The Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 8 July 1915, Page 55

The Catholic World

BELGIUM DEATH OF A REFUGEE IN ENGLAND. A venerable Belgian refugee, M. Gerard de Bruyn, died recently in London at the age of ninety-two years. He was one of the gentlemen of the famous Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Antwerp Cathedral and for 62 years, without a break, he had taken part in the annual procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the city. Pope Leo XIII. decorated him with the Order of St. Gregory the Great, as a reward for his faithful service and as a souvenir of the golden jubilee of his connection with the .confraternity. Pope Pius X. also honored him. He left Antwerp with his family during the bombardment. His Jesuit son remained at his post, and was the first priest arrested by 'the Germans. lie was subsequently released. M. de Bruyn had a large family, and his descendants number eightyfour, it is said, including nine grandsons in the Belgian army. One fell in service. The remains were interred at Kensai Green Cemetery, but on the close of the war they will be removed to Belgium.

ENGLAND CHARITABLE BEQUESTS. By the will of the late Mrs. Coidstouc, many Catholic charities have benefited. Altogether the testatrix left about £IO,OOO for distribution to various charities, including £SOO to the Clifton Catholic Rescue Society; £SOO to the Abbot of Downside Abbev, towards the completion of the church there: £SOO to St. Vincent’s 'Home, Liverpool: £SOO to the Converts' Aid Society; £SOO to the Catholic Seamen’s Home and institute, London; £SOO to the Association for the Propagation of the Faith: £SOO to the Superior for the time being of Farm street for the Zambezi Mission : £250 to the Providence Row Night Refuge, London; £IOO to the Hospice of the Dying, Hackney: £SOO each to the Convent of Mercy at Jersey and Alderney ; £4OO on trust for the training of Catholic boys in the Clifton diocese; £3OO to the Southwark Catholic Rescue Society: £3OO to St. Mary’s Catholic Home, Hammersmith, and other gifts of smaller sums.

FRANCE THE JOAN OF ARC FETE. The Bill for the institution of an annual fete in honor of Joan of Arc has not yet been adopted by the French Parliament (writes the Paris correspondent of the Irish Catholic). Monsieur Yiviani, the French Prime Minister, who does not oppose it, nevertheless requested M. Maurice Banes last December to refrain from asking the Chamber to adopt without further delay M. Fabre’s proposal to honor the Maid of Orleans in an annual national solemnity. lie invoked patriotic reasons and the necessity of not disturbing the ‘sacred union ’of all parties in the defence of r tho country. The President of the Patriotic League yielded to the Minister’s arguments, though he confessed he did not understand them. And since then everything has tended to show that far from being a subject of dissension Joan of Arc should be, and is, a bond of union between men of all parties. Mr. Ferdinand Buissen, who is certainly not, as the freethinkers call it, ‘ tainted ’ with clericalism, but who was from the first favorable to the institution of the fete, has written to M. Barres demanding that on the occasion of the celebration of the Joan of Arc fete in Paris this year the Patriotic League and the League of the Rights of Man should, so to say, disappear behind the French League.’ This will certainly be done, because, as the lamented great patriot Deroulede affirmed when he constituted the Patriotic League, 1 Republicans, Royalists, Bonapartists, etc., are Christian names; the family name is French.’

ROME A RECENT NOMINATION. By the friends of the Right Rev. Mgr. Mclntyre, Rector of the English College, the news of his nomination by Benedict XV. as a Consultor of the Sacred Congregation of Religious was received with much satisfaction (says a Rome correspondent). The Sacred Congregation has undoubtedly received a great assistant into its ranks. In Bishop Kennedy, of the American College, who is attached to the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda, Mgr. Mclntyre has a felloAV-mcmber as one of the foreigners appointed to the Roman Congregations.

SCHOOL OF SACRED MUSIC. His Holiness on May 7 received the members of the Pontifical Higher School of Sacred Music (writes the Rome correspondent of the Irish Catholic). Cardinal Bisleti read an address to his Holiness, recalling the foundation of the school by Pope Pius X., its chief aim being to train ecclesiastics, not only Italians, but of every nation, in Gregorian chant and in correct sacred music according to the spirit of the Church expressed in the Mot a Propria of the deceased Pontiff. His Eminence thanked the Holy Father for his kind thoughtfulness for the school since the beginning of his Pontificate, and offered him the homage of all the members of the Higher Pontifical School, their gratitude and unconditional obedience, begging for all the Apostolic Benediction. The Pope made a gracious response, saying how pleased he was to see such a large number belonging to the School, and expressed the desire that students from every college in Rome and of every nation would be admitted to it so that the liturgical chant would thus he followed in its purity throughout the Catholic world. He warmly praised the Director, Father De Santi, S.J., and the professors for the work they had already done, promising them abundant fruit for their labor. The Holy Father after mentioning again the founder of the school, his predecessor of holy memory, imparted the Apostolic benediction to its Protector, Director, and members, as also to all who co-operate in its increase and progress. SCOTLAND DEATH OF A CATHOLIC SCIENTIST. The death took place recently at Hawick, of exBaihe Deachan, J.P., F.1.C., F.1.5.C., public analyst and senior science teacher in Buccleugh Higher Grade School, Hawick. Deceased, who was born in Hawick sixty-two years ago, was a son of Irish parents. The boy began life at the plough, and afterwards, by his studious habits, was able to qualify for a good position in one of the big Border factories. He took a great interest in natural philosophy and specialised in his leisure hours in analytical and practical chemistry. His efforts in this direction had become so famous throughout the British Isles that his fellow-townsmen subscribed and erected in his honor a public.memorial in the form of one of the best equipped chemical laboratories in the country, at Hawick. In 1884 lie resigned his post in the factory and devoted himself entirely to science. Honors were showered upon him by learned societies, and it is a tribute to his ability as a chemist that he was appointed Crown analyst in the famous Scotch tweed cases. He was a frequent contributor on technical subjects to the chemical press, and was much sought after by dyers and manufacturers on the border for expert advice in matters relative to the dye industry. In addition to his work for science, deceased took an active interest in public affairs, and sat on the Hawick School Board as well as the Town Council. He was a devout Catholic and greatly interested himself in all Church matters.