ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. 



599 



The number of religious in England now is 

 far greater than at any time before the Reforma- 

 tion. Among the more numerous communities, 

 the Benedictine monks, who had 25 priories in 

 1501, have at present 8 principal establish- 

 ments, with 59 dependent " cells," as they are 

 called. The Franciscans have 14 houses, the Do- 

 minicans 9, the Jesuits 31, the Sisters of Charity 

 of St. Vincent de Paul 49, and the Sisters of Mer- 

 cy 84. 



Ireland. In four years the Society of St. Vin- 

 cent de Paul has been greatly extended and its 

 good works increased. In one year its receipts for 

 charitable objects were 18,305 ($91,525). In 

 the past four years more than 63,000 families 

 (more than 235,000 persons) were relieved by its 

 charity. 



The scholarly Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Mc- 

 Evilly, died on Nov. 26, at the age of eighty-six. 

 He was transferred from the see of Galway to be- 

 come coadjutor to Archbishop McHale, whom he 

 succeeded in 1881. He is known particularly by 

 his commentaries on the Sacred Scriptures. 



On June 2 the centenary of the founding of the 

 Christian Brothers was celebrated in Dublin. In 

 the morning there was a solemn high mass in the 

 Pro-Cathedral, his Grace Archbishop Walsh pre- 

 siding. The panegyric of the order was deliv- 

 ered by the Rev. Dr. Butler, O. C. C. 



The Most Rev. Thomas W. Croke, Archbishop 

 of Cashel and Emly, died on July 22, at the age of 

 seventy-nine. He was born in Cork, was created 

 Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand, in 1870, and 

 was transferred live years later to the see which 

 he had filled with such distinction ever since. 



Archbishop Plunkett has been declared venera- 

 ble, and the process of his beatification is being 

 hastened by special dispensations, so that the final 

 congregation appointed to investigate the cause 

 may be held before the end of another year. 



The silver casket containing the beautifully il- 

 luminated address which the members of the Irish 

 parliamentary party presented to Pope Leo XIII 

 takes the form of a reproduction of the Shrine 

 of Lough Erne, with the beautiful and varied in- 

 terlacings that are only to be found in pure Cel- 

 tic ornamentation. The casket is surmounted 

 by the pontifical arms, and underneath is the 

 motto, Lumen in Ccelo, " Light from Heaven." 

 The casket is supported by four fibulae, which har- 

 monize beautifully with the \vhole design and dec- 

 oration. 



Italy. Murano, in northern Italy, has given 

 the first example in the peninsula of erecting 

 homes for working men. " For each laborer a 

 home and a garden " was the motto of the parish 

 priest, Don Cerutti. 



The war on Christian education is less demon- 

 strative than in France, but it is declared never- 

 theless. 



The instructions issued with the -approval of the 

 Holy See are bringing the more enthusiastic Cath- 

 olic youth of Italy into greater harmony with 

 the older and more experienced organization of 

 the work of congresses. Adhesions to the will of 

 the pontiff have been received from all parts of 

 Italy, and Count Toniolo has publicly announced 

 the accord established between the Catholic or- 

 ganizations engaged in social work. 



The League of Public Morality began its con- 

 gress on Sept. 9, in Turin. There was a large at- 

 tendance, particularly noteworthy on account of 

 the prominence of those who took part in it. The 

 promoter of it, Prof. Bettazzi, presided. Among 

 those present were M. Gouffre, president of a sim- 

 ilar league in France, Count Balbo, Count Delia 

 Motta, and Canon Gastaldi. 



The population of Italy, according to the cen- 

 sus lately taken, is nearly 33,000,000. Crime is, 

 unfortunately, increasing with the population ; or, 

 rather, much more quickly. Suicides, which in 

 1872 were 30 in 1,000,000 people, are now more 

 than twice that number. The Socialists, confid- 

 ing in their growth and strength, are preparing 

 an antimilitary bill as a first step toward abol- 

 ishing the standing army. 



The first Italian Congress was announced at the 

 end of February. Its object was to consider the 

 relation of Catholics to modern Italian literature 

 and to take steps to found a review. There are 

 in this movement very prominent Catholic literary 

 men. 



Belgium. At the annual reunion of Belgian 

 Catholic journalists, the president, M. Verspeyen, 

 read an encouraging congratulatory letter from 

 the Pope, and announced his Holiness's gift of 

 1,000 francs toward the founding of a retreat 

 for aged journalists. Pope Leo said : " We 

 have already approved and praised your associa- 

 tion, formed to defend the truth more effica- 

 ciously." 



The fourteenth International Congress of the 

 Blessed Eucharist was held at Namur. The car- 

 dinal legate presided, and the papal nuncio was 

 present with the Governor of Namur and M. de 

 Woeste, the great Catholic leader. 



The Belgian schools have increased by one- 

 third since 1884, and the pupils by more than 

 half. The Catholic religious orders flourish more 

 than elsewhere, and those expelled by France are 

 welcomed. The missionary enterprises of this most 

 remarkable little country are peculiarly vigorous, 

 well-supported, and successful. Each year the 

 Parliament declares as a part of its political faith 

 the necessity of the temporal independence of the 

 Holy See. 



China. The Emperor has conferred upon Bish- 

 op Anger, of South Shantung, the button of the 

 first rank in acknowledgment of services rendered 

 to maintain good relations between the Christians 

 and the heathen. China has not yet washed 

 away her blood-stains. Two Belgian missionaries, 

 Fathers Van Merhaeghen and Bongaerts, both of 

 the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of 

 Mary, have been slain, with a large number of 

 Christians, in Mongolia. 



From the official report of the Roman Conyrega- 

 tio de Propaganda Fide, a fair idea may be ob- 

 tained of the really great missionary activity in 

 China. There are 46 vicariates apostolic, which 

 number 904 European missionaries and 417 native 

 priests, 1,326 priests in all. Almost all the princi- 

 pal European nations are represented among the 

 vicariates. A Catholic Church in the legation 

 quarter in Pekin is. being erected for the benefit 

 of the large Catholic population, mostly official 

 and military, resident there since the late crisis. 



Germany. The opening of the Holy Father's 

 jubilee year was marked in Germany on Feb. 20 

 by eloquent leading articles in all the Catholic 

 papers, giving expression to the undying love and 

 gratitude and unalterable fidelity of the German 

 Catholics to the great ponlilF. 



On April 28 the delegates of 29 of the nio-t 

 important Catholic associations in Germany, who 

 had journeyed to Rome to pay their homage to 

 the Holy Father, were received by his Holiness 

 in solemn audience. Prince Karl von Lowenstein, 

 the organizer and head of the pilgrimage, read a 

 beautiful Latin address. 



Within five years the Catholics of Cologne have 

 lost their four bishops. In 1897 died in Rome the 

 banished Cardinal Melchers: in 1898 his successor, 

 Cardinal Krementz, and the eloquent and much 



