NEW BISHOP

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 97, 21 October 1935, Page 11

NEW BISHOP

M. AUBES" COXSECEATEJ)

CEREMONY AT ST. MARY'S

I Yesterday was an important occa- , sion at St. Mary of the Angels ProCathedral, Boulcott Street, a crowded congregation assembling at Pontifical Mass at 9 a.m. for the consecration as Roman Catholic Bishop of the Southern Solomons of the Rigiit Rev. Dr. Jean Marie Aubin. The consecrating prelate was the Most Rev. Dr. T. O'Shea, S.M., Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand. The ceremony was most impressive, being carried out with all the colourful richness and symbolism of the liturgy of the Church. Supporting the ArchVshop .were the Rigiit Rev. Dr. M. J. Brodie, Bishop of Christchurch, the Right Rev. Dr. J. Whytc, Bishop of Dunedin, and Monsignor Connolly (Kilbirnie)'. The assistant, priests at the Throne were the Very Rev. Father McManus, C.SS.R. (St. Gerard's) and the Very Rev. Father J. Dowling (rector of Silverstream College). The chaplains to Dr. Aubin were the Rev. Father Coicaud (of the Southern Solomons) and the Rev. D. Scanlon, S.M. (Greenmeadows); to Bishop Brodie, the Very Rev. A. Lysaght, S.M. (rector of St. Patrick's College, Wellington); to Bishop Whyte, the Rev. Father S. A. O'Connor, S.M. (Mount St. Mary's, Greenmeadows); Masters of Ceremonies, the Rev. .Father C. Crocker, S.M., and the Rev. Dr. F. M. Rasmussen, S.M.;, Apostolic Notary, the Rev. Dr. A. J. Mcßae, S.M. Also in the sanctuary were the Yen. Archpriesl Kelly, the Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy, S.M. (Acting Provincial), Father G. Cheeseman, S.M., Father T. Aubry; S.M.,- Father F. L. Dignan, S.M.. Father J. Spillane, S.M., Father L. Spring, S.M., Father A. Robinson, S.M., Father T. George, S.M., and Fathers T. Quealy and O'Brien. THE CEREMONY. There was a procession from the presbytery, next door to the church, to the sanctuary, which was decorated for the occasion with lilies and Iceland poppies. The procession was led by a cross-bearer and acolytes, following whom came the priests, Monsignor Connolly, the bishops with chaplains, and the Archbishop at the rear. As the procession entered the church the choir sang "Ecce Sacerdos Magnus," and on arrival in the sanctuary the Archbishop took his seat on the Throne, after which began the ceremony of vesting the Archbishop. The Archbishop having been vested, he proceeded to the faldstool. The consecration ceremony then began, the bishop-elect «being presented to the Archbishop by Bishop Brodie, after which, in response to the Archbishop's inquiry, the Rev. Dr.'Mcßae read the Apostolic mandate -for Dr. .Aubin's appointment. That was followed by an examination and profession of faith. The Mass then began, the. consecration ceremony taking place during the Mass with certain breaks for various parts of the ceremony. The Litany of the Saints was recited, and this was followed by the ceremony of annotating. Meanwhile the choir sang "Veni Creator." Next came the conferring of the symbols of dignity, the crozier, the ring, and the Book of the Gospels. After the Communion the ceremony of the blessing and the conferring of the mitre and gloves of office took place. When that was finished the Archbishop rose from his seat at the faldstool and placed the new bishop in the seat, at the same time giving him the crozier. Bishop Aubin was now fully vested with all the symbols of office. The Archbishop announced the Te Deum, which was taken up by the choir, and while this was being sung Bishop Aubin, with the assisting bishops, proceeded from the sanctuary through the church, giving his blessing to the members of the congregation as he passed. . The Archbishop remained in the sanctuary. When Bishop Aubin returned to the sanctuary the blessing of the Mass was given by him. The whole ceremony was concluded with Bishop Aubin receiving from the Archbishop and the assisting bishops the kiss of peace. The Mass concluded with the singing of the Gospel of St. John. The prelates, clergy, and acolytes, with cross-bearer, then left the church in procession by the centre aisle, the choir again singing "Ecce' Sacerdos Magnus." . Solemn Pontifical Benediction was given in the evening. The celebrant was the Right Rev. Dr. Aubin; the deacon, the Rev. Father Coicaud, and the sub-deacon, the Rev. Father D. Scanlon. Bishop Brodie delivered the occasional sermon. ' BISHOP BRODIE'S SERMON. *'\Ve are assembled in the most distant outpost of the British Empire under the presidency of the Metropolitan, who, by the Grace of God and favour of the Apostolic See, exercises authority in this ecclesiastical province, in distance the most remote from Rome, the centre of all spiritual jurisdiction in the Catholic Church." said Bishop Brodie. "We are called together for a great and important purpose, for the episcopal consecration of a priest who has given his life to the work of bringing the-light of the Gospel to the natives of the South Solomon Islands. Notwithstanding the fact that the ceremony is taking place hi these distant lands, the ceremonial of episcopal consecration shows out most clearly that the authority entrusted to the new bishop must come through the apostolic channel as clearly outlined by Jesus Christ to JPeter. ! "Today is mission Sunday, and in every church throughout the world on this day an appeal is made exhorting every Catholic to help in the spread of the true faith to every nation in the world. A happy coincidence indeed that on this mission Sunday our revered Metropolitan with his associated hierarchy should be called on to officiate at the episcopal consecration of a missionary bishop, of one who, as a priest of the Society of Mary, has for, 27 years laboured as a missionary in the South Solomon Islands, a missionarj/who is now raised by Our Holy Father to the dignity of the Episcopate with the full responsibility of directing the missions in the territory confided to him. The happy coincidence of the consecration of a missionary bishop in New Zealand on this mission Sunday demands a special reference to the duties incumbent on Hie Catholics of New Zealand of supporting_the missions of pur holy faith by their financial offerings, by prayer, andby vocations. MISSION WORK. "The time has now come when our holy faith has attained to such a stage of development that we must foster missionary vocations to the priesthood and to religious orders. Within the space of less than a century, thanks to the zeal of our pioneer priests and nuns, and thanks to the great advance and extension of Catholic education, the point of saturation will be reached when, especially in the priesthood, the i number of vocations will exceed the requirements of our young land. "Bishop Aubin, we thank you in the name of the hierarchy, the clergy, and laity of New Zealand for allowing us to be associated with your great mission by arranging for your consecration in New Zealand, and while it will be our duty to urge out people to a maximum effort for the international effort for the propagation of the failh, the appeal you have personally made for your mission in the Solomon Islands will urge us to a sympathetic and practical interest in your work." Bishop Aubin has received messages

of congratulation and Apostolic Blessing through Cardinal Pacelli, Secretary of State, and also from Cardinal Fumasoni-Biondi, Cardinal Prefect of Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith. The choir at Mass and Benediction was under Mr. Sydney Hoben. Mrs. Aldridge was at the organ. The Right Hey. Dr. Aubm will be leaving New Zealand for the South Solomons within ten days or a fortnight. On Wednesday, at 7.30 p.m., he is to speak at St. Mary's on the life of a missionary in the Solomons.