Catholics in Canterbury

Press, 25 February 1989, Page 27

Catholics in Canterbury

Held Firm by Faith. By Michael O’Meeghan. Catholic Diocese ot Christchurch, 1988. 363 pp. Illustrations, index. $lB. (Reviewed by Anabright Hay) The story of the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch from 1887 to 1987 is a story of high ideals, of love, of faith, of hope, and at the same time of human sinfulness and failure, says the Bishop of Christchurch, The Most Rev. Basil Meeking, in the book’s foreword. He goes on to say that because the book relates the deep inner bonds of faith it is a story that can only be told in part for its inner reality knows no measure and cannot be fully described in words. The author Michael O’Meeghan has a more temporal explanation for the book’s segmented approach. In his prologue O’Meeghah states that there is a lack of sound base material on which to write a readable general history. This has meant that “Held Firm by Faith” could not provide an overview of the whole period and still strive to be accurate. Even accepting these explanations about the limited scope of the book, it still serves as a readable story of the men and women who practised and shared their faith in early Canterbury. A letter to Father John Grimes, before he was appointed a Bishop of Canterbury, from the Bishop of Wellington, Francis Redwood, in 1885 sets out the dream. He describes Canterbury as the cream of New Zealand and an, easy diocese with no Maori diocese to give anxiety. But there were Maoris in Canterbury and the Catholics’ contact with them makes interesting reading as does the rest of this history which

is liberally illustrated with maps, photographs, and sketches. Certainly the personalities of the bishops and their ideas loom large throughout the book, but a host of other people make their presence felt. Many of the historic episodes describing early Canterbury life will already be well known to local history, enthusiasts, but viewing them through the lens of the Catholics’ contribution gives the story a fresh twist. Transplanted on to new soil the French, the IriSh, and the others found they had to spread the word of Rome in an entirely new way. (“Held Firm by Faith”’ is available from the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch, P. O. Box 10-069, Christchurch 1; or from Diocesan History, 30 Wilkins Street, Temuka.)