natives. And here it is of interest to note that of the native priests, as many as 1378 are found in the four Portuguese dioceses and three Syrian Vicariates, and but 323 in the 30 other Missions in India. ITALY.— A Stolen Cope The ' (Jiornale di Bologna ' says that it has received from New York a letter from an intimate friend of Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan, affirming that the latter was most painfully surprised to learn from the Italian newspapers that the famous Nicholas IV. cope, purchased by him in London and now exhibited at the South Kensington Museum, was stolen from the Cathedral of Ascoli; 'Mr. Morgan has decided to return it to Ascoli. ROME.— Apostolic- Delegate to the Philippines A Rome correspondent, writing under date September 18 says : Monsignor Agius, the new Apostolic Delegate to' the Philippines, was to-day consecrated titular Arch-

bishop of Palmyra, with great solemnity, at the Church of St. Ambrose The consecrating clergy were Cardinal Merry deL Val and Archbishops Stonor and Chapelle', the latter being himself the first Apostolic Delegate to the Philippines. Among those present at the ceicmony weie the Agius family, who had come to Home specially for the occasion, including Mr. Edwaid Agn s, of London, and Mr. Edward Agius, of -Newcastle Archbishop Agiub was congia'ulatfd on havme omitted the customary entertainment after the ceremony, giving instead a geneious sum to the people of the pansh. UNITED STATES-— The Holy Father and America In a letter to Caidinal (iibbons the .Holy Father speaks of Ins warm and strong love for tho American people, and says that should the opportunity arise for the expression of his aflection ior them he will gladly seize it. The Archbishop of Manila The ' Catholic Advance ' &ays of Archbishop liarty, of Manila : ' The Aichbu-hop has been all his life a busy man, and the Filipinos will not be permitted to lag in their religious practices with the lortifying example ol a truly missionaiy leader before them As 1 an example of the prodigiously hard work which the Archbishop hac been doing, we learn that from June i.l to June 2J-, a peiiod of ten days, he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 1 14 , 2 2 G persons.' Catholic Schools in New York In a letter to the New York ' Sun ' the Rev Thomas Thornton, Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New \ork, calls attention to what the Catholics of that city are doing for education He says : The Catholic Church in New York city is providing 75,000 Catholic children— children cit i/ens— with an elementary education up to the requirements of the Board of Education, without a cent ot co»st to the city , thereby immeasurably relieving and assisting the Board of Education in its despeiate efiorts to fulhl the piomiscs of the city's piesent administration to giveeveiy boy and gul ot school age a seat in the schools for a full school day. And, since it actually costs the city oi New "\ ork 10 dollais a year to educate each boy and girl in our public scnools, it follows that the Catholic parish school is saving the city annually m education 3, 0(10, ()()() dollais. When the value of the Catholic school building itself is added to this great sum, the figure of proiit to the nty taxpayer by our Catholic schools assumes enormous proportions.