The sun., 1898-01-01

rats Couptry. France, Australia. ana Canaaa
Asked 20 Join IL ths RTsvenenL


There has been laid before the Roman oatho-
lie Archbishops and Bishops OF the United States
and Canada a request to consider the formation
OF affiliated fratornities Of the Archconfraterni
ty OF Our Lady of Compassion. which has its
headquarters in tho Church OF st. Sulplce, Paris
and for its object tho conversion OF England to
the Roman Catholic faith. This movement or
iginated with Cardinal Vaughan, Archbishop OF
Westminster, who laid the matter before Pope
Leo KILL about a. year ago. After careful de-
liberation, and after calling into consultation the
Archblshops OF Paris and of Autun, the Pope
gave his approval and his formal sanction OF
special services to bc held in st. Sulpice. Paris,
to formally inaugurate tho organization OF the
original archconfrat ernity. These services have
already been held. Cardinal Vaughan being the
principal figure in them. and reading at them
the formal sanction and blessing bestowed upon
the movement by tho Pope.
While France has been chosen, form historic
reasons, to be the seat Of this movement. the
chief centres OF activity are intended to be con-
gregations speaking the English language.
Hence the appeal to the Archbishops and Bish.
ops in the United States and Canada. The Same
appeal has also gone to Australia, to New Zea-
land, and to every country where the English
Seser Of the % pope
q wish tnat Como oAisSohOO
voluntarily II at all.
Cardinal Vaughan has just issued q pastoral
letter, which was road in all Roman Catholic
churches In England last Sunday, in which he
describes the Inauguration Of the Archconfra-
ternity, and points out that already the Car.
dinals of Paris. Lyons, Autun. Rheims, of
Malnes in Belgium. the Archbishops of Rouen,
AK. and Aries, tho Bishops OF Montpelier.
Mines. Marselles. Orleans. Arras, and other
dioceses have taken steps to further the inter-
ests of the confraternity OF prayer. He says
that the Cardinals OF Paris. Lyons. and Autun
have issued pastoral letters devoted entirely TO
the subject OF prayer for the return OF England
to tho Roman Catholic faith. and he closes by
telling English Catholics that Englishspeaking
people In the United States. In Australia, and
everywhere will join In this movement
Tho movement Is to be made to take the form
of an organized society in different churches,
the members pedging themselves to prayer, to
hear masses at stated intervals. and through
their proper ecclesiastical head to make regular
reports to the headquarters of the movement In
the Church of st. Sulpice, Paris. Cardinal
Vaughan. in his pastoral Just issued, urges the
faithful not tn hate those who are in error. but
to hate only the error itself, and says that Eng
land will never he won to the Roman Catholic
faith by controversy but by calm eNpositfons
that satisfy the reason, and BY the prayers OF
right teous men (which availeth much.
1t is said that 1t Is doubtful IT any American
Archbishops or Bishops issue pastorals on the
subject. as the French and English prelates
have done, but that permission will be given to
form confraternities in such churches in this
country may desire to do so.