The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-12-02

Every year about this time we are
reminded by one country or another of
the Ferrer episode of 1909. He is the
proto-martyr of the Masons and So
cialists and must not be allowed to
sink into oblivion. This year, signifi-
cantly following on the successes of
the Social Liberal Union, it is Belgium
which is celebrating the anniversary of
Ferrer's execution and doing it by the
erection of a statue to his memory in
the capital, Brussels. This is certainly
an outrage in a Christian Catholic
country, and it is a mystery how it
was permitted by the authorities. With
the completely of some Burgomasters
and Liberals of the Communal Council
who no longer refuse anything to the
revolutionaries, the monument in ques-
tion has been erected behind the
Church of St. Catherine in Brussels.
1t represent a Geni raising a torch
a big demonstration was announced
for the unveiling, but it ended in a
fiasco for there were only between
four and five hundred persons present
when M. HocQuart, a Protestant pas
tor, made a belligerent speech on the
right of free thought. After the cere-
mony was ended a banquet was held
at which all the Freemasons and Free
thinkers of the city assembled, and
violent speeches were made by Bel
gian deputies, who were followed by
MN. Naquet, Malatato and Povtet, the
successors of Ferrer at the Modern
School. The banquet being ended the
whole crowd adjourned to the Maison
du Peuple, where public meeting was
held protesting against the Italo-Turk-
ish war.
The Belgian Parliament.
The situation of the Belgian Parlia-
ment is decidedly critical since the
last elections. The conjunction of
the Socialists and Liberals makes a
strong combine against the Catholics.
A meeting of the Right was held in
Brussels this week at which all the
members of the Chamber and the Sen
ate were present. M. De Brouqueville
stated that he proposed to make a
declaration at the commencement of
the parliamentary session with regard
to the increase of representation which
the opposition seek, but parliament
cannot take up the subject for de-
liberation till March of next year at
the earliest. The demands of the
Left are an instant increase of depu-
ties and immediate dissolution. The
other great question is, of course, the
Scholastic Law, and at this meeting
the dominant principles of the latter
were fully discussed, but the conclu.
sions arrived at are at present kept
a secret. That they are all the Church
desires is evidenced by the declara
ton of MN. Schollaert and Woeste
of their absolute devotion to the Cab
met.
Centenary of Waterloo.
Great plans and preparations are al
ready on foot in Belgium for the suit
able celebration of the first centenary
of Waterloo. 1t is curious to find the
fears which agitate Europe after this
lapse of years, not against one all
dominent military conqueror but
against each other, so that the very
allies of 1915 are now running a mon
strous race in armaments and ships
to secure the supremacy of the mill
tary strength in Europe. If 1915 finds
Europe at peace and not in another
state of universal combat we shall
be fortunate The Catholic Peace So
ciety which is international and has
it's headquarters in Belgium is in
creasing in numbers and branches
and has just secured the cooperation
of British branch which is under the
patronage of the Catholic Bishops o
the English Province. This is worl
singularly suited for Catholic devo
tion, and it is proposed to have ;
monthly Mass offered up for the peac,
of the world.
Missionaries in the Congo.
The cession of certain parts of tha
great region, the Congo, district
which have hitherto belonged {,
France and which are now to becom
the property of Germany, has file
the missionaries in those regions wit
dismay. Fortunately, only one of tn
actual mission stations is in the terri
tory ceded to Germany, that of Noun
in the Apostolic Vicariate of Nor
signor Adam, but large tracts of tn
country which is gone were the mai
ural development of the present fin
work of the French missionaries an6
OF course, they are now cut off froE
it's evangelization. Mount itsel