GIFTS TO SPAIN FROM ENGLISH CATHOLICS

Over two hundred major articles, priestly vestments and one hundred chalices and patens are among the gifts of English Catholics to the devastated churches of Spain which have recently arrived at Cadiz.
When in May the English Bishops' Committee for the relief of Spanish Distress was formed and the appeal to English Catholics was made, Mr. Connolly, of the Catholic Council for International Affairs, was asked to look to the practical details.
Reporting to Cardinal Hinsley as chairman of the Committee, Mr. Connolly writes
" The whole consignment, including the newly manufactured sacred vessels, was packed and ready to be shipped with all necessary papers by the end of June: unfortunately the French debacle interfered with all the arrangements and the ship did not finally leave until early this month and then not to Bilbao but to Cadiz. No damage or mishap has been reported, so it may be taken that the whole consignment safely reached the Spanish port," After paying a tribute to his collaborators Mr. Connolly goes on to remark that the gifts entered Spain free of customs duty but that the £100 in cash contributed by Archbishop Amigo, Bishop of Southwark, had to be converted into chalices and ciboria to comply with currency regulations. Replying to Mr. Connolly's report of his work and thanking him, Cardinal Hinsley goes on to say:
TANGIBLE EXPRESSION " The list of gifts Is a long one and thi,s tangible expression of the goodwill of the Catholics of England towards the Catholics of Spain should go far to estabitAing friendly relations between the two countries."
The list includes of new and old articles 166 chasubles, 15 copes, 13 humeral veils, 43 stoles, and over 500 other smaller articles. Of the sacred vessels new and old there were 100 chalices and patens, 81 ciboria and numerous other smaller articles.
One of the Crucifixes in the consignment was specially designated for return to Barcelona. Among the many helpers was MajorGeneral Sir Cecil Pereira who is the London Organiser of the Home Guard.
Pope Pius XII has appointed a Vatican diplomat, the Most Reverend Patrick Joseph Hurley, to the Bishopric of Saint Augustine in Florida, U.S.A. Mgr. Hurley is also a member of the Sacred Congregation of the Propagatiou of the Faith.