NO. 2,912.
ittrera,
PERTH, SATURDAY, JANUARY
25,
1936.
PRICE THREEPENCE.
The World Mourns for the King CATHOLIC SUBJECTS' EXPRESSIONS OF GRIEF The entire British Empire, bound together by mystical bonds which find the expression of their unity in the Throne, has been overcast by the sad news of the passing of King George V. And outside the realms of his sovereignty, there have been genuine and affecting expressions of sympathy in the death of the K ing of England. There is no difficulty about believing in these tributes of universal esteem in which the late King was held. because at no time in English history has the Throne been a stronger exemplar of domestic v irtue, or a more powerful force in the establishment and preservation of cordial and peaceful international relations than (hating the past quarter of a century when King George V. was the Ruler of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Pope's Message of Sympathy. The Holy Father has sent a message to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family, expressing great sOrrow in the death of the King. His Holiness recalled the visit paid by Their Majesties to the Vatican, on which occasion the King assured His Holiness that Catholics were among his most loyal subjects. Addressing a British pilgrimage in audience in May, the Holy Father recalled this same event which had evidently made a profound impression upon him. " We recall with pleasure—and ou will see that what We are about to recall does honour to you—the visit of your beloved King George V. and Queen Mary to Us here in the Vatican, and the joy that We experienced in Our paternal heart that His Majesty told Us that his Catholic s ubjects were many millions. and that they were ever among his most loyal and faithful subjects. And when We thanked the 1 .ing for his visit, he said that he (it it a dt1tV to Come to Us"We rejoice greatly at thc Y onderful expressions of filial loyalty and affection shown to y our Sovereign on the occasion o f the Jubilee celebrations just held in all parts of the vast Fmpire. Haying blessed all present and their relations, the Pope said • In a special wav do We bless t hose who govern and those who are governed. "We bless your King. that he may continue his great work for peace and for the well-being of his subjects in that vast Empire which Divine Providence has confided to him. "We shall be happy if he and your gracious Queen will be pleased to see in Our benediction and in your applause the last echo, as it were—the last in time but not the last in affection of the
The Archbishop's Tribute On the eve of St. Agnes, a few minutes before midnight, His Majesty King George V. passed away in the presence of the Queen and the Royal Family. Though the King's health has been frail since his serious illness a few years ago, his death, following upon so brief a last illness, has come as a profound shock to his subjects in all parts of the world. To none more, however, than to his Catholic subjects, who under his beneficent reign, enjoyed greater freedom and tolerance than in any previous reign during the past four hundred years. But apart from any benefits derived, the character and personality of the late Monarch were such as to commend themselves very endearingly to the ideals of the children of the Church. And his late Majesty was not loathe to appreciate that that religion, which had been for so long synonymous in the English mind with disloyalty, made in actual fact a most compelling demand upon the conscience of its subjects to render to the Throne its full and proper measure of devotion and fealty. To Her Majesty, the Queen Mother, to the new King, Edward VIII., and to all the members of the Royal Family, the deep sympathy of the Catholic community in this State goes out. They will join their prayers and suffrages with those of all the late King' subjects for the repose of his noble and religious soul. On the day of the funeral, at 10 a.m.. a Memorial Service will be celebrated in St. Mary's Cathedral, His Grace Archbishop Prendivine presiding. Terry's "Funeral Mass" will be rendered by the Cathedral choir and the "Dead March in Saul" will be played by Mr. A. Taylor (Cathedral organist). In addition to this service His Grace has ordered special prayers for the repose of the soul of His late Majesty to be offered in all Catholic churches and religious institutions throughout the Archdiocese of Perth on to-morrow (Sunday).
The Late King George V.
lie:art—or iiiat nut\ crsai applause \vinch has accompanied his Jubilee. " We bestow a special blessing upon your great country, that it may tuffil succe.isf," - that universal mission ot civilisation and o f peace which Providence, it may be said, entrusted to it when so great a part of the world was given it to govern." Catholics Share in jubilee. \ \ hen His Majesty celebrated Ius jubilee in nay last, the Cainolics of Great Britain were ,econd to none in their manites,ations ot joy and thanksgiving.. housands ot Masses were °tiered tor the King and Queen f lirougnout the Empire, and in many foreign countries on their ubilee Day. It is practically certain that inrougnout the 4 hours a Jubiiee Mass was being offered in one Part or other ot tne Empire. And m illions ot Catholics offered prayers for Their Majesties' welfare and in thanksgiving for the plessings that had come during ineir reign. There are more than 17,000,000 Catholics in the British Empire: their hearts were with their King on his Jubilee day. The Sovereign Pontiff sent a message to the King offering his "heartfelt felicitations for those 25 --ears of enlightened and beneficent rule." The Masses of thanksgiving w ere particularly appropriate. King George, at the very beginning of his reign, did much towards eliminating from the Coronation Oath the offensive references to the Holy Sacrifice. His Lordship, Bishop McNu!.. of Nottingham. expressed Catholic sent:mem in an occasional sermon at that time: "When on May 20, 1910, the Present King rode through the - treets of London in the funeral f roctssion of his illustrious rather, Edward VII." said the Ilishop, "he was accompanied bv iine Kings, of whom the great m ajority have in the meantime )een swept from their thrones. "We thank God to-dav for the • act that whereas in other countries thrones have been overmimed. the kingship of His Ma'esty has. right through tilt Years, steadily strengthened muiold upon the people of this land And Empire. : This is the result not merek ot the traditional steadiness of t he British character and au , tversion from anything in the • iature of revolution, but also tc t he affection of the King for all his subjects. his sympathy, hi c agerness for their well-being. his strength of character and his t ruly British common sense." Continued on Page 11.)