CATHOLIC CENTENARY

Evening Star, Issue 22572, 13 February 1937, Page 3

CATHOLIC CENTENARY

FITTING CELEBRATIONS NEXT YEAR APOSTOLIC DELEGATE ATTENDING BISHOP LISTON OUTLINES PLANS [Per United Press Association.! AUCKLAND, February 13. A Dominion-wide jamboree tor Catholic Boy Scouts is to be held at Auckland about the time of the New Zealand Catholic centenary celebrations next February. This was mentioned at an executive meeting in connection with the centenary plans. . Children are to play a prominent part throughout the celebrations of the church. A large choir of boys is being ° r ffehop Liston, who presided, said the Apostolic Delegate for New Zealand and Australia, His Excellency Archbishop Panico, would come to Auckland tor the centenary. The presence of this distinguished representative of the Duty Father would give much joy to New Zealand Catholics. . . The eminent English priest and author, Monsignor Ronald Knox, had offered to consider a translation and adaptation of a religious presentation entitled ‘ Credo.’ This had been staged in a series of tableaux in Belgium, and was a great success. > Bishop Liston read encouraging letters received from members of the Australian hierarchy. A publicity campaign was well advanced with a view to bringing large numbers of visitors to New Zealand. Referring to the proposed Maori celebrations at Totara Point, Hokianga Harbour, on the site of the first mass offered in New Zealand on January 13, 1838, Bishop Liston said that much, depended on the provision of access by road. The construction of the road appeared to be practicable, and it had been long desired by the settlers. It was proposed to erect a marble cross on the actual site of Bishop Pompallier’s first mass. The Mill Hill fathers who conducted the Maori missions were training a native choir to sing a mass. A party of about 100 Maoris would assemble for the Auckland celebrations. The numerical representation would be in the hands of the missionary fathers, but the actual personnel would be chosen by the Maori people themselves. An essentially New Zealand element would be introduced at many liturgical gatherings, said Bishop Liston. Prayers would be recited in St. Patrick’s Cathedral by the Natives, who would sing the hymns and chant divine praises. The celebrations would he financed on a subscription membership system. It was planned to create a permanent memorial of the centenary by the establishment of a £I,OOO bursary for students for the priesthood. Proposals for the children’s processions and assemblies were outlined. The main events of New Zealand’s 100 years of Catholic life would be depicted on a series of banners.

A bursary for the priesthood would be presented by the school# as a centenary memorial.