People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 11 March 1915, Page 51

People We Hear About

The two sons of King Albert of Belgium are attending the Preparatory School at the famous Jesuit College of Stonyhurst, England. ' Cardinal Vincenzo Vannutelli on December 30 celebrated the silver jubilee of his, elevation to the Sacred College of Cardinals. He was the recipient of congratulations from the Holy Father, the members of the Sacred College, the Orders of which he is Protector, and very many of the public. The new General of the Society of Jesus (Father Ledochowski), who is a member of the Austrian Province of his Order, is a nephew of the late Cardinal Ledochowski, who died in 1911. Although comparatively speaking a young man for so responsible a position, he is expected to prove an excellent General. Mr. J. D. Gregory, who is Sir Henry Howard’s private secretary during his mission in Rome, is the son of Sir Philip Gregory, and was educated at Eton. He entered the Foreign Office in 1902, and was gazetted to the Diplomatic Service the year following. In 1903 he was Secretary to the British Agent before the Venezuela Claims Arbitration Tribunal at The Hague ; he was Second Secretary at Vienna from 1907 to 1909 ; and Charge d’Affaires at Bucharest from 1910 to 1913. Mr. Gregory, who is himself a convert to the Church, married in 1904 another convert —Gwendolen Lind, daughter of the late Raymond Maude, and only granddaughter of Jenny Lind, whose memory is still in the keeping of all lovers of music as one of those who upheld in public life the high dignity of her womanhood. The Right Hon. Sir Charles Fitzpatrick, Chief Justice of Canada and Deputy Governor-General, was born in Quebec on December 19, 1853. He began his legal career in 1876, after graduating from Laval University. lie first came into international prominence in 1885 as chief counsel for Louis Riel, the insurgent leader, who sought to found a half-breed ‘ republic ’ in Western Canada. He waged a brilliant legal battle on behalf of Riel, but the insurgent chief was convicted and executed. Sir Charles was knighted in 1907, soon after his elevation to the supreme Bench. He had previously served the Dominion Government as Minister of Justice and Solicitor General. He was the chief speaker at the American Bar Association’s Convention in Washington last October. Scottish Catholics in general, and Highlanders in particular, have been much gratified at the inclusion in the New Year’s honor list of Lord Lovat, on whom has been bestowed the Knighthood of the Thistle vacant by the death of the late Duke of Buccleuch. The last Catholic K.T. was John, third Marquis of Bute, one of the most learned peers of his time, and a generous and public-spirited nobleman. Lord Lovat’s public spirit (writes D.0.H.8. in the Glcisr/ow Observer) has been not less evidenced, though in a different field ; and his patriotic military services have been fitly recognised by the bestowal on him of the highest purely Scottish honor at the command of the King. The origin of the Order of the Thistle is lost in antiquity, but it was restored in modern times, first by James 11., and later by Queen Anne. There are but sixteen Knights, who are practically always Scottish peers. An exception to this rule was, however, made in the case of the late Sir William Stirling-Maxwell (father of Sir John Maxwell of Poll ok and Captain Stirling of Keir), on whom the coveted honor was conferred "in recognition of his eminent qualities as a scholar and patron of arts and letters.