COOK ISLANDS TO HAVE CATHOLIC BISHOP

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1948, Page 4

COOK ISLANDS TO HAVE CATHOLIC BISHOP

Consecration of Dr. Lehman at Auckland P.A. AUCKLAND, April 18 With the impressive centuries-old ceremonial, the veteran priest of a comparatively young Roman Catholic parish was consecrateed the Titular Bishop of Sertet, in St Patrick’s cathedral, Auckland. He is the Most Rev. John David Lehman, D.D., who for the past 35 years has been in the Cook Islands Mission, and for the last nine years has been Prefect Apostolic at Rarotonga. The Mission has now been given the status of a Vicarite Apostolic, and this provides for its administration by a Titular Bishop. Bishop Lehman’s appointment to the Titular See of Sertet, an ancient diocese of Mauritainia was maoe shortly after his recent visit to Pope Pius XII.

Many Cook Islanders were among a large congregation which attended. There was an elaborate and symbolical consecration Mass, with a ceremony rarely performed in New Zealand, but one which has been witnessed twice in this Cathedral in the past six months.

The consecrating Prelate was the Most Rev. Bishop Jas. M. Liston, of Auckland, and the co-consecrators were the Most Rev. Peter McKeefry, D.D. (who was consecrated CoadjutorArchbishop of Wellington in this Cathedral last October), and Bishop Patrick F. Lyons of Christchurch. Mr A. G. Osborne, M.P., Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister, attended the service on behalf of Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, who is Minister of the Isl Hid territories. Mr A. L. Lewis, Auckland officer for the Department of the Island Territories, and Mr O. Reid, Secretary to the Resident Commissioner of the cook Islands Administration were also present. \ • TT , Bishop Lehman was born m Holland. He is a member of the Missionary Society of the Sacred Heart of Tesus and Mary (an order known also as the Piepus Fathers, of whom the late Father Damien, of Molokai, the I eoer priest, is one of the most famous figures). His territory is 100 square miles of scattered islands, and with him there have been six priests and five nuns.