ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20841, 7 April 1931, Page 10

ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD.

GREAT SERVICE TO CHURCH. NINETY-SECOND BIRTHDAY. TURNING POINT OF LIFE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]} WELLINGTON, Monday. Archbishop Redwood will celebrate h:s ninety-second birthday on Wednesday. He is in very good health and is still interested actively in everything that concerns his Church in this country Archbishop Redwood was born in Staffordshire in 1839. Ho came to New Zealand when practically an infant with his parents, who settled in the Nelson district.

When 15 years of age tho chanco visit of tho schooner Mountain Maid turned (ho whole course of his, life. She had on board a Marist priest in poor health who was on his way to France by way of Australia. Young Redwood then aspired to the priesthood and this priest offered to escort the lad to Europe. r lhe offer was accepted. Young Redwood made rapid progress, not only in theology, but also in languages. He was called to Ireland in 1863 to teach Latin' and Greek at the Marist College at Dundalk. On January 6, 1864, he made his religious profession as a Marist and the following year he was ordained priest. In 1872 his superiors stated that they wished to appoint him coadjutor to Bishop Viard, then in Wellington. While negotiations were in progress news reached England of the death of Bishop Viard and, in 1874. the Archbishop was appointed Bishop of Wellington. He entered upon those duties, which he has performed so well for the last 57 years.