From Our Vaults 88 Years Ago: June, 1936
GK Chesterton dead at 62
The famous English Catholic writer and poet GK Chesterton died on June 14 at the age of 62. In an appreciation, The Southern Cross calls the author of the Father Brown books “one of the most loveable personalities of our times” and a “veritable giant in the world of letters — poet, novelist, essayist, brilliant controversialist”.
Grave poverty in Namaqualand
Fr C van’t Westeinde, a missionary in Namaqualand for 37 years, has appealed for donations to feed and clothe the poor of his area. He reports that 80-90% of the Coloured population he ministers to is “underfed and sparsely clothed”, with many contracting tuberculosis after having had a cold. Some 300 hungry people are fed at his mission every day.
SA Catholics ‘too apathetic’
South African Catholics are too apathetic, an educator at East London’s De La Salle College told a Catholic Action meeting. Prof du Plessis, a convert, said he could not understand why the laity is so lax in their support of something as wonderful as the Catholic Church.
Xhosa catechism published
A 142-page Xhosa catechism has been published by the prefecture of Umtata [now diocese of Mthatha]. Edited by Fr J Vogel RMM, it includes chapters dealing with Xhosa customs. A smaller Xhosa catechism has been produced for children.
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