The San Francisco call., 1910-08-21
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

Portiuncula" was granted in the
thirteenth century by Honorius III at
the request of st. Francis of Assist.
but was confined to a single church
and could be gained only in that
church. Gregory XIV in 1922 extended
it TO all the Franciscan churches, and
Plus Y has just extended it for this
special septenary celebration TO the
entire world. Hence the enthusiasm
with which the great favor has been
received by Catholics throughout the
world.
August 10 marked the return of a
very ancient festival in the Catholic
church; namely, the Assumption. This
festival was kept in Jerusalem as early
as the fifth century. A calendar pre-
served in the abbey Of St Andrew, at
Nilleneuve, near Avignon, France.
dated Is being of the year 800, con-
tains this entry: Die XIV August,
Assumptio Sanctae Mariae;;' or, in
plain English, The fifteenth day of
August, the Assumption of Holy Mary
This indicates its existence and OBJ
servance back in the fourth century.
1t commentaries the unbroken tradi
tion in the Catholic church that Mary.
the mother of Jesus, was, after her
death, raised up from the dead by the
power of Almighty God, and translated
or assumed" body and soul, into his
heavenly kingdom; where she now
reigns with him, and intercedes for
that poor human race for which she
endured such cruel sufferings, in Civ
ing her consent TO Gods decree, and
witnessing the passion and death of
her Divine Son on the cross for our re-
demption.
REV. Richard Bell, s. J., head of the
department of physics at Santa Clara
college, California, has invented a ma
chine that produces continuous oscilla-
tion in the wireless telephone. which
has heretofore been seriously handi-
capped because the vibrations could not
be made continuous or permanent
Father Bell is the Jesuit priest who
discovered the wireless telegraph sim
ultaneously with Marconi; both work
ing on a theory set forth in 1888 by
the German scientist, Heinrich Hertz,
Father Bell proved the wireless to be
practicable, when the announcement of
Marconfs success was given to the
world.
Since then he has been studying and
experimenting In electric waves; par
ticularly in regard to the wireless tele-
phone. He was the first TO use the
microphone detector; a discovery that
was discussed at length, at the time,
IN the SclenC0C American ana other
publications. He was then professor
of physics in ST Ignatius college, San
Francisco
Another Jesuit, the Rev. J. A. de
Nilbss, S. j., Of Cleveland, O., has in
vented and patented globe which
will work a notable change in the
teaching of geography in schools. II
is relief papier rnache globe, IL inches
in diameter, and can be divided equa-
torially.
The new invention will enable
teachers to DO away with the old fash
ioned method Of tracing books; and
will permit the pupils to acquire a
ready knowledge of the relative sizes
of continents.
In using the globe, the intention is
TO have each child color the seas and
countries for himself, and paint or
write in the geographical names. 1t is
expected that the globe will be placed
upon the market this summer.
Cardinal Vannutelli has already ac-
cepted invitations to visit Boston. New
York, Baltimore and st. Paul, MINI. He
is still considering an invitation ex-
tended to him by his old friend, Arch
bishop Riordan. TO include San Fran
cisco in his itinerary.