BLESSED BY THE POPE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 8

BLESSED BY THE POPE.

MAORI MISSION PRIEST.

FATHER McDONALD RETURNS

Looking fit and well, after twelve months holiday abroad, the Rev. Father McDonald, one of the Mill Hill fathers who conduct the Roman Catholic Maori Mission, returned on the Marama this morning. He was welcomed by Bishop Cleary and the Rev. Dr. Buxton, administrator of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Some months were spent in England by Father AlcDonald, who met many old friends there. He visited Rome in October, and in company with three or four other priests was gr anted a private audionce at the Vatican. His Holiness Pope Pius XT. gave Father McDonald a special blessing, and spoke - encouraging words concerning tlic work of evangelisin«r tlie Maori people.

Father McDonald mentioned incidentally that he had bad the company of Father Pavlinovicli on the voyage from Australia to New Zealand. "He can speak scarcely any English, although conversant with several other languages," said Father AlcDonald. "We tried to talk in Latin. It was hard work. for. as priests we are well versed only in the ecclesiastical Latin, in which there are no words to describe such things as cangwavs. luggage and other items which the old Romans knew nothing about!"