The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-09-13

Clristiana, the capital of Norway,
and the largest city in the kingdom, re.
1oces In the presence Of two Catholic
churches, the cathedral of st Olaf, and
II mere modest cdificc dedicated to God
under the title OF St Halvard. The
rector Of the cathedral is a classmate
OF some Of the younger priests of the
Brooklyn diocese who studied i'm Rome.
He is IN indefatigahle worker, an earn
est preacher. and is we'll liked by his
PROTESTANT ncighhors. One OF his as
sistants. Roman student also, is the
director OF tthc school and the editor
OF the only Catholic paper in Norway.
At the foot Of st. Johns hill, near
the cathedral, stands handsome mod
'arn hospital conducted by the Sisters
OF st. Joseph. tt is a monument to the
energy Of the bishop. who was aided in
its erection hy the charity of Catholics
and Protcstants alike. Tn the winter
OF 1899 bazaar held in Christiana un-
der almost entirely Protestant aus
picrs for the benefit Of the hospital
ncttcd a substantial sum; the hest ply
Sicians of the city are on the staff,
and all Christiana takes pride in this
Catholic charity.
In the provincial House of THE Sis
te's Of st. Joseph. which is near the
hospital, tIirty-six novices are rrepar-
ing for the Arfluous work OF mission
life i'm southeastern Norway. They
come from nearly every country in
EurOpc-generous souls, with n zeal
that ovcrcomos every obstacle and that
has prompted them to leave father,
mother. home and all that life holds
dear to follow Christ and make Him
loved by the children of st. Olaf
Thc northern portion OF Norway,
washed by the waters Of the polar
ocean. where tlnre is but one day and
one night in the year. is given over to
the Sisters of ST Elizabeth, but they
llmve convent in Christiana, home
for convalcsccnt sisters who have not
been able to endure long the fatigues
of tire Arctic waters. Their stay at
Chrlstinm is temporary. AS soon as
health returns they are back again at
Tromso or Hammerfest.
Bergen, the second largest city in
Norway, as well as one of the oldest
and most picturesque, has a Catholic
population of two hundred. The
Church Of st. Paul, where they wor-
ship, was built thirty years ago by
Father Stub, who is buried behind the
altar. Father Stub was born in Ber.
gen, Of Protestant parents. but early
in life was received into the Church,
joined the congregation Of the Barna.
bites, in Italy, was Provincial for some
time, and finally came back to his ma
tive city to devote himself to the few
Catholics there. He erected the Church
Of st. Paul with money left by his par
ents and ministered in it until his
death. His successor, classmate Of
Bishop Mcdonnell, Of Brooklyn, is an
indefatigable worker; his spare time ID
devoted to rafutation of calumnies
against Catholic faith and practice In
the public press. He is Truth Socie-
ty in himself. Nothing escapes his
vigilant eye, no attack goes unan-
swered. The newspapers take all he
writes and consider it good copy"
But there are other Catholic church,
es in Bergen where Catholic doctrine
is no longer taught nor the holy sacri-
flee Of the Mass offered. They are
monuments Of the early faith Of the
people, as we'll as witnesses Of the ar.
tistic development of the Middle Ages.
Mary's Church, built in the twelfth
century, was used by the merchants
and clerks of THE Hanseatic League,
that immense llsh trust Of early days.
The now Protestant cathedral Of st.
Olaf was originally monastery
church; it was built in THE thirteenth
century. But it is in Mondhjem, the
strength and Heart of the country, that
the devastating influence Of the RefOr.
nation is best seen.