UNUSUAL SCENES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1938, Page 11

UNUSUAL SCENES

ROMAN CATHOLIC CENTENARY

DELEGATES ARRIVE

IMPRESSIVE SIGHT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, This Day.

Four aeroplanes from the Auckland Aero Club, flying in perfect cross formation, swooped down over the Wanganella as she lay-to in Waitemata Harbour this morning. About the ship circled a dozen gaily-befiagged fishing craft. It was Auckland's initial welcome to the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Panico, and the delegation of overseas prelates, priests, and laymen, numbering several hundred, who were arriving for the celebration of the centenary of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand. ~ >

If the first welcome was picturesque, the reception accorded the visitors when the vessel berthed was overwhelming in its enthusiasm. A dense crowd packed the wharf space beyond the. barriers, and from above, on the crane track, came the music of Thomas Bracken's "God Defend New Zealand." Cheers came in bursts from the crowd as Archbishop O'Shea, Metropolitan of New Zealand, and Bishop Listen, of Auckland, mounted the gangway—but they were as nothing to the cheers that came again as the Apostolic Delegate and his retinue of archbishops, bishops., and priests descended to the waiting cars. Again came the sound of the band, that of the Waverley Orphanage, Otago, playing "Faith of Our Father." As'it rose the crowd joined in till the wharf resounded with it. Again there were cheers as the procession moved off. and more cheers when the party entered Albert Street.

Never since the visit of Royal personages has Auckland seen such an assemblage of people or heard such vociferous enthusiasm. Albert Street was lined as far as Wyndham Street with a tightly-packed throng of people. All that could be seen from the end of the road was a sea of heads waving handkerchiefs _nd hands. Similar enthusiasm was present at St. Patrick's Cathedral, around which gathered a huge crowd throughout the morning. When approaching the coast of New Zealand, Archbishop Panico sent a wireless message to the GovernorGeneral of New Zealand, Lord Galway, as follows:—"I send your Excellency my kindest wish with the hope that our celebrations will bring many blessings upon the Dominion in which your Excellency is the personal representative of his Majesty the King." To this an answer was received as follows:—"As the representative of his Majesty the King, in New Zealand, I thank you for your kind message of today and take the opportunity of cx l tending to you a warm welcome to this Dominion. I sincerely hope thatyour mission Jn this country will be successfully accomplished, and that you will find every reason for congratulation in the wonderful progress which has been made by the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand during the first 100 years of its existence. |. —Galway, Governor-General." IMPRESSIVE ENTRANCE. The delegation had enjoyed a perfect crossing of the Tasman and Auck-. land, too, was providing the best weather. Owing to the precautions taken by the Health Department the Wanganella did not immediate-. Oy make her "way to Princes r Wharf, but hove-t'o in the stream where she was boarded by the Port Health Officer, Customs officials, and Tourist Department officers. It was then that the Yugoslav Roman Catholic community made its impressive gesture. Out from the wharves came a dozen big fishing boats, their rigging bedecked with red, white, and blue, flags. They made a graceful sight as they sailed in formation and circled the vessel, while the crews cheered the visitors. Then out of the south-east sky, appeared four aerpplanes—the tribute of the Auckland Aero Club. Piloted by Commander G. R. White, senior pilot of the Union Airways, Flight-Lieutenant D. M. Allen and Mr. K. B. Robinson, instructors to the. club, and Mr. H. J. Lambert, the planes formed a cross in the sky as they swooped low over the vessel in salute. They came back again in arrowhead formation and crossed and re-crossed above the vessel.

It was a most impressive sight.

"FESTIVAL Ol* REME3IBRANCE."

Homage .was paid in St. Patrick's Cathedral to the undaunted faith and devotion of the men and women with whom had begun the first hundred years of the Roma.i Catholic Church iii New Zealand, when Archbishop O'Shea addressed a formal welcome to the Apostolic Delegate. The full significance of the celebrations was summed up in the concluding words of Archbishop Panico as he gave thanks for the moving reception he had been accorded.

"The occasion is truly a solemn one," said the Delegate. "It is a festival of remembrance, feast of joy, and exultation in the Lord. It is one of thanksgiving, too, for a century of blessings, and occasion for profound meditation as we stand on, the threshold of our second century to gather fresh inspiration from our valiant forefathers and to stimulate any flagging energy of faith or devotion and to make us in our day a generation that shall be deemed worthy of them." Pope Pius had had many proofs of New Zealand Roman Catholics' attachment, love, and loyalty, and on this day of their triumph he was. with them.