CATHOLIC HISTORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 74, 9 January 1936, Page 8

CATHOLIC HISTORY

WORK OF THE MISSIONARIES. CONTRIBUTION TO OUR GROWTH. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 8. The necessity in New Zealand of a history of the Roman Catholic Church from the first coining of its lTflssionaries 98 years ago, showing its valuable contribution to the Dominion’s national growth, was urged by the Rev Father P. McKeefry, editor of “Zealandia,” in an address to the Catholics teachers’ conference. Father McKeefry said that in the eai’ly history of the missionaries there was colour and romance which wpuld lend itself most attractively to the compilation of an interesting history, which would be useful in schools. The idea was accepted with enthusiasm by three speakers—Mother Josephine, of the Sisters of Mercy, Takapuna, Sister Domitille, Litt.D., of the Sacred Heart College, Christchurch, and Father L. Smith, S.M., of iSt. Bede’s College, Christchurch, who said that there was already a good deal of material available for such compilation. Dealing with the plan which he proposed should be adopted, Father McKeeffry said that it should allow for the full use of methods which allow for the creating of interest; and that gave no opportunity for indifferent treatment. From material that existed at present, a beginning could be made. He suggested that narratives shduld be built up about persons and events, allowing for descriptive writing and vivid portrayal. “We hear incessantly of the journey's of Selwyn; but do we hear of the journeys of Pampallier and his priests?” asked the speaker. “If not, it is simply that we have not troubled about them. Whatever arouses enthusiasm is based on interest; and our lack of enthusiasm, knowledge, and interest is due to an ignorance that can be removed if we corelate our teaching of geography with our history. A knowledge of geography explains why Bishop Pampallier chose the Bay of Islands to be his headquarters, and geography helps to destroy the assertion that he was a French agent.”