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 RUTTER

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RUYSBROECK

The Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church in Austria- Hungary is represented by one province in Galicia, Austria, and three dioceses in Hungarj'. The former is composed of the Greek Archdiocese of Lemberg with the two subordinate dioceses of Przemysl and Stanislau. In Hungary there are the separate dio- ceses of Eperies and Munkacs in the north and the Diocese of Kreutz (Crisium, Kriievac) in the south. These northern two arc subject to the Latin Arch- bishop of Gran, and the southern one to the Latin Archbishop of Agram. The Ruthenian immigration to America comes almost wholly from these dioceses, and their efforts and progress in solidly establishing themselves in the United States and Canada have been described. They have built many fine and flourishing churches, have established schools and now have a bishop here of their own rite (see Greek Catholics IN America). Some of them are becoming wealthy, and in some places in Pennsylvania are reckoned as a factor in American politics. Nevertheless, they have been subjected in America to strenuous proselyting, both on the part of the Russian Orthodox mission churches, which preach Panslavism in its most alluring forms, and which are at times bitterly hostile to Ca- tholicism (see Greek Orthodox Church in America, under Russian Orthodox), and on the part of various Protestant missionary activities, which have suc- ceeded in establishing in many localities "independ- ent" Ruthenian communities apparently practising the Greek Rite in connexion with the Presbyterian, Baptist, and other churches. Much has been effected by both proselyting parties because of a lack of a suit- able Ruthenian Catholic press and literature, and of sufficient priests. P'or instance, there is a Protestant catechism using the name of the Catholic Church and teaching the seven sacraments, and there are Protes- tant so-called evangelical missionaries who use vest- ments, candles, censers, crucifixes, and holy water, with apparently all the Greek Catholic ritual, having even the official Greek Catholic mass-books on the altar. The Russian Orthodox clergy find the task even easier, for thej' appeal to the Slavic national feeling and adopt the usual religious practices of the Greek Catholic clergy, and are thus enabled to win over many an im- migrant by offering sympathy in a strange land.

Hruszewski, Gesch. den Ukrainischen (Ruthenischen) Volkes (Leipzig, 1906) ; Romanczuk, Die Ruthenen u. ihre Gegner in Galizien (Vienna, 1902); Jandaurek, Das Konigreich Galizien u. LodoTtierien, u. das Herzogthum Bukowina (Vienna, 1884) ; Pelesz, Ge^ch. der Union, I (Vienna, 1878); Sembratowicz, Das Zarenlhum im Kamp/e mil der Civilisation (Vienna, 1905); Fban- Z08, Aus Halh-Asien; Cullurbilder arts Galizien, der Bukowina u. Sad Rusaland (Berlin, 1878); Charities, Xlll CSew York, Dec, 1904); The Messenger. XLII, Sept.-Dec. (New York, 1904); Gbubhevskt, Istoria Ukraini-Rusi (Lemberg, 1904-11).

Andrew J. Shipman.

Rutter (vere Banister), Henry, b. 26 Feb., 17.5.5; d. 17 September, 1838, near Dodding Green, Westmoreland. He was the son of Adam Banister of Hesketh Bank and Agnes, daughter of Richard Butler, of Mawde.sley (Lancashire). On 26 Sept., 1768, he went to Douai College, where he found his uncle. Rev. Robert Banister. In May, 1781, he be- came professor at St. Omer's College for the secular clergj'. On the English mission, he served several

? laces in the north before his appointment in 1817 to ealand (Lancashire), where he remained till Jan., 18^i4. The rest of his life was spent at Dodding Green. The "Orthodox Journal" (VII, 223) gives a sympathetic notice of this sterling priest, character- ized by his old-world learning and solid piety. Rutter wrote an "Evangelical Harmony", re-edited (18.57) by Husenbeth. His other works, chiefly scriptural exegeses and devotional translations, are enumerated ami described by Gillow. The "An.swer to Dr. Southey" (the poet-laureate) is a contribution to the controversy provoked by Southey's "Book of the Church" (1S24), in which Charles Butler (q. v.) was the Catholic protagonist. Patrick Ryan.

Ruvo and Bitonto, Diocese of (Rubensis et BiTTJNTiNENSis), in the Province of Bari, Aquileia, Southern Italy. Ruvo, the ancient Rubi, situated on a calcareous hill, contains a fine Norman cathedral of the eleventh century. Outside of the city are the ruins of a more ancient cathedral, possiblj^ of the late fourth or early fifth century. According to a legend St. Peter preached the Faith here and appointed to the see as its first bishop St. Cletus, later pope. We read also of a St. Procopius, Bishop of Ruvo, of un- known date; Bishop Joannes, spoken of in 493, is the first prelate of the city known with certainty; of the others mention may be made of Pictro Ruggieri (17.59-1804); Bishop Anderano (about 734) belonged either to Bitonto or Bisignano; Arnolfo (10S7), the first undoubted Bishop of Bitonto; Enrico Minutolo (1382), later cardinal; Cornelio Musso (1544), a Con- ventual, ('istinguished at the Council of Trent; Fabrizio Carafa (1622), founder of a literary academy; Alessandro Crescenti (1652), later cardinal. In 1818 the Diocese of Ruvo, which comprised only the com- mune of Ruvo, was united (rque principaliter to the See of Bitonto, which included onlj^ the commune of Bitonto. It has a fine cathedral with four rows of beautiful marble columns. The chief historic events relating to the dioceses are the capture of Ruvo in 1503 by Gonsalvo di Cordova, who defeated the French, and the battle of Bitonto (1734) in which the Austrians were defeated by the Spaniards. The united dioceses contain 25,000 inhabitants, a Fran- ciscan friary, 7 houses of religious, 3 of which are enclosed, 2 having hospitals attached, and 2 others charitable establishments.

Cappelletti, Le Chiese d' Italia, XVI (Venice, 1857).

U. Benigni.

Ruysbroeck, John, Blessed, surnamed the Ad- mirable Doctor, and the Divine Doctor, undoubtedly the foremost of the Flemish mvstics, b. at Ruysbroeck, near Brussels, 1293; d. at Grbenendael, 2 Dec, 1381. He was blessed with a devout mother, w'ho trained him from infancy in the ways of piety and holiness. Of his father we know nothing; John's only family name, van Ruysbroeck, is taken from his native ham- let. At the age of eleven he forsook his mother, de- parting without leave or warning, to place himself under the guidance and tuition of his uncle, John Hinckaert, a saintly priest and a canon of St. Gudule's, Brussels, who with a fellow-c^anon of like mind, Francis van Coudenberg, was following a manner of life modelled on the simplicity and fervour of Apostolic days. This uncle provided for Ruj'sbroeck's educa- tion with a view to the priesthood. In due course, Blessed John was presented with a prebend in St. Gudule's, and ordained in 1317. His mother had fol- lowed him to Brussels, entered a Beguinage there, and made a happy end shortly before his ordinat ion. For twenty-six years Ruy.shrocck contiimed to lead, to- gether with his uncle Hinckaert and van Couden- berg, a life of extreme austerity and retirement. At Chat time the Brethren of the Free Spirit were causing con.siderable trouble in the Netherlands, and one of them, a woman named Bloemardiiiiie, was particu- larly active in Brussels, projiagating her fal.se tenets chiefly by means of popular pamphlets. In defence of the Faith Ruysbroeck responded with pamphlets also written in the native tongue. Nothing of these treatises remains; but the effect of the controversy was so far permanent with Ruysbroeck that his later writings bear constant reference, direct and indirect, to the heresies, especially the false mysticism, of the day, and he composed always in the idiom of the country, chiefly with a view to counteracting the mis- chief of the hercitical writings scattered broadcast among the peoi)l(! in th(ur own tongue.

The desire for a more retired life, and possibly also the persecution which followed Ruysbroeck's attack on Bloemardinne, induced the three friends to quit