Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, 25 August 1921, Page 35

Catholic World

EUCHARISTIC .CONGRESS. A National Eucharistic Congress was held at Paray-le-Monial from June 5 to June 8. Among the orators were General de Castelnau, Senator Count de las Cases, Abbe Garriguet, Superior-General of St. Sulpice; Mgr. Negre, the Archbishop of Tours. The closing offices were presided over by Cardinal Mauri n.

TWENTY JESUITS GO TO PHILIPPINES. - Twenty members of the Society of Jesus sailed from New York on June 13 to take charge of the missions in the Philippines which have been transferred from the Spanish branch of the Society to the jurisdiction of the Maryland-New York province. Special services on the eve of the departure of the members of the Society were held in the Church of St. Francis Xavier. The Itinerarium, the official prayer of the Church for clerics who are about to undertake a long journey, was recited, and Very Rev. Joseph H. Rockwell, S.J., Provincial Superior, delivered the farewell sermon. Archbishop Hayes imparted the Apostolic Benediction.

IRISH PROTESTANT POPULATION DECLINES. In the South and West of Ireland the Protestant population is diminishing. This admission was made by the Protestant Dean of Clonmacnoise at a recent meeting of his congregation. He added that it would be difficult for them to keep their schools open unless they got extraneous aid. Another clerical speaker, was afraid that some of the churches might have to be closed. In the North of Ireland, Protestants are complaining that Catholics are buying a lot of land formerly occupied or owned by Protestants, The boast of Protestants that they enjoy all the wealth of the country is not supported by facts.

SHRINE TO FIRST CHRISTIAN MARTYR IN UNITED STATES. Plans are being considered for the erection of a shrine to the memory of the Franciscan Friar, Fray Juan Padilla, believed to have been the first Christian martyr in what is now the United States. The Franciscan was murdered by the Indians nearly 400 years ago near where Junction City, Kans., now stands. Bishop Tief, of the diocese of Concordia, has announced his approval of the project of perpetuating the memory of the missionary. Padilla is believed to have returned to Cuivira (now Kansas) following the expedition conducted by the Spanish explorer, Francisco Vasques de Coronado, in 1542, in search of the famous “seven cities.”

FAMOUS SHRINES INSPIRATIONS TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. In describing the Cathedral of Strasbourg, an American recently visiting Europe says : “There it stands, rising majestically over the quaint little city, a wonderful monument to the faith of those who built it and a great inspiration to the Christians of to-day! It dominates the city! It would fain carry the souls of its people straight up to heaven. My! how proud one feels of one’s Catholicity here in this land where the Catholic Faith has inspired so many noble thoughts, such beautiful works of art, and so many, saintly lives. It makes one wonder whether we are doing our shart to carry on the traditions of the glorious past and the Faith that our ancestors have handed down to us. Indeed, Salve Regina workers work for more than a spiritual reward! They work for the inspiration of countless 1 generations!”

OBER-AMMERGAU COMES BACK. The Passion Play of Ober-Ammergau, which has not been staged since 1910, is to be produced next year, according to an announcement from that little Bavarian highland village, and it is said to be probable that Anton Lang will again take the part of Christus. The production

in 1910 was .extremely successful (says the "New York Herald)'-/ about 150,000 visitors saw the play, and 437,500 dollars was paid in admissions. Only a small portion of this went to the participants in the performances, the remainder being devoted to communal purposes of an educational and philanthropic character.' The Germans are said to have resented this localisation of the returns from the play and to have declared that its production was only a money-making scheme. They were in the minority among the attendants. A large proportion of the visitors came from the United States, Great Britain, and France. It lias frequently been charged that the Passion Play has lost much of its original significance.

POPE GIVES PROOF OF FRIENDSHIP FOR BAVARIA. The friendly relations which have always existed between Bavaria and the Holy See have been greatly strengthened by the present Nuncio, Mgr. Pacelli, and have found many expressions, as, for instance, in the New Year letter from the Holy Father to the Bavarian bishops. Information has just been deceived of other, more private and personal expressions of friendliness which up to the present time were not generally known. On the occasion of the elevatioi of -Archbishop Dr. von Faulhaber to the Cardinalate, the Prime Minister von Kahr sent a communication to the Pope expressing the joy and deep gratitude of the Bavarian . Catholics for this great honor. The Pope answered this letter and expressed his interest in the welfare ,of Bavaria, and spoke of his great love for that country. Several months before this, at the beginning of negotiations for the re-establish-ment of the Concordat, when it appeared that the outcome would be favorable, the Pope was filled with confidence in the attitude of the Munich Government. In order, to give some token of this confidence, he sent Premier von Kahr a silver plate with a most artistic portrait of the Holy Father. This gift reached Munich some time before the elevation of Archbishop von Faulhaber to the Cardinalate. The negotiations between Bavaria and the Holy See, which are being conducted at the desire and with the support of the National Government, are to be pushed as rapidly as possible, as they arc a preparation and an example for the future concordat between the nation, and the Vatican. ' The difficulties are not insurmountable, and a happy solution no longer appears doubtful.