Catholic World

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 22, 7 June 1923, Page 47

Catholic World

CONGRESS OF SPANISH STUDENTS. A great Catholic Congress of students was recently held in Saragossa, the historical capital, of Aragon, and one of the most venerable spots in Spain. Scarcely three years ago a few students, filled with enthusiasm, decided to organise in some of the universities so that their groups might affiliate with the brilliant ranks of social Catholicity of Spain. This movement spread so rapidly that today there is not a single Spanish University without its Catholic Students’ Association. The-'Student movement has been aided and encouraged by the Papal Nuncio, the Cardinal Primate, and other members of the Spanish Hierarchy. Even many non-Cath-olic professors have expressed their approval of it and their belief that it will work out a tremendous apostolatc for the good of the country. At the recent conference, delegates from 71 of the associations were present and this number was further augmented by the presence of many university professors. The present Government is radical, as shown by one of the first acts of the Minister of Public Instruction in abolishing the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, established in the previous regime. The congress opened with a day of Retreat at the famous Cogullada Monastery. The city of Saragossa was made famous during the Napoleonic Mars. Its history is, therefore, unusually interesting. In all the schools a holiday was declared in honor of the congress. A message was received from the Papal Nuncio, and Cardinal Soldevilla gave his blessing and support to the work. The congress solemnly declared itself ready to maintain all the traditions of Catholicism of Spain in all centres of learning. ' y ADVANCE OF CATHOLICITY IN INDIA AND CEYLON. A story of encouraging progress on the part of the Catholic Church in India and Ceylon is given in information which has just been published concerning the growth of the Church there of late. TJie information is given in an instructive article by Rev. J. C. Houpert, S.J., in an issue of the Catholic Directory of Intfia. The article considers the numerical growth of the Church in India and Ceylon during the past twenty years, and the information given raises great hopes for the advancement of the Church in India for the future. According to the figures given, the number of Catholics at present is three million, while there were one million seventy years ago! The statistics reveal that there were 3145 priests in India and Ceylon in 1921, compared with 2882 ten years ago. European priests are now reported as being in a minority, forming two-fifths of the whole. Roughly, they number approximately 1200 as compared with 1930 Indian priests, of whom 989 are in the Padroado diocese and 594 in the Syrian Vicariates of Malabar. Not all these are engaged in direct mission or parish work. A large number of them devote their energies wholly to the educational field. A perusal of the Directory fully, convinces the reader of the great possibilities for the progress of the Church in India, provided there are a sufficient number of missionaries. It is looked upon as especially gratifying to record the returns for the past year show that there were more than 25,000 conversions. PROGRESS OF THE-CATHOLIC CHURCH IN BURMAH. The Indian Catholic Congress recently held ; its third annual congress at Goa. The statutes of the association reveal some very interesting facts about Catholicity in the country of St. Francis Xavier. • The new statute consists of 7 chapters and 36 articles, and embraces the entire programme of social activity. Participation in the association is wide spreading. It includes members of the Hierarchy, the secular and, regular clergy,

religious missionaries and physicians, Catholic journalists, and the laity of all castes in India, Burmah, and Ceylon. The direction of the Society is in the hands of an executive council which exercises its functions through 'a central committee, meeting monthly in order to study and decide questions of importance to the Church in India, The' society is well organised, and while it assumed no functions proper to the hierarchy alone, it has a wide influence on every other form of Catholic activity in the country. It thus forms a valuable auxiliary to the hierarchy and unites its active work to that of the Church. THE FOUNDRESS OF THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE ASSUMPTION. I reliminary hearings for tin Beatification of the Foundress oi the “Little Sisters of the Assumption, Nurses of the Poor” have been initiated by the diocesan Curia of Paris. The Little Sisters are a unique community whose zealous and unselfish work in the interests of the poor of the country have justly won for them the esteem of citizens of all classes. Twenty years ago at the time of the general expulsion of religious, they continued their work, going about quietly and tending the poor sick. V hen danger of molestation on the part of the Government arose, the working men of the district about Paris armed themselves and stood guard about the convents of Crenelle and Levallois-Perret. The authorities passed the Little Sisters by, and they have continued their labors without interruption to this day. Antoinette age, or in religion Mother Mary of Jesus, was born of poor parents in the heart of the city of Paris. She worked as a seamstress before entering the convent. Through the pious and enlightened counsels of an Assumptionist bather whom she met when nearly forty years of age, she became the directress of an orphanage in Paris. I his was in the year 1864. Ten years later she founded the Order of Little Sisters of the Assumption in the labor quarters of Crenelle. This holy woman died in 1883, ripe in good works and mourned by thousands who were the beneficiaries of her charitable endeavors. In 1901 the Order received the approval of Rome. To-day it has branches in France, England, Ireland, Belgium, and Italy, the United States and the Argentine Republic. ' \ . Three lay societies have been established in connection with the Sisters’ work. These assist in caring for the poor, and provide relief in various forms. A confraternity of mothers has also been formed, known as “Daughters of St. Monica.” The Sisters are held in the highest esteem by all who are familiar with their noble efforts of charitable endeavor. But it is especially the workingmen of France who know how to appreciate them. They serve only the needy, and from the poor they accept nothing, not even a glass of water. This noble rule has borne abundant fruit throughout the country. i. he hopes of all are centred in the preliminary hearings of the venerable Foundress’ Cause now going on, and it is with eager anticipation that France awaits the day when this saintly woman may be raised to the honors of the altar. ENGLAND'S NATIONAL CATHOLIC CONGRESS. Great rations are already being considered for 1% National Catholic ■'Congress, which, it has been announced, is to be held in Birmingham next August. , Jhe National Catholic Congress is, of course, one of the greatest events on the calendar of Catholic activities, and its deliberations attract wide attention among Catholics of the country. The congress brings together a vast assemblage, and its work is divided into many departments, which take up various matters of importance and interest to Catholics at the time. During the course of the sessions an interesting exhibition will be given, and it is deemed likely that the largest hall in the city will'be taken by the committee in charge for this important feature of’the congress programmme. This building would provide a convenient centre for the many activities of the varius sub-committees which work during the congress on the many matters given into their charge. ' , . /

Imposing events on the programme of the congress are to be the great opening meeting and the civic reception, which.will probably be held in the Town Hall. There will be sectional meetings during -the sessions of .the congress.