The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 8 April 1915, Page 49

The Catholic World

BELGIUM V.; ' HEROIC NUNS HONORED. . The King of the Belgians has awarded the military distinction of the Order of ' Chevalier do Leopold ' to the following Little Sisters of the Poor, who have shown conspicuous bravery and devotedness during the Bombardment of Nieuport:—Sister Clotilde Roeleus, Sister Pueleutea Vanhoutte, Sister Alexandra Vanhoutte, Sister Candida Hoemacker. These nuns refused to leave 29 aged men, both helpless and infirm, who were in the institute under their care, and consequently remained with them during the bombardment, when nearly all the inhabitants had fled from the town. The Order of ' Knight of the Crown ' lias been conferred on Sister Cornelia Baert, Sister Gabriel Baiert, and Sister Rita Giele, nuns serving in the Military Hospital at Yypres, for their self-sacrificing devotedness in nursing the wounded of every nationality in this hospital, and also for their courage in remaining at their good work during the bombardment. The Sisters did not leave the hospital until it was nearly demolished by the shells and rendered unfit for residence. ENGLAND DEATH OF A CONVERT. On February 5 the death took place at her residence, Ashly place, Westminster, ol Miss Alice McKenna, sister of the Right Hon. Reginald McKenna, Home Secretary. The deceased lady was received into the Church in 1873. She was connected with the Altar Society attached to' Westminster Cathedral for many years, and was a. generous donor to many Catholic charities, while she devoted much of her time and money to work amongst the poor oi the parish. FRAINCb FRENCH GENERALS AND RELIGION. The Paris correspondent of the Catholic Times writes:—Generals de Casteluau and Pan are, it has often been said and written, practical Catholics; so is General Foch, who, since the battle of the Marne, has become the right hand and second self of General Joffre. The latter, when the war broke out, was', it is well known, indifferent on religious matters, but I hear, on good authority, that a notable change has taken place in his convictions. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOLY FATHER. The French Government are not quite so dull as to be unable to see that the prayer for peace composed by the Holy Father and the services ordered by his Holiness for Sunday, February 7 (says the Catholic Times) are not intended to discourage in the least degree the vindication of the rights and liberties for which the Allies are fighting. The motive of their conduct in ordering the seizure of the Semaine Beligieuse of Paris, and the Pelerin, containing the Pope's prayer, and in attempting to prevent the Catholics of France from obeying the Holy Father's instructions on Sunday next is not difficult to discern. At present there is a great religious revival in France. Many witnesses—newspaper correspondents, doctors, nurses, and —bear witness to it. The unbelievers are alarmed. Doomed to a loss of power after the war, they try to get up a quarrel with the Pope now and to excite ill-will against him. So wanting are they in patriotism that they proposed to take measures which, if persisted in, would cause bitter divisions between French citizens at this critical time. They deemed this an easier way to make sure of retaining their posts than to reform the system ■which has produced the Desclaux-Caillaux and so many other scandals. Desclaux, the army paymaster who stands charged with embezzlement, and whose female

friend .was v also a friend -of Germans,! at present fugitives, was in the good graces . of the ex-Minister .Caillaux]. and was actually U made a member of the Legion of Honor! .It is quite natural that where such corruption has prevailed there : should be hostility to religion and the Holy Father. But, according to the latest reports, the'' intolerant unbelievers have shrunk back, being afraid of the effects of out-Hcroding General von Bissing'. ROME THE SACRED COLLEGE. - The Annuamo Pontificio for 1915 is a veritable gold mine of information for those who take an interest in ecclesiastical matters (writes a Rome correspondent). Prom the list of Roman Pontiffs, at the beginning of the book, to the names of the members of the Episcopate who died in 1914, at the end, much scope is given lor reflections and deductions. Particularly interesting is the information with regard to the Sacred College. The names, ages, time of election to the Caruinalate, and nationality of those who are privileged to wear the red hat are always considered suggestive subjects at the end of each year. At present'the Sacred College is composed of sixty Cardinals, six being of the order of Bishops, forty-five of the order of Priests, and nine of the order of Deacons. Of the Cardinals living, nineteen were nominated by Leo XIII. The oldest Cardinal by nomination is Cardinal Netto, who has sat for thirty-one years amongst the Princes of the Church, as he was created Cardinal in the Consistory of 1884. But both these, as regards age, have to give way to Cardinal do Cabricres, Bishop of Montpellier, who is eighty-five. Then come Cardinals Vaszary, 83 ; Agliardi, 83; Gotti, 81 ; Gibbons, 81 ; Ssrafino Vaniiutclli, 81 ; whilst Cardinal Merry del Val, though he is well up among the seniors by reason of creation, is still the youngest member of the Sacred College, as he will not be fifty till next October. Four Cardinals have already died since Benedict XV. came to the Pontifical throne : their Eminences Cardinals Ferrata,' Cavallari, Dubillard, and Di Pietro. Eight died last year, the total number who died during the Pontificate of Pius X. being forty-eight. [Since the above was written Cardinals Tecchi and Agliardi have passed away.] SCOTLAND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS. Dunbar and district are poorer for the loss by death of a well-known Catholic lady, Mrs. Dunlop, wife of the late Dr. Dunlop. In every work of Catholic charity Mrs. Dunlop was in the forefront and did much by her charitable ministrations to assist the growing missions of Dunbar, East Linton, and West Linton. It is understood that under the will of the late Mrs. Dunlop the sum of £IO,QOO has been left for the missions at Dunbar.