The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 28 December 1911, Page 2663

The Catholic World

ENGLAND

CATHOLICS AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY.

The commencement of the new academic year (writes the Oxford correspondent of the Universe) has been signalised by the arrival of what is believed to be a record number, and among them is what we imagine must certainly be a record number of Catholics. Thirty-seven of the ' freshmen' are Catholics, and Downside has the credit of having sent no less than seven of them. These, added to the number of those who remain from last year, bring the total number of Catholic undergraduates up to the extremely high figure of a hundred. ■"'

THE PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH.

Members of the Catholic Truth Society who, in the .Westminster Cathedral Hall on Friday evening, November 3, tendered congratulations to its president, the Most Rev. Dr. Bourne, on his forthcoming elevation to the Cardinalate, dwelt with much satisfaction on the change that has taken place in the attitude of Englishmen towards the Catholic Church. It is true (remarks the Catholic Times) there has been a great change. Many prejudices have still to be combated. They are deep-rooted. But the edge of the old antagonism has been blunted. We have had and have writers of high ability who by works that have circulated extensively have done much to enlighten the public. And we have had and have in the Bishops and clergy men whose virtues and devotion to duty could not have failed to make an impression on those around them. When an Englishman sees that his neighbor, whether cleric or layman, lives and acts well he is always willing to give him, in the words of the Most Rev. president, a good and kindly hearing. At present a favorable opportunity for gaining his sympathy presents itself. Rationalists are courting his attention for publications calculated to destroy his belief in Christianity. The Catholic Truth Society has initiated a campaign against them, and if it is supported as generously as it ought to be, it will result in bringing many non-Catholic doubters into the Catholic fold.

THE NEW ARCHBISHOPS.

The Most Rev. Dr. Ilsley, the new Archbishop of Birmingham, was born in 1838, and was educated at Sedgley Park and at Oscott, where he was ordained in 1861. He was successively assistant priest at Longton and Rector of Olton Seminary. In 1876 he was appointed Canon of Birmingham, and three years later he became Bishop-Auxiliary. In 1888 he succeeded the Right Rev. W. B. Ullathorne as Bishop, and in 1906 he was named Assistant at the Pontifical Throne. He is a Governor of the University of Birmingham. The Most Rev. Dr. Whiteside, the new Archbishop of Liverpool, was born at Lancaster in 1857, and was educated at St. Edward's College, Liverpool, at Ushaw, and at the English College, Rome; He was ordained in 1885, and was then appointed a professor at St. Joseph's College, Upholland, of which he was afterwards vice-president and president. In 1893 he was made Canon of Liverpool, and a year later, at the early age of thirty-seven, he was consecrated Bishop of the diocese.

FRANCE

EXPULSION OF RELIGIOUS.

A special correspondent gives an account of the campaign for the expulsion of the Little Sisters of the Assumption from their convents in France (says the Catholic Times). No English-speaking person can read it without feeling indignant; no Frenchman who despises unmanliness can consider the details without experiencing a sense of shame. But apparently when French people lose their faith they lose with it the

power of recognising what what is mean and contemptible. So much we infer from the action of the French Government towards these unoffending nuns. First, the Sisters are subjected to nearly every possible form of annoyance by the authorities; and now policemen are dragging them from their convents and actually striking them as they thrust them out. The secret of the enmity to the Sisters is, of course, their success in winning the sympathy of the working classes and bringing religious influences to bear upon their lives. That is a good work which the enemies of religion in France cannot tolerate. Happily there are signs that many of the French toilers are beginning to resent the cowardly tyranny of their anti-Christian rulers. In spite of all the efforts to damage it, the Catholic Church in France continues to gain additional strength. The Government may expel the nuns, but it cannot prevent French men and women from admiring the religion which prompts their self-sacrifice.

UNITED STATES

RECENT DEATHS.

American papers record the deaths of Very Rev. Charles M. Lynch, Vicar-General of the diocese of Sacramento, who was born in the County Cavan, Ireland, in 1842; the Rev. Hubert O'Dea, assistant priest at St. John's Church, Utica, New York, a native of Ireland, aged thirty-nine; and Very Rev. T. O'Callaghan, D.D., V.G., Mobile, Ala., who was born in 1839 at Kanturk.

SPAIN

NUNS AS IDEAL NURSES.

Professor Roncalia, an eminent physician of Mantua, Spain, who is generally anti-clerical in his views, recently addressed two hundred trained nurses of that city. Professor Roncalia, who was their chief instructor, in speaking of the qualities of the ideal nurse, expressed himself as follows:—'Allow me to bring before you the example of those who were and will be always the models of the competent nurse, the example of the Sisters. Do not believe, however, that in speaking of them I have any intention of propagating clericalism. No. Who knows me knows that i am not a clerical ; quite otherwise. However, in speaking of them it seems to me that I am throwing a ray of light on their work, so noble, so great, yet so unknown. You see these Sisters flitting about among the wards, quick, light, silent, always with the same expression of goodness on their faces, with the same indulgence in their actions. You see them pass from bed to bed, hastening to where they are called without ever allowing the least sign of impatience to escape them. I have always opposed, and always will oppose, the idea of expelling the Sisters from the hospitals. At Mantua I have insisted to the point of obtaining them as assistants even in the operations. I have said, and repeat it, the Sisters are the model of the true nurse; they are the sublime in goodness and in self-sacrifice; they represent the heroism of abnegation. And what presents itself before them as reward for their mission ? The prospect of passing their lives from dawn to late night amid the laments of those who suffer and the death rattle of those who die; the probability of. acquiring the infectious germs of terrible and incurable maladies, as happened a little while ago to a young Sister in the flower of her health and youth who died of tuberculosis; the forgetfulness and ingratitude of those who benefit by her ministrations; the absolute absence of amusements and of relaxation; a table not too well laden with the good things of this life. With all this you will see them going about contented after a manner, .without asking for anything without any pretence, content only to give their whole lives and their whole work to the relief of the suffering and the unfortunate. And it is pre cisely these Sisters that I put before you as examples to fol ow, as examples to put in practice. Endeavour to walk in their footsteps, and at the bedside of the poor invalids be good, always good, very good.' -