ITALY

New Zealand Tablet, 4 January 1912, Page 47

ITALY

SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE. Genoa has given the other cities of Italy an example of energy and firmness. Audacity usually marks the conduct of the irreligious elements of Italy, nor did it fail to urge the Municipality of Genoa, which is a typical ' bloc' .corporation, to vote away the imparting of religious instruction in the elementary schools of the city. In Rome and a few other cities a few meetings and newspaper complaints might end in action that might take effect—-six months hence. But to the sturdy people of Genoa energetic steps are as meat and drink, and accordingly the Mayor of the city found in his office the other day a commission of fathers of families who politely but firmly declared their children should receive religious instruction, and therefore demanded the schoolrooms to be placed at their disposition according to the law. They had even at that moment teachers of both sexes, duly qualified, to. commence religious lessons. Needless to say, the good Mayor promised to do everything possible to meet their demands. Genoa also is about the first diocese in Italy to put into execution the Pope's wishes regarding Italian emigrants. To the diocesan Directive Committee the Archbishop has confided the spiritual and temporal interests of those about to emigrate. *\ - *