RECEPTION OF BISHOP GRIMES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 8395, 2 February 1888, Page 5

RECEPTION OF BISHOP GRIMES.

To-day the Roman Catholics of Christchurch are to do honour to their first Bishop, the Right Rev Dr Grimes. The programme of the proceedings has already been published, and though it will be somewhat amplified from the proportions originally anticipated, it will be to all intents and purposes the same. The principal addition to the programme is an address from the clergy and laity to the Most Rev Dr Redwood, Archbishop of Wellington, who accompanies Dr Grimes, and now pays his first visit to Christchurch since his elevation to metropolitan dignity. A brief sketch of the new bishop’s life will not be out of place here The Right Rev John Joseph Grimes was, at the time that he was selected by His Holiness the Pope to bo the first Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand, Superior of the Novitiate House of the Marists, at St Mary’s Hill, Paignton, Devonshire. He is now 46 years of age, having been born on Feb. 11, 1842, and is a native of London, where his chilhood was passed. His youthful years were spent among the Marist Fathers, who established themselves at St Anne’s, Spitalfields, in 1855. Here he was admitted as a postulant and novice, and here, too, he last year was consecrated by His Eminence Cardinal Manning. After completing his preliminary studies, he went to the college at Bar-le-Duc, on the River Omain, the chief town of the Department of the Meuse, France. From France he went to Ireland, where in the college at Dundalk he completed his studies in philosophy and divinity, and was ordained. For some years he remained at this college, aa Professor of English Literature and Classics. He then removed to America, where, in Jefferson College, Lousiana, he had a still wider field for his literary and scholastic ability, and fulfilled the duties of Professor, Director, and finally President. From America he returned to England, where in 1881 he was appointed to Paignton, at which place he built a church, and did much to further the interests of religion. The new bishop thus brings to the discharge of his New Zealand duties experience gained in many lands and amongst varied populations. THE EARLY DAYS OF THE DIOCESE. Now that the Roman Catholics of this portion of New Zealand are placed on a level ecclesiastically with Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, a brief retrospect may well be taken of the early days of the Christchurch Mission, from which have sprung so many of the other congregations, owing spiritual allegiance to the new bishop. For the few details about to be given, we are indebted to the courtesy of the Rev Father Chervier, who may well, in speaking of the history of the church here, repeat the saying, “Quorum pars magna f ui.” As is well-known, the Right Rev Dr Grimes is a Marist. It is most fitting that a member of this order should be appointed to watch over a fold of which the first shepherds were Marist Fathers. The honour of being the first parish priest of Christchurch belongs to the Rev Father Seon, who arrived here in company with a confrere, the Rev Father Chataigner, in August, 1860. They had uphill work before them, being without a church, without a school, without even a habitation. They had land, however, three acres given to the denomination by the Provincial Government, to which were subsequently added two acres, purchased by the congregation, the whole forming the area in which are now erected the pro-cathedral, the convent, and the other buildings at the south end of Barbadoes street. For a time mass was said in a room in the Royal Hotel, Oxford terrace, but when the Fathers had built their house, a mere shell of a place, its central room, which was larger than the four others, but was “a very poor, miserable room,” was used aa a chapel for the congregation, and it was quite large enough for the purpose. The furniture was of a primitive character; in fact, was the handiwork of the priests themselves. Father Seon did not remain here long, but left for Wellington at the end of March, 1861. The Rev Father Chataigner followed him as parish priest, and succeeded in gathering together sufficient money to buy the timber for a church, but when the timber had been bought there remained no money to pay for carpenters, so the priests, for the Rev Father Chervier had arrived on April 1, 1861, once more turned their hands to carpentering. The income of the two at this time averaged between 15s and 19a a week, and their fare was of the most frugal description. Of course they could not afford to keep any servant. Father Chataigner left Christchurch in 1869, Father Chervier remaining as parish priest until 1871. For a few months the Rev Father Boibieau was curate, but when Otago became a separate diocese, the Marist Fathers there were dispersed, and at the request of Father Chervier, the Rev Father Ecuyer was appointed by Dr Niard, Bishop of Wellington, to Christchurch,'as pariah priest. Father Boibieau going to Lyttelton, and Father Chervier to Shand’s Track. Father Ecnyer did the work of the mission here without assistance until 1874, when he exchanged parishes with the Rev Father Beliard, of Greymouth. Father Beliard remained but about twelve months, when he was succeeded by the Rev Father Chareyre, who in 1875 con-, siderably enlarged the church, which had been built by Father Chataigner from designs by Mr Mountfort, the builder being Mr Dethier. It was opened on Sunday, May 29, 1864, when the work was sufficiently advanced to permit of the solemnisation of Divine worship. The choir on the occasion gave the Imperial Mass. The Rev J. Chataigner, in his address, returned his grateful acknowledgments to all classes of the inhabitants of Christchurch for the very liberal contributions which had been made towards the erection of the church. Many persons not belonging to the Catholic community had generously assisted, and the Government had made two large donations to the fund. The collection on that day amounted to £l3. The church at Lyttelton was opened on June 29,1865. This, too, was built from Mr Mountfort’s designs at a cost of about £I2OO, the contractors being Messrs Graham and Weyburn, and Messrs England Bros, furnishing the woodwork and interior fittings. The choir sang portions of Mozart's Twelfth and First Masses for the occasion. Father Chataigner also opened a church at Brackenfield about a year later, and subsequently a church iu Akaroa. Father Chareyre was, in 1877, succeeded as parish priest of Christchurch by the Rev Father Ginaty, who again enlarged the Barbadoes street Church in 1878. The same energetic pastor in 1882 built the present convent, which replaced the smaller one built in. 1864 by Father Chataigner, whose wisdom in introducing here the sisters of Notre Dame des Missions has been fully proved by the results. In the convent a mixed school was. opened in 1864, and the boys* tnA piregept

scale, was opened by Father Ecnyer some years afterwards. To Father Ginaty the Catholics of this district are also indebted for the churches at Papanui, Addington, and Halswell, and for that lasting monur ment of his charity and zeal, the Mount Magdala Asylum. The same parish priest purchased land in Manchester street which, it is hoped, may ere long be the site of a second city church. After leaving Christchurch, Father Chataigner continued the good work at Temuka, where he built a church, at Timaru where he built a church, a boys’ school, and a convent for the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, and at Waimate where he built a church. Father Chervier in like manner was busy founding churches, as may be seen by the following catalogue :- He opened on June 29, 1865, a church at Shand’s Track on land given by Ur P. Henley; a church at Leeston on Dee, C, 1869 ; one at Rangiora on July 31,1)370 j a church at Lincoln on Jan. 1,1871 ;aohnmh at Lobum on May 30, 1875; a church at Ashburton on April 6, 1876; one at Sooth* bridge on Sept. 8, 1878; the new chunk at Lincoln on Sept. 19,1880; and a church at Darfield on Dec. 31,1880. The convent at Ashburton, where a branch of the Sistssa of Notre Dame des Missions is, was bqftt by the Rev Father Coffey in 1886. Fatter Chervier opened schools in Lyttelton, Ashburton, Leeston, and Lincoln. It will be seen from the above that the Catholic Church here has made great progress under Bishop Bedwood, who fno* ceeded Bishop Viard in 1875. MONET STATISTICS. Of the cost of the earlier works referred to above, only slight information can 1m obtained, but the following figures, showing the expenditure incurred by the priest of Christchurch since 1877, are given on authority .—The iron fence round convent cost £300; the enlargement 4|. the church, and alterations soon oftjHfr wards, cost £1800; the organ cost JJflQf candelabra vestments, sacred vwwhi tL cost £500; the new presbytery, wish Ua furniture, cost upwards of £3600; Etc Joseph’s Church, with theland, at PapegyL cost over £700; the Church of The Soon# Heart, Addington, with over two awes yf land, cost more than £850; St Agnes’s, at Halswell, cost close on £300; the enleqEf* ment of St Patrick's School cost over £soOj the new convent cost over £9OOO. addition to these sums, amounting he BMC*' than £17,000, there have been the cost ef the Mount Magdala Estate and huildjflg, of alterations necessary to fit np tha oSd presbytery for St Leo’s High SchooL the Junior School in Toam street, of aa Infants’ School, of the land in Mancfcaßtfll street, &c.