THE CENTENNIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 131, 6 June 1939, Page 10

THE CENTENNIAL

CATHOLIC FUNCTIONS

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

EXHIBITION DISPLAY

The contribution of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominion to the New Zealand Centennial celebrations is to take the form of a National Eucharistic Congress, to be held at Wellington from February 1 to February 4, 1940, and the erection of a Catholic pavilion at the Centennial Exhibition.

In a statement today, the Rev. Dr. A. J. Mcßae (Chancellor of the Archdiocese) said that the importance of New Zealand's Centennial was early recognised by the Catholic authorities. When the Bishops met to consider plans for the celebration oi the centenary of the arrival of Bishop Pompallier (which marked the beginning of the Church in New Zealand), they realised that, important as was that event for Catholics, they should have to keep in mind also their responsibility in regard to the celebration of the national Centennial. Actually the need was met by the decision arrived at then, namely, to hold the Catholic celebration in Auckland, and to reserve for the national Capital in 1940 the holding of New Zealand's first National Eucharistic Congress.

The date of the congress was fixed after consultation with the Wellington Provincial Centennial Committee and with the approval of the Department of Internal Affairs. The actual centenary of the first Mass celebrated in Wellington would be December 25, 1940, but having regard to the convenience of the many distinguished overseas ecclesiastics whose presence would mean much for the success of the congress it was decided to hold the celebration during the first days of February, 1940. CONGRESS FUNCTIONS. Plans were well advanced for the holding of the. Eucharistic Congress, said Dr. Mcßae. The liturgical reception of the Cardinal Legate and the reading of the Papal Letter of Appointment would be the first official function of the Congress, and this would take place in the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, Boulcott Street, on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 31.

The present proposals were that all other liturgical functions would take place in the open air in the grounds of St. Patrick's College, Cambridge Terrace. For some months work had been in progress preparing the grounds. Additional properties were recently acquired, and the site was being levelled and graded. A large altar was to be ei-ected on the higher level immediately in front of the college, and on a ramp leading down from this to the new playing; field and flanking a broad flight of steps there was to be a series of stepped platforms for the accommodation of the bishops and clergy. Temporary seating for approximately 10,000 was to be arranged on the playing area, and it was confidently expected that when the *area was cleared and prepared it would provide sufficient accommodation for all desirous of attending the Congress functions.

All the official Congress Masses would be celebrated at this site—the solemn opening Mass on the Thursday, the children's Mass on the Friday, the women's Mass on the Saturday, and the official Mass on. the closing day. The grounds would also be used for the men's evening on the Thursday, and the site would see the crowning act of the Congress—Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on the Sunday afternoon, after the procession of the Sacred Host from St. Mary of the Angels Church, Boulcott Street.

In addition to the liturgical ceremonies, there were to be other functions in the Town Hall, and in halls tin other parts of the city, when opportunity would be afforded of hearing addresses by the official Congress speakiers and by the visiting Bishops. EXHIBITION PAVILION. "In view of the fact that the Exhibition is to be the chief feature of the Centennial year, and that it is intended to epitomise the history and development of New Zealand's first hundred years, it was felt that the Catholic contribution to the Centennial celebrations should also include a suitable display at the Exhibition," said Dr. Mcßae. "The pavilion will not be elaborate, and will not compare, for instance, even in relative importance, with the Catholic pavilions which have been features of many international exhibitions, for example, the exhibitions of Paris, Brussels, or, more recently, Glasgow.

"The consideration that led to the decision in favour of this venture were twofold. In the first place it was felt that we owed it to our fellow-citizens whose courage and vision brought this great national project into being to accord it the fullest measure of cooperation and support.

"Then, also, we owe it to ourselves and more especially to those great men of the past whose labours and sacrifices have made the Catholic Church in New Zealand what it is today, to take advantage of this opportunity to portray something of the Church's contribution to the progress and development of New Zealand. We believe that the Catholic Church has played a notable part in the making of this young country, and that we have some reason to be proud of its contribution. The pavilion will seek to show, as far as our limited resources will allow, what that contribution has been."