The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 18, 7 May 1908, Page 31

The Catholic World

ENGLAND— The Benedictines The history of the great Benedictine houses was (says the ' Standard ') for centuries interwoven with the history of .England in "Church and State. Amongst Benedictine foundations were numbered many cathedral churches— Canterbury, Winchester, Durham Ely Gloucester, - Peterborough, , Rochester, Worcester, Exeter Chester, Wells, Norwich, and" Coventry. inpon and St' -Albans have been added to the I'ist in modern times Atfbeys like Westminster, Glastonhury, and Bury St' Edmund's played a leading, part in the annals of the nation. Of the special -..gratitude with which English Churchmen must cherish the memory of Austin— the Benedictine abbot of St. Andrew's, at Rome, who, at Pope Gregory's bidding,, brought the Gospel to the English—and of other great. Benedictines, such as Cuthbert and Baeda and Du.nstan, it would be superfluous to speak. HOLLAND— Catholics in Public Life One reads with a pleasant start of surprise of the prominence of Catholics in the new Ministry just formed in Holland. A' century ago the Catholics' were a coimparathely small and a greatly despised minority •in. the country, now they form, between one-third and two-fifths of the population, and tifoey work in, such harjnony with the best element of their Protestant neighbors that three of their leaders belong to the new Cabinet. One of them is Mr. Nelissen, the Minister of Justice ; another Mr. Kolkmann, president of the Association of the Blessed Sacraiment, is the Minister of Finance ; and Mr. Peyers, Minister of Public Works, is also president oF the Central Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. FRANCE— A Lenten Pastoral In his first Lenten. Pastoral the Archbishop of Paris says that for thirty years the campaign undertaken. for the dechrisfianisation of France has been conducted with sure and persevering method and a success'that is all too evident. From the capital, under the form 1 of measures which cloak themselves 1 under the name and the authority of the law, have gone successive blows directed against religion, and there,' too," they have made most felt their disastrous effects. Religious education was the first thing aimed at, and the campaign, against it still - soes on. Every year fresh schools are Struck, which- -'it *is not possible to retplace. A desigm is even announced for refusing anyone who declares himself for God and the Church the right to instruct the young. Thus the generations of children educated without religion, anid often without morality, go on multiplying, a fact which constitutes a menace of •increasing gravity for the social order. ROME— Solemn Beatification The solemn Beatificatian of the Venerable Magdeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Order of .the Sacred Heart, has been fixed for.- May 24. A Rare Coin ' On March 18 the Holy;. Father received the members of the Sacred College,." who came to present their •greetings to his Holiness, on the occasion of his name day. In the course of -the' audience the Pontiff told the Cardinals that he had just received an interesting gold coin from the diocese of Acqui as a jubilee gift, and then proceeded to give a history of the coin, which has a face value of twelve shilßngs. It was found about ten years ago during the excavations for the foundations of a church at Acqui, and proved) to be the only coin in. existence of Innocent IX., wiho reigned two months in the year 1591. The diocese of . Aaqui was unable to pay the architect, of the new church, and therefore gave him the coin, with the condition 1 that 'if it were sold for over £2-10 the -surplus ' should go to the diocese. The architect, however, was unable- to find a purchaser, the King of Italy alone offering £100. The clergy of the diocese had now collected- the necessary money and had presented the coin to the Pontiff. It was the only one lacking in theVatican collection of coins of all the Popes, and the collection is now complete*.-',,. ' ; The Pontificate of Pius X. His "Holiness Pius X. (says the 'Catholic Weekly') is now nearing the completion of the first five years of his- Pontificate. These • five years, will be notable years in the history of the Church ; and they have already made it clear that the Pontificate of Pius X. is bound to take a place in history with the greatest

Pontahcates 'in the long and glorious line of St. Peters successors. As ' Home ' remarks, one may please one's self as to the authenticity or not of the famous prophecy attributed tn St. Malachy— it may have been the merest coincidence Ihat Pius IX., who met Ms cross from the Cross of Savoy, should have been describes ■ hundreds of years ago (for at least that is true) as Crux de Cruce, and that Leo XIII. should have been heraJded as a Lumen in coe'.o (which would have been verified had there been no comet in his arms), but surely Ignis ardens does sum. in a very remarkable way the character of these first five years of the Pontificate , of Pius X. SCOTLAND— A Supporter of Catholic Charities Sir Robert Glendnnwyn Gordon, of Letterfourie, BantYshire, premier baron of Scotland and of Nova Scotia, died at Letterfourie House, on February 26. Sir Robert, who was descended from the second Earl of Homtly and the Pjrincess Jean, daughter of James I." of Scotland, was born in 1824, and succeeded to the title on the death of Jhis, brother, Sir William, in. 186-1. The deceased was 1 a generous supporter of Catholic charities.- The ' Westminster Gazette ' states that he is succeeded in the estate by his grand-nephew, Mr. Henry Shee, K.C., Recorder of Liverpool. A Well Known Catholic Family There lately departed this life, at the great Benedictine Abbey of Fort Augustus, a scion jof a wellknown Catholic family— Father Basil Weld, 0.5.8. Born in 1874, he became a postulant at Fort Augustus in 1891, and was professed in 1893. In 1901 he was ordained to the priesthood. He was possessed of great learning, and his writings on various theological subjects are widely known. At the time of his early death he was engaged on a life of his father; Sir" Frederick Weld, at one time well known in the £ public life .of New Zealand. After a long illness he "s passed away on February 27, and on March 2 his body was laid to rest in the monastery b.uryinig r gtround. It was a typical Catholic Hiehland burying of one who was deservedly honored and beloved, both within and without his monastery. One of Father WeM's sisters is Prioress 1 at St. Scholastica's Convent, Fort Augustus, and a brother and two other sisters are 'in religion. UNITED STATES— The Sisters of Charity The Sisters of Charity, who are so active in the religious -life everywhere, will soon celebrate the 'centenary of the Order's organisation in the United States. It. wis- established by Mrs. Elizabeth A. Seton, at Emmitts'burg, Md., in 1809, and since then has grown in a remarkable manner. At Uie present time the number of the Order's establishments in the United States is over 350, with a membership of over 5000. In their hospitals and asylums the Sisters care for 10,-000 orphans, 2000 insane, and 5000 sick ; 25,000 infants have been given homes in their foundling asylums. GENERAL The Society of Jesus According to an exchange, the Society of Jesus at present numbers 15,760 members, of whom 7437 are priests,' f4327f 4327 scholastics, and 3996 lay Brothers. The members of the German province are the most numerous, 1147 "in all. The Austrian-Hungarian provinces embrace 20 houses, six colleges, and 782 members, of whom. 381 are priests, 160 scholastics, and 241 lay Brothers. ___________