By Fr. Bernard Basset, S.J.
Our Lady's month
OONE of the first signs of the revival in England was the introduction of devotions and processions in honour of Our Lady during the month of May, The Ven. Dominic Barberi, Dr. Gentili, Fr. Faber and others played an important part in this development, but pride of place must be given to Dr. Ullathorne and to Mother Margaret Mary IIallahan, the saintly Dominican nun. One hundred and ten years ago she was organising May devotions in her Coventry schoolroom and bought two candlesticks to decorate the shrine. They cost much more than she had expected. Turning to the small congregation after the recitation of the Rosary, she said : "I have gone into debt, £8, for the Blessed Virgin and I am afraid to tell the Doctor. You must help me out of it." The poor Catholics of Coventry paid for the candlesticks at once.
May Devotions
TN a letter to Dr. Ullathorne, Mother Margaret writes: "You would be gratified, were you here, to see the many persons who come each
night, most of them Protestants. First we sing the litany. then say the Rosary, after that a hymn to the Blessed Virgin, or the hymn to Jesus or 'Come Holy Ghost.' We vary the hymns each day. Then we read a chapter of 'Think Well On't' . . . then we sing another little hymn and say a litany, and vary that also each day; then we conclude with one of the psalms of praise. It lasts about one hour and a quarter, and nearly all the persons present join in the singing."
Convert classes
L-ROM such humble beginnings as
these have grown the convert classes, now so widespread and so fruitful. With the Legion of Mary to the fore in all such convert work, Our Lady's patronage has blessed and advanced this great apostolate. Take Leeds alone. Over 500 nonCatholics have made use of the enquiry centre and 30 or more turn up for each new series of talks. Additional instruction classes have been arranged for those who wish to go further, and monthly socials are held for the newly received Catholics to provide them with an introduction to Catholic life, Now an information service is to be started and a shop window has been acquired to attract the passers-by.
You could help
Tmake this enquiry centre a success it is very necessary to build up a small library of useful books. It is a pleasure to appeal for so worthy a cause. Maybe you have at home books about the Church which you would be willing to part with, knowing that they would be in constant use among the enquirers of Leeds. The Legionaries who have achieved so much cannot afford to buy many books for their clients; they could make good use of any books that you care to send. It seems a shame to leave books about the Church neglected on your bookshelf when each could be in circulation among those who want to read. If you can help in any way, send your books to The Legion of Mary, 18 Clarendon Place, Leeds, 2.
Competition results
['HERE were 80 competitors for I the Easter competition, and of these eight gained the maximum marks. Unwillingly, and with great regret, the judges had to pick three prizewinners, for the money would not go far among the eight. They gave the prizes to the three competitors whose cards reached them first. M. M. (Hendon) gained the first prize, £2, by 12 hours over M. D. (St. Helens) and I. I, (Birmingham), who came second and third.
How would you answer ? "ir HAD such a lovely, dream last !night," said M a gg le, "and I dreamed that God wanted me to be a nun." "You must not believe in dreams," answered her en o the r, fiercely, "they are superstitious, or so the catechism says." "Well, Joseph in the Old Testament believed in his dreams," said Maggie, "and St. Joseph in the gospels carried out the command given him in sleep." How would you answer?
7 al/piece
AN amusing accident Is reported from a south coast town during Tenebrae. The Master of Ceremonies instructed a new altar server that he was to go behind the altar at the end of the service and make the appropriate noise by hitting two suitable objects together. He was shown how to do it. "How long shall I go on?" asked the boy. "Go on," said the M.C., "until you see the lighted candle brought back and put on to of the hearse." But the boy who was to take the lighted candle away went to another priest and asked: "How long do I have to stay off with the candle?" "Stay off," answered the priest, "until the rumbling noise has ceased:*