The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 31 July 1913, Page 55

The Catholic World

ENGLAND

DEATH OF A CATHOLIC NOBLEMAN. The death is reported of Lord Stafford, which occurred suddenly at Costessey Hall, near Norwich. His Lordship was within a month of having completed his eightieth year, having been born on July 17, 1833. He was brother of the tenth Lord Stafford, whom he succeeded in 1892. A CATHOLIC SETTLEMENT. ■ The Right Rev. Mgr. Brown, the Vicar-General of Southwark, is promoting the establishment of a Catholic ‘settlement’ in Yauxhall, which is to include a hall for public meetings, a school clinic, and ; a convent. Mgr. Brown, as is generally known, although VicarGeneral of the Southwark diocese, is a Scotsman by birth, and a native of Dundee. The London correspondent of the Freeman says that funds for the project are being furnished in part or altogether by Miss Coats, a member of the famous thread manufacturing family of Paisley, who is a convert to the Church. DIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK. The fund opened by the Duke of Norfolk and other well-known Catholics to commemorate the silver jubilee of the ordination of Dr. Amigo, Bishop of Southwark, has now reached £IO,OOO. It is intended to devote the amount raised to the liquidation of the debt on Catholic institutes in the diocese.

FRANCE

CHURCH BUILDING IN PARIS. Paris is entering vigorously on a campaign of church building (says Rome). The Oeuvre des Chapelles de Secours , founded for this purpose in 1901, has now an annual income of nearly half a million francs contributed for the purpose of erecting small churches and chapels where they are most wanted in Paris. In the French capital and suburbs in 1905 there were only 147 churches for a population of 3,950,000; in Paris there was only one priest for every 23,000 souls; one parish alone, that of Clignancourt, counted a population of 125,000, and there were several of over 50,000. But between 1905 and 1912 nine new parishes have been created in the city proper, and fifteen in the suburbs, and in addition to these twenty-five chapels of ease have been erected. It is estimated that religious services have thus been provided for over 600,000 people, and it is certain that wherever a new church or chapel has been erected it has been quickly filled. Seven new churches have been built during the last few months. DECLINE OF POPULATION. For a number of years (says the Catholic Times) the French Government have been troubled by the problem of checking the decline in population. Various remedies have been advocated, but the legislators, after discussion, have usually found that they afforded but slight hope of an improvement. Now, however, both the members of the Chamber and the Senators have been grappling seriously with the difficulty. A Bill Vhich has been before the Chamber of Deputies provides that in the cases of women worker’s who become mothers, notice of dismissal cannot be given within the two months preceding and the two months following the birth of their children, and during the period of enforced absence from work women who are in need of assistance will receive help from the State. The Senate has been considering a Bill by which it is proposed to grant from £2 8s to £2 10s a year to heads of families with more than three children. It is evident that French Ministers recognise the danger to the country involved in the falling away of the birth-rate, but the success of legislative experiments for bringing about a

change is extremely doubtful. Only by the influence of religion can the habits of the people be altered for-the better and that the Government is opposing instead of promoting.

ROME

RECEIVED IN AUDIENCE. The Right Rev, Robert Fraser,. Bishop of Dunk'eld, was received in a private farewell audience by his Holiness the Pope, on June 10. . His Holiness wished him God-speed and hoped that success would crown his efforts for the triumph of religion; his warmest blessings would accompany him on his new mission. Bishop Fraser presented the new rector of the. Scots College in Rome, Mgr. Mackintosh, to his Holiness, who referred in complimentary terms to the work already done by the rector, for whom he entertains a high regard.

SCOTLAND

GOLDEN JUBILEE OF A NUN. I ifty years a teacher is an achievement to be proud of, and to have taught in the same parish during that half century gives an additional fillip of interest to the splendid record. Sister Mary Gertrude, of the. Sisters of Mercy, St. Catherine’s Convent, Lauriston Gardens, Edinburgh, has accomplished all . this, and is to-day hale and hearty, though the burdens of her scholastic office are formally laid aside (says the Catholic Herald). In the evening of her busy life she still manifests an interest in the profession of which she is so bright -an ornament. &

SPAIN

A MINISTERIAL CRISIS. Just at present there is a state of tension in the relations between the political parties in Spain, and the position of the Government is anything but firm. Some time ago, Senor Maura, the leader of the Conservatives, announced his intention of retiring from public life. In response to appeals from the party (remarks the Catholic Times), he has consented to remain at its head, and his dissatisfaction with the policy of the Liberal party has been accentuated since he arrived at that decision There has been a debate in the Chamber on the situation, with the result that the difficulties of the Government have become more serious. The Radicals and Republicans have advocated what they described as the democratising of the monarchy. Senor Maura has no tolerance for this tendency. To adopt such a policy, he said, would be to take a course which would prove fatal to the rule of the monarch. The King would lose his authority. A revolution which would be none -the less complete because it would be one without barricades or bloodshed, would take place, and Spain would be plunged into a sea of troubles. The Republicans and Socialists were as bitter in their attacks on Senor Maura as he was in his denunciations of their principles. Don Pablo Iglesias asserted that they would not permit him to form a Government,- whatever the cost. Count de Romanones, the Premier, cannot much longer hold out against the onslaughts of the Conservative leader, and should his Cabinet fall, the extremists will do all that is possible to prevent the King from selecting Senor Maura to take his place. Fortunate would it bo for Spain if she possessed a Government such as that under which Belgium flourishes. 6

GENERAL

THE CHURCH IN CHINA. The Vicariate Apostolic of Pekin registers this year 35,000 catechumens, being 10,000 more than last year. Among the converts figures a princess of the imperial blood, grand-daughter of Emperor Kiatsing, .niece of the Emperor Tao-Kwang, and sister of Prince King, the last Prime Minister of the Manchurian dynasty. This noble Chinese lady was baptised on her death-bed in St. Michael’s Hospital, where she had received instructions from the Sisters of Charity.