The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 40, 5 October 1905, Page 24

The Catholic World

ENGLAND— Death of a Priest The Rev. Michael T-hos. Bourke, M.A., who died recently at Pennth, was for 22 years rector at Wtigton Cathtolia ohiurch. He was ordained in 1864, and last October celebrated the 40th anniversary of his priesthood. He was a member of the Wigton Board of Guardians. FRANCE— Vacant Sees The death, of Monsignor Del-annoy, Bishop of Aire (writes a Paris correspondent), brings up to seventeen the number of dioceses which are without Bishops. They are the archdioceses of Reims and Auch, and the dioceses of St. Jean de Mauricnnc, Bayonne, Ajaccio, Vanncs, Nevers, Versailles, Chartres, Agen, Digne, Frejus, A'ire, Dijon, and Laval. The diocese of St. Jean de IMaiurienne has been vacant the longest, viz., ever since J^ne 8, 1902. It does -not look as though the vacant Sews would fee filled for a long time to come, at least not before tho Separation Bill is on the Statute Book. GERMANY— The Catholic Population From statistics which have been published for the present year it appears that the number of Oatholics in tho German Empire is 20,189,26-6. They are distributed a s» follows :— Bavaria, 4,449,666 ; Prussia 12,147,999 ; Saxony, 197,000 ; Wurtemberg, 650,311 • Baden, 1,123,637-; Alsace-Lorraine, 1,279,630. The hierarchy consists of five Archbishops, one of whom is a Cardinal ; twenty Bishops, including the Prince-Bishop Cardinal Kopp , and one Vicar-Apostolic. Ten Sees havo Auxiliary Bishops. Two Bishops belong to religious Orders— Bishop Benzler is a Benedictine, Bishop Willi a Cistercian. Ihero are 20,095 diocesan priests, and 1363 priests who are members of religious Orders, in all 21,458. From live latest census reports the proportion of Oatholics to the entire population is reckoned at 37 per cent. In Alsace-Lorraine the proportion-is 7H.2, in Bavaria 70 fi, in Baden 60.6. In all tho other States- Oatholics are in a minority ; in Prussia they make Up 35 per cent., though in some provinces,- as in Poseoi and Rhinclaml, the proportion is much higher. Catholic Social Work They ha\c, in accordance with the wish of the Pono, been following in Italy Ifoe example of the G-er-mian Catholics as social organisers and workers, amd tho ,' Osservatore Romano ' ihas collected statistics which show the flourishing condition of popular Catholic societies in Germany. There are no less than se\enteen (hundred Confraternities of the Blessed Virgin for young folk and adults, with over three hundred thousand members, who take an active part in charitablo undertakings. Then come the Catholic workers' societies', having for object religious and intellectual education and social instruction as well as the formation and support vi societies of mutual help, popular banks, and so on , their number is one thousand three hundred -and twenty, and they have two hundred and thirty thousand members They maintain three special papers,- with ninety thousand subscribers' Numerous committees for the .study of social "questions organise frequent conferences and hold fortnightly meetings The directors of the Christian syndicates have been trained by the workers' associations. Of the G-essel-letucreine there ate one thousand one hundred and fifty with one hundred and fifteen thousand members belonging to all classes of art-isans. This excellent system of organisation accounts for the power the German ( athohes wield in family and social life as well as in the Parliamentary arena. ROME— The Pontificate of Pius X. The IToly Father (says the ' Catholic Times ') has j'ist completed the second year of his Pontificate as th? accessor of St. Peter ]r will be remembered that when he was selected for tho Papal Throne by t-ho Conclaxc the opuwon was that, whilst he would perform th« dukes of his exalted office with great profit to tho Church, he would scarcely *et on foot bold movements. Timo has shown that his policy is .it once hold and prudent Ik> is fearless in facing difficulty awl resolute in action. In Itia'ly be is bnngmq aJhout a political revolution, without abandoning Wie lights of the Holy See or ancient traditions In his Encyclical, 'II fcrmo proposito,' addressed to tbe Italian Bishops on June 11, -this year, he mapped out a clear social, economic, and political programme for the Catholics of Italy. The differences between tho \ariwis sections of Catholic workers were too serious to permit of immediate and united action

for tho objects named by the Pontiff, biu't he has sown the seed, anjd good fruit is sure to follow in the course of the coming twelve months. Socialism in Australia Missi Helen Jerome, a Melbourne jourailisl, who h: touring the world in search of copy and who recently had an interview with President Roosevelt on the birthrate and alien immigration, failed to obtain an audience with the Pope on Australian Socialism. Dr. Hagan, Vice-Rector of the Irish College at 'Rome, wrote to her as follows : — ' In the long run the queseion is noti far removed from a doctrinal one. So far as I can judge, the social programme fepp roved by Cardinal Morar* is no more real Socialism as we understand the term here than Catholicism is Paganism. It is simply what/ we know as Christian Democracy, which his Holiness Leo XIII. and the present Pope have warmly approved. RUSSIA— Death of the Metropolitan Our Home exchanges report the death of the Metropolitan of the Catholic Ohurch in Russia, the Most Rev. Count George Schembek, who aied on August 8, at tho age otf 54, on his ancestral estate at Poremby, near Cracow. SCOTLAND— New Church at Stirling The very fine new Catholic church at Stirling, built by the generosity of Mrs. Colonel Murray, was opened reconitly with impressive ceremonies. About one hundred priests from all parts of Scotland attended and took part in the ceremony. Solemn High Mass was> celebrated and a sermon suitable to the occasion preached by Archbishop Maguire. The church is of the late decorative (fO'thie style of architecture by Messrs. Pugin and Pugin, London, and is now the finest ecclesiastical building m the town. It consists of a handsome nave and aisles with chancels and side chapels and ample vestries, with sitting accommodation for 1000. It has been erected at a cost of £12,000. The church takes the place of the former chapel built in 1838, when it was the only Catholic place of worship between Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Perth UNITED STATES — Death of a Prelate Among those who had been carried off by the yellow fever in New Orleans in the early part of A'ug lust, was Archbishop C'hapclle, one of best known memiblers of the American hierarchy. Dr Chapelle, who was born at Rlvunes, diocese of Monde, in 1812, was at first Bishop of Santa Fe. In 1897 he was transferred to New Orleans. Having acted as Apostolic Delegate for Porto Rico and later for the Philippines, his advice was considered most valuable by the Holy See and the American authorities in dealing with the new conditions that arose. The Archbishop was exceedingly popular in New Orleans, and his demise has been the cause of intense giief.