Abstemiousness at Christmas.—The following circular was issued by the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminister:—A Plenary indulgence may be gained by all persons who—besides making a good Confession and received worthily the Holy Communion, and praying for the intention of his Holiness—shall, on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day, and on the following day, abstain from all intoxicating drinks. The faithful are earnestly exhorted to endeavor to obtain the Plenary Indulgence; and to offer up this little self-denial as an act of intercession, reparation, and expiation for those who sin against God by drunkenness and intemperance especially at this time.
We regret to learn from the Catholic Mirror that Mr. William Doherty, formerly of St. John, New Brunswick, is lying dangerously ill at his residence, No. 142 Edmondson Avenue. Mr. Doherty came to Baltimore about eleven years ago, in part on account of the climate. He has been suffering for years with heart disease. He has received the last Sacraments from the hands of his son, Rev. William J. Doherty, S.J., rector of the Church of Our Lady, at Guelph, Ontario, Canada, who reached Baltimore the day before. Mr. William Doherty was born in Ireland, June 8th, 1800, and went to New Brunswick when a young man. He was for many years one of the most prominent Catholics in St. John, and was president of St. Vincent de Paul Society in that city. He has two daughters with him, and two who are nuns. One of the latter is Madame Letitia Doherty, assistant superioress of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Kenwood, Albany, N. Y.; the other is in the Elmhurst Convent of the Sacred Heart, at Providence, R.I.
There are at present two hundred "widowed" parishes in the Diocese of Posen, Germany. Of these, only forty-five have any auxiliary supply, so that no less than one hundred and fifty-five parishes, with a population of 200,000 souls and more are without any priest at all.
If the Associated Press may be trusted, Bishop O'Farrell has expressed the opinion that the two American cardinals will be the Archbishop of Baltimore and the Archbishop of New York.—Catholic Mirror.
The Associated Press is not to be credited on Catholic or Irish matters. It is more than probable that one of the hats will crown the head of the venerable Archbishop of Boston.
Notre Dame University has received ten thousand Rosaries from Belgium. They are blessed by the regular canons of the Holy Cross Order, and they have the extraordinary indulgence of five hundred days and the Bridgetine indulgence of one hundred days, together with the Holy Father's blessing, attached to the devout recital of every "Our Father" and "Hail Mary" upon them. Address Rev. A. Granger, C.S.C., Notre Dame, Ind.