THE H.B. TRIBUNE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1931 A VENERABLE PRELATE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 63, 24 February 1934, Page 6

THE H.B. TRIBUNE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1931 A VENERABLE PRELATE.

To-morrow at Wellington are to be begun the religious ceremonies that are to- mark the celebration of the close of the sixtieth year of Archbishop Redwood’s membership of the Roman Catholic espiscopaey. It is an event unique in the annals of the Christian Church in this Dominion, and must also be one of very rare parallel in any country. But it is not in this feature of the celebrations, depending merely on the gifts of long life and a robust physical constitution, that thentrue significance lies. That is to be found not only in the universal and affectionate veneration he has inspired among the memoers of his own Hock, but also in the esteem and regard in which he is held by the members of other Christian communions throughout tiie land —well testified by the messages of congratulation he has received. It is in spontaneous and cordial testimonies such as these that we have the most impressive proof of the beneficence of his rule. To his wise guidance and restraining influence this country is very largely indebted for the disappearance from within it of all signs of the religious intolerances that even now occasionally find violent expression in other lands. In this respect' Archishop Redwood has done a service of inestimable value to the country, helping greatly to mould its people into the friendly unity that has stood us in such good stead in the days of trial. As for the personal story of his long life it reaches back almost to the beginning of the history of the country’s colonisation. We cannot quite claim, him as one of the illustrious sons of New Zealand soil, but it was as a child of only tender years that he arrived in the then colony, away back in the early ’forties of last century. So it was in this country, among all the vicissitudes to which the early pioneers were subject, that he gained the first impressions that count for so much throughout life, even though it may be prolonged, as his has been, far beyond the accustomed limit. His vocation for the Church came to him at an early age, and it was as a mere lad that he returned to the Old World to enter upon his education for the priesthood. Since then his life has been one long devotion to the cause of his religion. It was also early in life that he evinced qualifications for leadership that commanded attention, and he was only in his thirtythird year when be was consecrated ns Bishop of the big diocese of Welling!on, the youngest bishop of bis Church. Further preferment soon came to him, for it was only thirteen years later that he became the first | Roman Catholic Archbishop of New Zealand. Both mentally, temperamentally and physically he hud all the endowments rerequisite for the arduous duties that thus devolved upon him. Well and truly has he carried them out to the great advantage not only of those who were his own peculiar charge, but Io that also of the whole community

which, from so small beginnings, has grown up under his eye to achieve the status of definite nationhood. It will be with the vast majority of the people of the Dominion, that those of Hawke’s Bay will join in wishing this venerable and well loved prelate a still further extension of life with continued health and vigour to carry out the functions of the high dignity he has so long adorned.