DRAMA OF FAITH

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22344, 7 March 1938, Page 10

DRAMA OF FAITH

AN INSPIRING PLAY PRESENTED THE CHRISTIAN’S PLACE IN THE WORLD (JPRMS ASSOCIATION XBLEGRAK.) AUCKLAND. March 6. A deeply-inspiriting scenic play, “Credo.” was presented at Western Springs stadium on Saturday night as a notable contribution to the New Zealand Catholic centenary celbrations. This was the first performance in the English language of the play, which was written by Father Joseph Boon, of Easchan, Belgium, for the sixth Catholic Congress at Malines in September, 1936. "Credo” seeks to show the Christian of the present day, as he stands amid a world of sin, to defeat the forces of evil which threaten to overcome the entire earth. It urges the necessity for humility, repentance, and prayer, and it demands of each and everyone action in the service of Christ. As a final scene, from their places among spectators came a procession of bishops and clergy, moving slowly before the bearer of the Blessed Sacrament, Bishop Liston, who took the place of his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Panico, who was indisposed. At the foot of the altar the procession halted. The great assemblage joined in the singing of “O Salularis” and “Tantum Ergo,” and the actors and spectators knelt before the Blessed Sacrament. The Benediction was spoken, and the crowd joined in the chant of “Adoremus in Aeternum,” and at the close thousands of voices were lifted in the singing of the Hymn to the Holy Name. FRANCISCAN ORDER MONASTERY FO IN DATIO N STONE LAID (PBISB association telegram.i AUCKLAND. March 6. Joy at the return to New Zealand of the oldest and most beloved of Catholic religious orders was expressed by prelates speaking on Saturday at the unveiling of the foundation stone of the Franciscan monastery and retreat house, which is to be erected in magnificent grounds at Hillsborough. It was intended that the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Panico, should perform the ceremony, but because of his indisposition he was unable to attend. However, he had previously blessed the stone, and the unveiling was performed by Bishop Liston, of Auckland. “The Franciscan fathers have already many friends in the city and the diocese," said Bishop Liston ‘and they will gather many more about them with the coming of the years. In this ceremony. I feel that the first Bishop of Auckland is with us in spirit, for he brought the Franciscan fathers to Auckland in the sixties and they remained in the diocese for abou! 10 years. They left an honourable record of service for God and the soul behind them, and they are remembered by some of the older generation with very real affection.” Undertaking Special Work The Franciscan fathers were returning to the scene of their former labours. Bishop Liston continued, to undertake special work. Their home would be a monastery and retreat bouse, the foundation stone of which was being unveiled, and it would therefore be a place of prayer for all, a centre for mission work, and a retreat house for laymen, J£c felt quite sure that it would be opened to the laity within a few months. The Archbishop of Brisbane (the Most Rev, J. Duhig), the Archbishop of Wellington (the Most Rev. Dr. T. O’Shea], and the Archbishop of Melbourne (the Most Rev. Dr. D. Mannix) also spoke. The Rev. Father Fidelis Griffin, who arrived in Auckland last week to be the first superior of the house, men ; tioned that the retreats would be open to both Catholics and non-Catholics. OPEN AIR MASS FOR WOMEN PLACE OF VIRGIN MARY IN DEVOTION (PRESS ASSOCIATION TBI.EGRAM.I AUCKLAND. March 5. After a stormy night, the weather cleared this morning sufficiently for the big open air Mass for women at Western Springs stadium to be proceeded with, and again there was an attendance of thousands. To take part in the scenes of spectacle and devotion associated with the Mass was a gathering of the Children of Mary, many hundreds of women in blue frocks and white veils of the Sodality forming a big square in front of the altar. A , Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Simmonds, of Hobart, and an eloquent address was given by the Very Rev. Dr A. H. Ryan, Professor of Philosophy at Queen’s University, Belfast. Taking as his text, “Whatsoever He shall say to you, vlo ye,” Dr. Ryan stressed the place of the Virgin Mary in Romali Catholic devotion. It was alleged, he said, that Catholics gave her too much honour, thus forgetting her Divine Son, and that Catholics adored her and through “Mariolatory,” as they called it, the Church had destroyed the pure monotheism of Christianity. Such charges arose from ignorance. The teaching of the Church was for God alone, he said. Mary was always a creature, she was never Divine. In honouring her above all creatures, however, the Church merely followed the example of God himself. Those who began by separating Mary from Jesus ended by forgetting both. Dr. Ryan urged his congregation to mould themselves on the life of Mary in accordance with her words quoted in the text. AH were called upon, as she was, to submit themselves to God’s will—in duties of State, in life, in relations with neighbours, in health and sickness, in poverty and riches, in joy and sorrow. Above all, Mary should be made the model of purity. That was the greatest bulwark against modern attacks on Christian morality. Those who succumbed to new ideas would be the first to pay the price. Their lot was the degradation of ancient paganism, from which Christianity had rescued them. APOSTOLIC DELEGATE IN HOSPITAL (PRESS ASSOCIATION TEI.F.G RAM.)

AUCKLAND, March 6.

The only disappointment to the many thousands of people who took part in or watched the Procession of the Host to the domain was the absence of the Apostolic Delegate, his Excellency Archbishop Panico, The Archbishop was forced to remain at the Mater Miserieordiae Hospital because of a chill he contracted a few days ago. The Metropolitan, Archbishop O’Shea, took his place, and marched immediately behind (lie Blessed Sacrament It is hoped that Archbishop Panico will be well in time for the unveiling of the memorial to Bishop Pompallior at Hokianfia on Wednesday.