TRIBUTES OF RESPECT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14304, 25 February 1910, Page 6

TRIBUTES OF RESPECT.

ADDRESS BY THE METROPOLITAN.

,;;When the . body had been placed in front of the; sanctuary, a short service; was held, the Cathedral being crowded. ~ A-short addross was -'given.'by .; Archbishop ; Redwood, Metropolitan of New Zealand, who spoke as follows:"I have very few words.,to address to' you, but those few will como r from my heart. ; Here as Metropolitan J;,avail myself of (the \ opportunity to .'associate all the Catholics of the Dominion in this manifestation of sympathy with the Auckland Catholics and all the citizens ,of this .groat city. /'We have all; sustained very great loss. '■■■. The Catholics of Auckland have lost an able, zealous, andVpious, pastor; Auckr land and the Dominion have lost a true model and a\- bright example of 'what a genuine citizen ought to be. . The community has lost- a citizen of high principles, broad- sympathy, and untiring , activity in co-operating in everything that in his wise judgment ; contributed" to ; tho ' good 'of his fellow citizens. ': I take the opportunity of tendering the thanks of the whole Catholic body, to those non-Catholfcs : who have joined in signs, of; sympathy. :'. We aro thankful-to. those of "all denominations who have shown tokens of respect and.-sympathy ; and condolence. with/ the Catholic body."; ;;The lid; of ,the. coffin .;was removed, and the body of the deceased Bishop, lying, in state with the crozicr presented to him by the clergy of the Dunedin diocese grasped in his hand, was the object; of reverent attention till midnight, when the lid. was replaced ,on the coffin. The body was guarded throughout the night by members of the .various' Catholic societies.'

':. In the evening a service for the dead was held, -consisting of the Rosary, ''-, the singing of the," Miserere" by the choir, and ', an ad- : dress by .Bishop Grimes,:, of«Christchurch. In the course of his address Bishop' Grimes said lie had come to mingle his sorrows and prayers with those of the Catholics : - of Auckland. Little did lie ever think that .ho would stand over 'the mortal remains of one whom he had consecrated as Bishop 14 : years : ago. -He would never/forget: that ■' day, .'' particularly the impression': made on him by, Bishop* Lonihan in asking him to make a- visit, of , pity to the orphans in his company. This/.was the. keynote of him whom 'they now mourned. A second visit •paid that' day was to' the convent of -the Sisters of the Poor. As a true .Bishop, Dr. Lenihan went to those who could, not come to assist ■■ in the consecration. The loss, however, was . not only that of , the orphans and poor it was a common loss. As it-,had been put.'to (he speaker.just ; after ;ho arrived in Auckland, the priests and the people had lost a father., The city of Auckland .had lost one who was in the fullest seneo a patriotic citizen. .. ■■ I ■ ' THE INTERMENT. ' • To-day's : solemn obsequies will,- commence 'at six , a.m.,; ..i At 10 o'clock Solemn Reouiom Mass will bo celebrated by Bishop Grimes, of > Christchurch, --Archbishop Redwood, of Wellington, presiding. After the celebration the body will be interred. '

CITY COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION. ■ At last night's . meeting of the City Council the "Mayor (Mr. C. D. ..' Grey) moved the following resolution, which was carried :— -.V

"That the Auckland City Council desires to ■ place .on record its deep; sense of the great loss to the community,* and especially to;- the Church "to which ho belonged and to the diocese over which he so worthily presided, by the lamented death of George Michael Lenihan, D.D., Roman Catholic/Bishop of Auckland. V As a-' Bishop, Dr. Ivenihan was a - father to his people', a. capable administrator of very high order, and promoted 'y the 'intercets of his Church in the -varicus branches. of its work, whether theological, social, educational, or otherwise,■ with all his powers, while at the same time displaying a. Christian tolerance to others who differed in faith. As a citizen Bishop Lenihan look a keen interest; in the progress of his adopted country, and especially of ; the • city in which he resided, and rejoiced in its -prosperity. :; He was over ready to take tin active part in-the various philanthropic and social proposals which from time to time cropped up, and interested himself in everything that tended to the welfare of the community. His cheery and never-failing,'; genial and sympathetic disposition, ; coupled with his many good qualities, endeared him to all with- whom he was "associated, 'and won for him an' abiding place in the; affections of who came: to know him. y The Council therefore * desires to extend to the members of the 'Roman-Catholic, Church its very sincere sympathy in the sad loss which they; have sustained."-