A BIG WEEK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 5

A BIG WEEK.

CATHOLIC RALLY. I CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS. V - I. K COMMITTEES PREPARING. II I,1 Preparations for the celebration in 11 February, 103S, of tlie centenary of the • Catholic Church in Xeiv Zealand were j begun in earnest last night, when Bishop • Liston presided over a round-table eone ference of the several committees electcd j at a general meeting recently. Early as i, it is, a great deal of preparatory work has been done, so that the committees t may get to work 011 the task of orga- , nising jn detail the week of celebrations ™ which will mark the one hundredth t anniversary of the landing in New Zea--1 land of the first Vicar Apostolic, Bishop £ Pompallier, and the celebration of the , first Mass at liokianga. • Bishop Liston said it was expected f that the celebration of the centenary . would bring very large numbers of j Catholics to Auckland. Efforts would . be made to attract visitors, not only L from all parts of Xew Zealand, but from 1 Australia and the United States. Negate tiations with a shipping company were ; already in progress with a view to the ; chartering of a large liner for the con--1 veyance of an Australian delegation, . who would accompany the Apostolic Delegate. Arrangements were made for pub- ' licity concerning the centenary in the 1 Catholic Presf, of all English-speaking countries, so that the celebrations should do much to "put New Zealand on the map." Special efforts will be made 1 to attract Catholic tourists from Canada and the United States, and to this end the assistance of the large travel agencies will be enlisted. Natives Enthusiastic. Maoris in the North had already begun to organise for the commemorative celebrations at Hokianga, it was reported. Such is the enthusiasm of the Maori Catholics that it is believed the ceremonies on the actual site of the first Mass will be performed in the presence of one of the most notable native assemblies which has yet taken place in New Zealand. The liturgical committee has in hand arrangements for the celebration of a great Pontifical High Mass 011 the actual site of the dwelling of the late Thomas Povnton, the settler who was host to the missionary bishop. It is expected that the Apostolic Delegate will preside at this outdoor MasV, which should provide a brilliant spectacle. It is probable that the celebrations in Auckland city will be kept within the limits of a week, beginning and ending 011 a Sunday, although no actual decision has been made. The celebrations arc to open with Pontifical High Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, with the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Panico, of Sydney, presiding. Archbishop Mannix, of Melbourne, possibly other Australian prelates and some of the missionary bishops of the Pacific, together with all the New Zealand bishops, and a great gathering of clergy," will assist. So that great numbers of lay people may worship together, arrangements will be made for the celebration, somewhere in Auckland, of an outdoor Mass. A special "men's night," somewhat 011 the lines of the gathering in Sydney 011 the occasion of the'Eucharistic Congress, is also in mind, with gatherings at other times for women and the children of Catholic schools. Outdoor Pageantry. A special committee is working out phins and programme for a series of pageants, probably to be staged outdoors, and it is expected that this part! of the week's celebrations will attract great numbers of spectators. Actual dates of the celebrations have not been fixed, but it has been determined that the observance will be made 1 in February. The Rev. Dr. L. T. Bux- ' ton, formerly administrator of St. Pat- . rick's Cathedral, now 011 an extended ' ! tour abroad, will return early in the New \car to assume the duties of chairman and organiser. 1