The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 19 November 1908, Page 31

The Catholic World

ENQLAND — A Precious Souvenir / One of the most highly valued of the treasures possessed ■by the Duke of Norfolk is a beautiful golden^ crucifix which was ', presented to him, when quite a ' little boy, by the' late Pope Pius IX. The occasion was a visit to Rome oF his Grace's father,--the late Duke, who was accompanied to the Vatican by his young son, and received in audience by the Holy Father. During the interview the Sovereign Pontiff, who was much taken with" the future head of 'he Howards, asked the lad what he would like best. The boy's response was an unexpected one. ' Holy Father, I should like to see your bedroom ; for they say no one is ever allowed to go there.' Smilingly, the Pope took the boy by the hand and led him into his' private chamber. There, taking down from the wall the crucifix which hung at the head of the bed, he placed it in the hands of the delighted guest, and bade him keep it as a remembrance. There is now no more greatly revered object than that precious souvenir of the gentle and saintly Pio Nono, bestowed on the Duke at his first audience with Christ's Vicar.' ROME— Brazilian Pilgrims A body of Brazilian pilgrims were received by the Holy Father on September 28, being introduced by the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro. His Holiness "said Brazil was one of thu countries that gave him joy, because though Church and State had been separated, religion was respected. Sports at the Vatican The Holy Father was present for nearly two hours at 'he International Sports, which took place in Rome on September 26 in Bramantes' Courtyard at the Vatican. Irish athletes distinguished themselves. Carroll gained the gold medal for rop> climbing ; M'Carthy won the gold medal for the high jump; while in the long jump Kirwan and M'Carthy were equal. On Sunday all the athletes taking part in the sports marched in procession through Rome. The Holy Father and Ireland The Holy Father has once more been disclosing to represent, tatives of Catholic Ireland the cordiality of his feeling towards^? her people. Ireland has, indeed, had a high and honored place amongst the nations that have been tendering homage and affection to the Holy Father on the occasion of his jubilee (say the Catholic Times) The Municipality of Dublin, on September 24, presented its greetings and good wishes through Mr. J. P. Nannetti, M.P., ex-Lord Mayor, who, to the manifest delight of his Holiness, referred with pride to the fact that the blood of Italy and of Ireland commingles in his veins. The Pontiff spoke with emotion of the sentiments of devotion and attachment contained in the Irish address from the Council, and he regarded the exquisite illumination of the work as a proof that in artisne decoration the Irish hand has not lost its cunning. The Irish Confraternities, the members of the Young Men's Sociey of Ireland, and, above all, the Irish athletes, who have achieved such brilliant victories in the Vatican sports, who 'figured so" prominently in Sunday's great procession through the -Eternal City, and who have so well deserved an enthusiastic welcome home from their fellow-countrymen, met with the kindliest recepion from his Holiness. The Pontiff expressed his conviction that to th a firmness of their faith are chiefly due such religious liberties as =* the Catholics of England enjoy. The warm, hearty tribute paid to the fidelity of the Catholics of Ireland will encourage them fn the struggle upon which the Catholics of these islands have entered for abolishing the last remnants and vestiges of intolerant laws. - . .- ' . Irish Music at the Vatican The scene at the Vatican on September 24, when his Irish children crowded round the Holy Father in such numbers and so enthusiastically attested their filial homa'ge, will not soon be forgotten by the Pope or by any one who enjoyed the privilege of being present. Particularly inspiriting (says the Catholic Times) was it to the Irishmen, to hear in such a spot the stirring strains of ' The wearing of the green,' as Mr.' Ceannt, in the picturesque costume of the Gael, marched into the Sala Consistoria with stately stride, playing the pipes, passed before the Pope, whose surprise and admiration were evident, and then, playing still, withdrew. In our Roman correspondent's -letter the .incidents of the memorable reception are described in detail. In a letter to us the Rev. J. W. Thomson, of St. James's, Raw-

- tcnstall, thus gives the impression made upon him : - .''-I 'had the great pleasure .of ' being present at the audience" granted^ by rh»i Pope to the pilgrims from Ireland. This was very kindly allowed me by Dr. O'Hagan, of the Irish College, Rome. The distinctive note of this remarkable audience was the intense /enthusiasm displayed by the Irish Catholics in the actual- presence of the Holy Father. Although I was present at three or four audiences in former years, I never remember to have heard or - read of the like. The Sala Consistoria\ where we were all assembled, surely never heard such cheers, resounding- Irish cheers. Suddenly, as if to accentuate all this, were heard the well kiiown strains of the' Irish pipes. Coming gradually from a distance, the player advanced between the two rows of Jadies, lay gentlemen, and clergy, and stopped in front of the Pope. -' Never, I venture to say, did Pope before hear such music. Pius X. was very visibly pleased, laughing good humoredly. Our j-Roman correspondent says that the Irish music and cheers seemed to dispel, as if by magic, every vestige of the care of which the Pope's face had shown signs. The Holy Father's Health " Pope Pius X.'s references to his few remaining years, at his reception of the Venetian pilgrims, do _not seem ' to- havo depressed his old_ subjects of the Patriarchate. -One of them, a journalist, Signor Succardo, who for twenty years has been a friend of the Pope, describing his interview, says" the Pope has still all the appearance of a man in the full vigor of life.' 'Apart from his white locks, his three-and-seventy years appear to weigh lightly upon his shoulders. , The upright head, lively step, quick, clear eye, strong voice without a break, the animated, sparkling, pointed conversation of a mind ever on the alert and nourished by the prodigious memory which is one of the principal characteristics of his Holiness, proclaim his vigor. His strength, for the rest, is lavishly spent without fatiguing itself, during the long day's labors that endure from five in the morning until far into the night. Never for a moment relaxed, the strange thing is that his bearing never shows the slightest trace of weariness. SCOTLAND The Faith in the Highlands To-day (writes- an Edinburgh correspondent) J a large percentage of the population of the. Western Highlands and-j Hebrides are Catholics, and there arc many well known aristocratic families •>,who have never departed from the Faith. There can be no .'doubt whatever that in recent years Catholicism has made head- * way in the Highlands of Scotland. In Banftshire and in somo of lha Lowland counties the progress has been most marked. Tomintoul has been a living centre of the Faith for more tha.i five -hundred years. And other districts follow close on the heels of ' the highest town in Scotland.' Rationalism may marshal its forces, but so far it has failed to make the slightest impxes- , sion on the sturdy, unconquerable Faith of the loyal Catholics "in Glenlivet or in the far north. UNITED STATES— The See of St. Louis Rev. C. J. Armstrong, a Baptist editor of St. Louis, Missouri, in an article on the religious status of that city, says that the Catholics of the Missouri metropolis number 350,000, as against 128,985 affiliated with all other Churches. This certainly is a splendid -shewing for the strength of Catholicity in St. Louis. The corner-stone • of a new Cathedral was laid at ~StJ Louis on October 18 by the Apostolic Delegate, Monsignor Falconio. 11 olt 1 it}' Panama . ' . 'I -'On account of the large number of Catholics among-, the -a Italian and Spanish laborers (says the Canal Record, of "Panama), the commission maintains four chaplains of that Faith. A chaplain .who visits the camps' and hospitals- along the^ line- of. Jhc canal lives in Panama City, and local chaplains are* stationed in Ancpn, Culebra, and Colon. . A chapel is" being -built at - 'Culebra by the .Catholics -on a site -furnished by- the - commission. A Catholic chapeP was part of Ancon hospital, as transferred by the French to the Americans, and it is' maintained 'by the commission. The Cathedral and churches in Panama and Colonare also used by the Catholics of the Zone. What Catholics Pay for Education

- Rev. P. J.- Riordan, of "Chicago, recently stated that if all the parochial schools in" that city were closed it would cosf Chicago taxpayers 10,000,000 dollars to erect school buildings enough to accommodate the n«w pupils, and 2,000,000 dollars a. year additional to pay the wages of the increased number of teachers that would be required. This is a striking demonstration of the tremendous financial sacrifice the Catholics of Chicago are compelled to make in order that they may secure * for their children the great blessing of a Christian education. And it Is

: : . . a sacrifice 1 hat is made by Catholics in other countries besides this. - ' QENERAL The Catholic Hierarchy An exchange gives the following summary of the division of the Catholic hierarchy throughout the world : On the Con tinent of Europe, Italy has 268 sees, France 84, Spain 56, Austria-Hungary 52, Russia 13, Portugal 12, Turkey in Europe 7, Greece 7, Belgium 6, Holland 3, Switzerland 5, Bosnia Herzegovina 3, Roumania 2, and one each for Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Servia ; Ireland has 28, England 16, Scotland 6, and Malta 2 ; in Asia, the East Indies have 32, Japan 4, Turkey in "Asia 3, and Persia 1; in America, Canada has 29, the United States 93 (the most numerous hierarchy after Italy), Newfoundland 3, and the different Republics of South and Central America 130. Australia has 19, New Zealand 4, and the Philippines 9. There are 81 residential sees cf the Oriental Rites. Then there are 143 Titular Bishops with jurisdiction over Vicariates Apostolic. Altogether there are over 1400 Bishops in the Catholic Church throughout the world.