The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-01-07
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COLO AND S,LvE RSMITH.
20 East Sixth Street "a
ST. PAUL, MINI.

land. We love the Irish race-so
great amid trial, so Obedient to the
voice of it's spiritual guides, and in
spite of it's long drawn-Out martyrdom
so firm in it's trust in Divine Justice.
Ireland's glorious and touching his
tory leads one to think that PrOvi-
dence has predestined her, noble,
yet full of suffering, of being to 9TH
er nations the model of fidelity to
God, of courage under trial, of pa
thence under adversely. How much
we desire that the legitimate aspira'
lions of your people may be satisfied"
Cardinal Lucon concluded by beseech-
ing God to direct the destinies of Ire
land by inspiring measures which
would establish harmony and endur
ing peace between Ireland and Eng
land and assure to the Irish nat ion
future in which concord, freedom and
prosperity might reign unhindered.
Ordinations in EneIand.-Ordina
lions to the Anglican ministry have
fallen off until they no longer far out
number those of the Catholic Church,
according to contributor to THE
Month"; who comments on the article
which A. H. MAXWELL commented on
the steady progress being made by the
Catholic Church in England. The
average number of Anglican Ordina-
lions for each year between 1881 and
1891 was 701, it is pointed out, while
in 1920 there were only 1873 ordina-
tons as compared to 40 Catholic
priests ordained for service in Eng
land and Wales. 1T is only fair to
note" says the writer, that the in
ferences drawn from these figures
ought to be checked by remembering
The great decline in the birthrate. In
the eighties and 'nineties of the last
century more than 2 million children
were born in England each year, and
though the rate of infant mortality
was much higher, still the survivors
al the age of fifteen must have been
considerably more numerous than can
be the case now when the total births
stand normally at we'll under 100000.
Requiem Mass for conference.-the
accordance with tradition 400 years
old, d Requiem Mass was sung on a
recent Sunday at Marseilles, in the
chapel Of the Bon Jesus, for the re-
pose of the souls of those condemned
to death. The Mass was organized
by the ArchcOnfraternity Of the Black
Penitents, founded in 1921. by the
Knights of Malta for the purpose of
insuring the Christian death and
burial of people condemned to be eX-
ccuted. At the end of the Mass, alb
solution was given over the bier
which served for a long time for the
burial of the condemned. In the
front rows of the crowd were the
members Of the archconfraternity,
wearing the curious costume of the
penitents, the "cagoule," sort of
tlack bag which entirely covers the
head, ana in which two holes are cut
tor the eyes. In their hands they
carried the "falot," the lantern which
they carry to the burial Of the GRIM
inalS. COnfraternitieS Of penitents
we're fairly numerous in Europe in
the sixteenth century, but not all were
devoted, like the Black Penitents, to
last moments. At the present day,
there are still few co1fraternities
CT pcritcnts in the south of France,
N Italy and in Belgium.
Protestant Seamen Contribute for
Masses.-Cardinal LOgue has granted
his patronage to the Apostleship of
the Sea. His Eminence describes this
work for Catholic seamen as most
useful and necessary" The enroll
mc1t of one of the first Irish seamen
as an active member of the Apostle
ship of the Sea, was due to the I'M
suspecting offices of a non-Catholic
Sear.cn's agency. A Catholic wire
less operator had told his mother
when at home in Ireland of the kind
treatment he had received from a non
Catholic agency when he landed at q
certain port. His mother thercupon
asked that both herself and her boy
should be enrolled in the ADostleship
of the Sea; and in her letter she
prayed for the extension of the effort
to safeguard the faith of Catholic sea-
men. Copies of the propaganda
pamphlet of the apostleship have been
sent to the members of the Irish hier-
archy. In this way, the benefits of
the apOstleship for Catholic seamen
Will be brought more generally under
the notice of the Irish people. A
gratifying instance of the harmony
existing between seamcn of different
| religions is recorded. Among the
crew of one Irish ship in Glasgow
harbOr there were several Protes
tants. They contributed each week
along with their Catholic messmates
% q fund devoted to having Masses
said periodically for the members OF
| the crew.
Workmen Find Fuse in BasiIica.-
While clearing out the ruins of the
celebrated basilica Of Notre-Dame dc
| Brebieres. at Albert, France, the
| workmen discovered under the belfly
mine intended TO destroy completely
| that part of the tower which was still
standing in September 1918, when the
! German troops evacuated the town
intact The mine hole was formed