CENTENNIAL OF CANTERBURY

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25767, 31 March 1949, Page 6

CENTENNIAL OF CANTERBURY

Anglican Church’s Plans APPEAL FOR £53,000 The Church of England has plans for five projects to commemorate the centennial of Canterbury next year. They were explained yesterday by the Primate of New Zealand ’ (Archbishop West-Watson), who emphasised that Canterbury was founded as a Church of England settlement. The projects are:— 1. Extension of the Cathedral. 2. Extension of the church’s activities in newly-settled areas. 3. A Church of England congress in Christchurch next year. 4. A history of 100 years of church life in Canterbury. 5. A pageant illustrating church history in the province. An appeal has been launched for £53.000 for the two main projects: £35.000 is needed urgently for church development in new housing areas. £15.000 for extension of the chancel of the Cathedral, and £3OOO has been estimated for general expenses. Some parishes have already reached almost half-way in the targets they have set themselves for the appeal, and just on £7OOO has been raised. The biggest donation. £4OO. has been made anonymously. Donors can allocate their contributions to either project or leave the allocation to the discretion of the Standing Committee of Synod. Discussing the need for spreading church work in new housing areas, the Archbishop said it was felt that the Anglfcan_Church. as the founding church oithe province, had a special responsibility to look after its own people when they went to live in new Settlements. If there was a spending fund available sites for church rooms could be bought in new areas, and the rooms built and ready to welcome the new residents. Cathedral Extensions Plans for additions to the Cathedral, partly as a memorial to Archbishop Julius, were ready before the Avar, but the war interrupted efforts. Archbishop West-Watson said. The citizens’ fund contained almost £lO.OOO for the memorial, and before the war that would have been nearly enough to do the work on the chancel. Now. with increased costs, it was estimated that another £15.000 would be necessary. Archbishop West-Watson described the history of the Cathedral as “a romance of faith.” ATittle band of people came to Christchurch, and 14 years later they laid the foundation stone of the Cathedral. “That effort rather exhausted them." he continued, “for the site in the Square and the foundation stone became overgrown with weeds, and an idea spread that the work could not be completed. There was an offer to buy the land by the Provincial Council, and a commercial undertaking which wanted to build a shopping arcade on the site also made an offer. These offers were seriously considered by Synod, and only by a narrow margin was it decided to retain the Site.” In 1881 the first part of the Cathedral was consecrated, and the final building was consecrated in 1904. “Place for Great Occasions” People sometimes said that the Cathedral was not filled on Sundays, the Archbishop said. The answer was that the Cathedral did not want to draw people away from their parishes. The Cathedral had a special place in the community and was a place for great occasions. To the congress, which is planned to take place about the middle of May, 1950. distinguished speakers will be invited, and it is hoped that members of other New Zealand dioceses will attend. The Archbishop has already had word from two eminent. Australian bishops who -hope to-comV and he has invited ch utcTh® endin'-BrP tain, the United States, and China. Early History “The Anglican Church is in rather a special position, because the province Was an Anglican foundation,” said the Archbishop. “I think this is unique in the formation of the British Empire. I know of no place where the Church had such a big part in colonising as did the Anglican Church in Canterbury and the Presbyterian Church in Otago. The Church, therefore, has a special responsibility to express thanksgiving for the faith of the Pilgrim Fathers.” The Archbishop jokingly recalled that only “Anglicans and men of good character” were in the First Four The firstsettlers set themselves a formidable "task. he said. They planned to set aside one-third of the money received from- the sale of land for the Church and educational -purposes. It was planned to establish a cathedral, parish churches, grammar schools, , and a university. “These great ideals did not all materialise, but an amazing sum was given over for these purposes.” he said Christ’s College was started, and the upper department was to have become a university, but in 1873 the Government established a university Referring to the project for a history of the church in Canterbury. Archbishop West-Watson said it would be particularly valuable to the young people, who. he thought, had very little knowledge of what happened. The general story of the First Four Ships was quite well known, but the story had not grown like the tradition of the Mayflower.