NEW CONVENT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 2

NEW CONVENT

FOUNDATION STONE LAID. IMPRESSIVE EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION. Such a religious procession as has seldom before been -witnessed in Now Zealand, and never before in Palmerston North, took place horo yesterday _ in connection with the consecration of the now St. Patrick’s Church in Broad street. Tho erection of the new convent marks a further milestone on tho road of Roman Catholic endeavour in this district.

Many visiting prelates wore present" and the impressive ceremony was witnessed by some 2000 people. Tho Church, where devotions were conducted prior to the Eucharistic procession setting out on tho road to the convent, was not nearly commodious enough to accommodate all who sought to enter.

Tho procession was a beautiful and remarkable spectacle, tho order being:—Tho cross-boarer, acolytes, Palmerston North Municipal Band, women of tho parish, women terliaries, Children of Mary, boys and girls of tho parish, Sisters of Mercy, flower strowers, the Blessed Sacrament, which was carried by His Grace accompanied by priests und acolytes, priests and students of Highden, Hibernians, men tertiaries, and men of tho parish. Each order carried its distinctive banner and those, together with the white and blue robes and tho charming white dresses and filmy veils of the little girl flower strewers presented an arresting spectacle. As tho procession, many chains in length, wended its way slowly to tho Convent, the attendant priests led chants and responses, with an occasional hymn, the whole creating an atmosphero of solemnity and religious power in keeping with tho occasion. On a sheltered lawn close by the new building, whence tho company proceeded, was a temporary altar decorated with foliage and on another side of the square a housing and seats for tho visitors and speakers. The assemblage formed up before the altar from whence His Grace, assisted by other priests, conducted further devotions and later, in company with a small band of priests, performed the ceremony of laying tho foundation stone. As there was not room for the great, number present to witness this part of tho ceremony the company remained assembled on the lawn until tho Archbishop returned. “NOT SELF-BUT SERVICE.”

In referring to tho presence at the gathering of tho Mayor, member of Parliament for the district, and tho othor representative gentlemen who wore present, Rev. Father McCarthy said that he regarded their presence as a mark of appreciation of the work of tho Sisters of Mercy who, for over 30 years had been interested in educational and charity work in Palmerston North. Tho Sisters of Mercy, he stated, deserved well for tho Catholics and of tho people of this district, for they devoted their lives to the service of others. Their motto aptly could bo put: —“Not self, but service.” It was this order, ho reminded his hearers, which was responsible for sending so many nurses to bfavo tho hardships of tending tho wounded in the Crimean War and that same spirit of mercy was evidenced here in Palmerston North during the influenza epidemic. He assured the Mayor that if ever such a calamity befell again—and that God forbid—nono would bo more willingly devoted to the purpose of helping tiro stricken people than the Sisters of Mercy. “LENDING TO THE LORD.”

The occasion, said tho rev. gentleman, reminded him of what ho had onco read of a famous sermon delivered by Dean Swift, tho Anglican divine. There was to bo a great service in Dublin with the object of assisting the poor of that city aiul endeavours were made to persuade Dean Swift to speak. “Tho Dean, though a very able man, had not the courage to face a congregation—and that takes some courage I can tell you,” said tho speaker. However, lie continued, on this occasion the Dean did speak—for about a minute. The text ho took was: “110 that givoth to the poor lendoth to tho Lord.”. “If you are satisfied with the security, and indubitably you must be,” said Rev. McCarthy, “out with your money bags and down with your dust.” Tho people did well to assist tho eil'orts of tho Sisters of Mercy, continued the speaker, for they were tne agents of God working" for tl'io advancement of the Church and for the good of tho people at largo. Their efforts militated against the spirit of selfishness of this ago and to which they were a rebuke and a protest an example of sacrifice and service to others which all would be well advised to follow. The splendid building of which they were that day laying the foundation stone was costing in tho region of £20,000, but it must not be left to tho Sisters alone to accomplish so great an undertaking In cncluding with a further appoal to the people to lend their practical support to the new convent, he stated that ho felt sura that all would readily do so, for what they gave in this connection they gave to God. ADDRESS BY HIS GRACE.

Throe rousing cheers greeted Ills Grace .as ho rose to address the assemblage. Referring to the laying of the foundation stone, he paid a tribute to tile nature of tho building, stating that it had been erected in honour of that young, faithful, graceful, beautiful, and gentle Saint known by the faithful as “The Little Flower’ and this was tho day of her solemn canonisation in Rome. The lesson of tho “Little Flower” was, he said, a great lesson—God marvelled in His Saints. It was a lesson of natural and supernatural virtues which were practised by tho Saint, xhe evil ot the present day, said His Grace, was the denial of the supernatural and the false asid wrongful doctrine that man lived for himself alone and existed no longer aftei death. That wa3 merely rank paganism. Man Was made not for himself but for God and to go to Him one must know, praise, serve and love God, and thus one day attain tho true happiness which is not to bo found in this world. God must bo made tho principal motive in our lives and the Catholic Church existed for the promulgation Of tlyit principle. It was the aim of the Church to prevent sin as far as possible for that was tho cause of the troublo of'the nations in this era. An example of tho effect of sin, continued His Grace, was seen in tho Great War the cause of which was grab, ambition,’ lust, pride, and tho love of domination. The founding of this Catholic school was one of tho means adopted by, tho Church to prevent sin.

A GREAT OBJECTIVE. The Church's object in sucTi institutions was to make men and women good and faithful and their families would bo likewise—to create good citizens and devoted patriots who would be proud of this fair land and ready to figlit for it as they had had to do in tlio last Groat War. The founding of such schools as this was a work next in importance to the erection of a new church, becuuso illuell of the work of the Church was done efficiently in tho school where tho children might be trained to become tiled and women ot character—tho pride of society and the strongest bulwark of the State. That was taught to them hour alter hour and day alter day, and they were told that religion must be ’the main., tiling in their existence, if the individual was made good all society was made good—if irroligion held sway in the family all society was ruined. “Religion is not merely a Sunday business —it must influence all our actions,” said His Grace. Everything wo do must bo done in the name ot Jesus Christ. It was a matter for congratulation indeed that such teachers could be found for such schools. His Grace expressed his pleasure at the attendance) at tuo ceremony of Messrs Nathan and Nash, but, ho said, they should be interested in such a ceremony. Ono as the chiof mails';rate of tho town, and the other as member for the district, they were both, in';e.'«stod in. the advancement of educational matte™ and what affected tho citizens isenilf'ally.. He congratulated tho Catholics oil the district an. having such teachers for I;b.*ir ichcoli and oxpresied a

hopo that their work would be appreciated and supported. Any sacrifice made on their behalf would not be too groat and lie wished the nuns and their school every success—all who co-operated would have their reward in eternity. THE MAYOR’S TRIBUTE.

Father Lynch then called upon the Mayor to speak. “The Mayoress and myself have much pleasure in joining in today’s ceremony,” said Mr Nathan, proceeding to ado that it was a pleasure as well as a duty tor him to do so. ’they were participating in a ceremony marking the laying of the foundation stono of an institution destined to play a largo part in the proper formation of tho character of the young. “I have been privileged to view tho plans and. while everything utilitarian has been provided for, the artistic and tho beautiful have not been neglected,” said Mr Nathan. He added that it was • essential to tho education of the young that they should bo taught in beautiful surroundings os that would play an important part in their future lives. “I could not help being struck with tho spirit of Belf-sacrifice displayed by those who undertook to raise the money for such a structure,” ho continued, adding that it denoted not only faith in their own people but in tho future Of the district. It would be pointed out to tho chidlren that the school was made possiblo not only by the self-sacrifice of the teachors, but by tho parents also and within its wall they would be taught faith to the Church, self-sac-rifice and thought for others, lie sincerely hoped that the children would bo taught, too, something about their own country, its ideals and thoughts, and about their particular town and district. Thereby lay tho route to the ideals of true citizenship required to lay the right foundations for a new country. Tho first Convent was erected in Palmerston North about 1893 —32 years ago—and tho half-acre of land then purchased by the lato Father Patterson was bought through Mr M. Cohen from the speaker’s late father for £625. Mr Cohen said at tho time that he thought Father Patterson had got tho best of the deal and when he viewed the site to-day he was sure of it. (Laughter.) However, the land had been devoted to no selfish purpose. In 1904 tho present Convent was built and it was proof of the success of the work carried out therein that to-day a larger building was required. Under the guidance of those wonderful women were some 420 pupils—it left one without words to. express admiration for their wonderful devotion. Palmerston North could not forget the devoted services of the Sisters of Mercy during tho influenza epidemic. The town owed much to the Church and the Sisters of Mercy and in particular for tho erection of this beautiful building which had involved accepting a responsibility for about £20,000.

MR NASH CONGRATULATES CATHOLICS. “I listened with great interest to His Grace’s address,” said Mr Nash on rising to speak. The appearance in Palmerston North of tho Archbishop for tho second time in such a short period, and on both occasions under such auspicious circumstances, ho continued, was a matter for congratulation. During his association with politics, and that was a considerable time, the speaker had taken a keen interest in educational matters and that was only proper when one reflected that the boys of to-day were to be the rulers and administrators of tho future. A belief in God was an essential to success as such, and there was no doubt that the Sisters of Mercy did a great deal to inculcate that belief, while their devotion was universally recognised—not only did they assist tho distressed and the young in many ways but they gave love and devotion as well. He confirmed what Father McCarthy had said about their assistance during the epidemic, during tho prevalence of which no one in Pulmerston North had done more than the Sisters of Mercy and the St. Vincent do Paul Society. The Sisters merited every possible assistance. “During my term as Mayor I always gavo my vote to excluding from rating tho property of the Sisters,” ho said amidst applause. It was tme, added Mr Nash, thf.t (he State uffoidod every possible educational facility so far as tho schools were concerned, but the cos'; of administration was spread over tho whole country and tho Catholics liko overyono elso had to pay for it, but in such cases as this tho Catholics found tho whole cost of tlioir own school without State aid and those who tried so effectively to help themselves should bo encouraged. In conclusion Mr Nash stated that ho could only express tho hopo that tho institution would be a benefit to those erecting it and the children who would receive instruction vrithin its walls in the future,. As the foundation stono had been laid so might there bo raised a superstructure jierfect in all its parts —an honour to its builders und a force calculated to fit the children for tho great battle of lifb.

FATHER LYNCH RETURNS THANKS. The last to speak war. Father'Lynch, who is acting-pastor in the absence abroad of: Father MacManus. He thanked His Grace, tho Venerablo Metropolitan of New Zealand, for attending the function that day, despito the incloment weather, and hi* 8V years which lie carried eo lightly. The remarks and presence of the Mayor and of Mr Nash had been deeply appreciated, said Father Lynch, who also expressed ihanks to the architect, Mr Clere, builders Messrs Trevor Brothers, tho Palmerston North Municipal Band, and those who had so willingly assisted tho Sisters in their great work. It had been a great day for the parish and for the people themselves who had been privileged to take part in so notable a procession. Following tho Benediction three cheers were given for Messrs Nash and Nathan. The new Convent of Mercy is of eaHy Cothic design, constructed in pressed brick which material in itself tends to a pleasing architectural appearance. Tho general outlay provides for each room receiving the maximum of sunlight, while included _in the distinctive features is a commanding turret and a beautifully designed chapel over 50 feet by 20 with altar, sanctuary, and tracery windows, the last-named being designed to produce a soft and beautiful lighting effect. The arched entrances are 01 striking and handsome design. All the heating, cooking, and lighting will be done by electricity, lhe work of construction is already welt advanced and tho walls of tho ground floor, together with the lower arched window frames, are already sufficiently advanced to*,afford a very fair idea of what will be (ho general appearanco when the building is completed.