The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-16
THE BLOSS0MING OF FAITH


yers are initiating their example and
are formulating code of common law
and practice in the same language.
The Congress lasted over a week and
nearly two thousand persons partici-
pated. Father Bowling from England
read a paper on his project for the
International Catholic Defence Lea
que which was warmly received, while
priests from Holland, France, Ger
many and the States contributed other
valuable papers on various interna-
tional subjects with philanthropic
bearing. The object of the congress
appears to be to utilize the new. Ian
guage of Esperanto as a worldwide
medium of intercommunication be-
tween Catholics, just as Latin is used
all over the Catholic world as a me-
dunn for the sacred liturgy This is
remarkable outcome and gives an
Importance to the new tongue which
it certainly did not possess before.
Catholic Demonstration in Louvain.
But even in Catholic Belgium there
was discordant note, for the social
lists were out last week, and met to
the number of some seventy thousand
in Brussels to rejoice over what they
termed the defeat of the education
bill and NJ Schollaert's ministry, and
to advocate a strongly materialistic
and anti-Catholic policy. They re-
ceived no encouragement from the
citizens of the capital, there were no
decorations, and very little interest
was shown in these noisy people, who,
it was evident, were considered the
freaks of the population Neverthe-
less, the movement was sufficiently
important to warrant a counter demon
stration on the part of the Catholics,
and this took place last Sunday in
the fine university town of Louyain.
The whole place was en- fete, the
streets and buildings were hung with
the national colors, the populace in
the streets gathered round the railway
stations to welcome the train1oads of
Catholics from all parts of the coun-
try, which poured into the town for
four hours. Everybody was wearing
the picture of M. Schollaert, the late
Premier, who was to preside over the
mass meeting. The morning was de-
voted to meetings in sections, while in
the afternoon 100000 men, represent
ing 1,500 Catholic societies, paraded
through the streets to the Grande
Place where NJ Schollaert addressed
the meeting. There were men of
every grade of society in the audience,
a very large number being from the
working and peasant class, whilst a
picturesque touch was added by some
two thousand students of the univer-
sity in cap and gown. The ex-Premier,
who was received with a furore, and
who was supported by several distin-
guished men including M Leibaert
and M. De Lantsheere, struck a note
of determination and hope Though
defeated, he declared that the educa-
ton measure must again be introduced
and that M. de Bruqueville, the new
Premier, was determined to do so at
the earliest moment. Cries of Long
Live Religion" Long Live Schol-
laert," interspersed with snatches of
the old marching songs, the "Braban-
come and the Lion of Flanders -
were to be heard on all sides, and the
general impression produced on the
spectators and confirmed at the great
banquet in the evening was that it
will be a long time before the enemies
of religion have their way in Flanders.
National Pilgrimage to Lourdes.
The national pilgrimage to Lourdes
numbered some eighty thousand per-
sons the fervour of whose devotion
cannot be realized by any one who has
not seen it. Each year it evokes the
true spirit of Catholic charity which
leads young men and women of the
highest families in France to give up
days and weeks of the year to acting
as the most humble servants of the
poorest pilgrims to Our Lady's shrine.
Brilliant French hostesses leave their
town residences to go to Lourdes and
keep pension" for the poor pilgrim
who is given the greatest care, atten-
ton and even luxury for the nominal
payment of half franc a day. Mobiles
and cavalry officers perform the
meanest tasks Of the Brancardiers,
bearing the sick to the baths, and
helping to immerse them. Every.
where there is the exquisite tender.
ness and charity which is the flower
of true faith.
Dearth of Priests in England.
If things go on at the present rate
in the British Empire we shall soon
be confronted with serious dearth OF
i priests. As result of six weeks
tour of the motor mission chapel
through one county of England in
which only six towns were visited
4 strong opposition being met with al
the start in three of them-three new
J missions are required, while priesi
will pay periodical visits to the Other