MAORI REQUIEM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 283, 29 November 1943, Page 5

MAORI REQUIEM

A SPECIAL SERVICE CELEBRATED IN WELLINGTON (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. The church St. Mary of the Angels was filled this morning when there was a special Requiem Mass for Maori soldiers, sailors and airmen who ..have fallen during the war Archbishop O'Shea, Metropolitan of New Zealand, presided at the Throne. His assistants Avere Very Rev. Father J. Stewart, S.M., parish priest, St. Mary's, and Very Rev Father McGrath, S.M., Island Bay, editor of the Marist Missionary periodical and The Marist Messenger. .The celebrant was the Rev. Father A. Pennington, S.M Otaki,' and the altar servers were two Maori pupils of Silverstream relatives of deceased soldiers. The choir were . all . Maoris, and the hymns were sung in. the native tongue... :-- .: Mrs. Love, supreme chieftainness of Rarotpnga, occupied a special prei-Dieu.- Among the. Maoris present were . Lady Pomare, Mr. R Pomare, Mr. : Love, senior, father of the late Colonel Love, Mr. Kirigi Tahiwi, Mr. Manihera Keremeneta Captain Tahiwi, Mrs. Heketa, Mr. T. Parata ' and Mr. F. Katene. The Government was represented by Mr. Mason, Minister of Native Affairs'. Mrs. Fraser, wife of the Prime Minister, was : also present. The sermon was delivered by Father Riordan, who paid a tribute to the dead, and exhorted the living to uphold - the tradition .of sacrifice unto death if. need be for the'cause of justice and truth.