ST. MARY'S CHURCH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 26 April 1923, Page 5

ST. MARY'S CHURCH

ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD UNVEILS MEMORIAL

Anzac Day was observed at St. Mary's Catholic Church with all the solemnity with which the occasion merited. The celebrant at the solemn requiem mass was Dean Halley, S.M., of Blenheim, Rev. Father Hoare, S.M., of Nelson, being Master of Ceremonies. The choir, under the leadership of the Rev. Father jMahone? of St. Mary of the Angels, Wellington, sang the.requiem mass and the sorrowful strains'of the Gregorian music formed a fitting accompaniment to the, sad ceremonies of .the day. , The. memorial, a life-sized statue of the Saviour taken down from the Cross arid resting in his Mother's arms, was unveiled and blessed by His Grace, Archbishop Redwood immediately after the mass. This memorial, which is a beautiful piece of statutary was executed in Rome by the best Italian artists. It stands on a marble base with a tablet in the centre containing the names of the Catholic soldiers who died in the war. The Pieta —by which it is commonly known—stands in a grotto on the west side of the_ church and presents a sad but beautiful picture of perfect sacrifice and perfect resignation.. \- The preacher on the occasion was the Rev. Father Mahony, who in a stirring and eloquent address reminded his hearers that only the Christian could nobly bear the trials and sufferings of life witli true resignation and that religion was necessary to live a Christian life. He drew their attention to the beautiful monument erected to the memory of their dear ones and, in language eloquent and impressive, call? ed their attention to One who had paid the SacriTice and to the Mother lof the dead Saviour who bore her trials and.crosses with the true resignation —a beautiful example for Christian mothers whose sons had laid down their lives.'

On the base of the memorial there is the following inscription: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." *

The following names are then in scribed: ,;

1 John P. Mathews, Peter J. Mathews, Allan Shain, George -H. Bishops Arthur R. Fellowes, Leo. C W. Hoult, Mostyn J. Armstrong, Peter J. Jenkins, Norman K. Roughton, John J. Mcßride, Herbert Neason, James D. B. Tomlinson.