The White Fathers

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 15, 11 April 1907, Page 30

The White Fathers

Of the religious Orders of the Catholic' Church (writes the Marquise de P'cntenoy) it is daubtful - whether there is any "one in which ' the Old World aristocracy is more extensively represented than in that of tfoe White Fathers, founded by -the ' late Cardinal Lavige'rie for work in Northern , Africa, especially along the southern borders of Algeria, Tunis, Tripoli and Morocco. This Order, which has played a notable role in connection with the" promo turn of t'lve colonial interests of France, has now, by reason of the latter's new laws ' aimed against the -religious associations, been compelled to leave French territory and to abandon all the splendid work with wlftch it was entrusted by its founder. * Taking advantage thereof, Emperor William has offered a refuge in his dominions to ,ttie White Fathers. He has furnished them with sites and subsidies for the " construction of a seminary and of a big monastery at Altkirch, in Alsace, which -is to. serve as headquarters of the Order, and has arranged that every faculty ' should be given to the Fathers to pursue in the German colonies in Africa, and also in Morocco, where German influence .is now paramount, the work which "" they shave until now been doing' with so much success - in France's African dependencies. The Order in question - may be regarded as- the mofdem embodiment of the Knights of Malta and of the Knights Templar cf the crusading, days. For it is a military as well as a religious Order, and has sometimes been- known as that of the Warrior Monks of the Sahara. The steel helmet of the Knight Templar, of the olden days is replaced' by one made of- cork, with duly patented ventilating apparatus. The visor, instead of being of metal, is* of cloth, similar to those worn by the Tuareg Arabs, covering the entire lower portion of the face. The Object of the Order is much the same as that of the Knights of Malta of the Middle Ages— namely, the delivery .of slaves from bondage and the propagation of - Christianity by means not of the Gospel alone, but of the Gospel allied to the sword. Cardinal Lavigerie, who spent al- | most his entire Kfe in Africa, learnt there that one is indispensable to the other, at any rate among the turbulent and warlike races who inhabit the northern half of the dark continent. Their Programme has been to attraot sympathy and good-will by the development of the productiveness of the existing oases, and by the creation of new ones, where stations have been formed for the relief of the si-ck, for the offer of hospitality to all comers, irrespective of creed, and for the refuge and protection of fugitive slaves. They have endeavored to afford to the natives practical demonstration of the benefits and advantages of civilisation, to preach by example the elements thereof, and to thus prepare the ground for conversion to Christianity. The ' latter, although the principal object, "is the last in - order. For instead of proselytism preparing the ground for +,he seeds of civilisation with the White Fathers, it is the elements of civilisation which prepare the ground for the seeds of Christianity. The headquarters of the Order have until now been at Biskra, on the Algerian borders of the great Sahara desert, on a plantation known by the name of M'Salla, which is the Arab' designation for a '' place of prayer,' consisting almost wholly^ of desert land reclaimed by the monks. To those who are accustomed to consider -the life of a monk as devoted entirely to prayer,, fasting, and meditation, tke mode of existence of these warrior monks of the Sahara will appear a .. strange anomaly. Fasting is dispensed' with altogether, and the only dietary restrictions imposed -upon the monks are that they shall invariably content themselves with the food of -the district to ' which they are assigned. Thus, for in- ' stance, in places where it is impossible to obtain * bread they have to be satisfied with dried dates. One of the Principal Features. of the ceremony of the administration of the vows to the White Fathers consists in the solemn blessing of their arms, of their equipment, of their dromedary mounts and of their attire, or uniform. The latter consists of a long white tunic, descending below t-h knee, belted at the wa»ist, and with a large red Maltese cross on the breast. The pantaloons are loose anid baggy, such_as those affected by the Turks of the old school. On the head is a white pith helmet sur- , mounted 'on grand occasions by a white plume and embellished in front with a red Maltese cross.

It should be added that, except -when on the move or when working, the monks iiivaxiaftcly wear .tibie veil of white or black cloth which is xn use among the Tuareg tribes. These veils, which are tied loosely at -the 'back of the head, protect the mouth and the nos-^ trils from the plague of insects.