HOLY CROSS COLLEGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21599, 21 March 1932, Page 5

HOLY CROSS COLLEGE

THE NEW BUILDINGS ARCHBISHOP LAYS FOUNDATION STONE

The oldest consecrated bishop in the world officiated at a ceremony connected with one of the youngest ecclesiastical seminaries in existence yesterday afternoon, when Archbishop Redwood, the 03-year-old metropolitan of the Roman Catholic Church in New Zealand, laid the foundation stone of the new buildings at Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, which, just 32 -years ago, was established as the provincial seminary for the training of students for the priesthood. The gardens of the college, at present a mass of beautiful roses, presented a colourful setting when, preceded by a procession of chanting students and many of his priests, a number of whom were “ old boys ” of the college, Archbishop Redwood, with Bishop Whyte (Dunedin), Bishop Brodie (Christchurch), and Dr C. J. Morkane (rector of the seniinary), in attendance, performed the brief function of laying and blessing the stone, the ScanJet robes of the prelates providing an additional touch of colour to the scene. BISHOP WHYTE’S ADDRESS. Addressing the great gathering of people who had assembled for the' event, Bishop Whyte said: “ Our first duty is to thank Almighty God for having'enabled us to undertake the work which we have just besought Him in His goodness to bless. He is the origin and foundation of all good things and, in answer to our humble prayers, He will pour His bountiful blessings upon the building which we are erecting to His greater glory. What our next duty is your sense of gratitude will have already told 3'ou: it is to tender our most heartfelt thanks to the venerable archbishop. In spite of his patriarchal age, he has made this long journey in order to manifest his interest in the ecclesiastical training being carried on in this seminary. The sacred chant, sung with delicate feeling and taste, by the college choir, is a tribute from the students and professors to his Grace’s deep-seated and enthusiastic interest in their welfare. We can assure his Grace that his presence here to-day gives pleasure to all of us who, are privileged to witness this memorable ceremony. In addition, all the Catholics of New Zealand will rejoice that the foundation stone was blessed and laid under such happy auspices.” Dr Whyte thanked Bishop Brodie for his attendance, and referred with regret to the unavoidable absence of Archbishop O’Shea and Bishop Liston, of Auckland, the latter a former rector of the college. Bishop Whyte thanked the priests, religious and faithful of the whole Dominion for the help and encouragement which they gave the collectors who secured the funds for the extensions. “ The result of that appeal,” said the bishop, “put into our hands £23,000 —a sum sufficient to carry out the greater portion of the

needed improvements, though not ample enough to give us the complete design/’ “On the foundation stone,” concluded Dr Whyte, “is engraved the name of Francis Redwood —‘ clarum et venerabile nomen/ That name is engraved on numerous foundation stones up and down these islands. It is, furthermore, engraved on the affectionate and grateful memory of every Catholic in tire Dominion. It will be the hope and prayer of us all that he may return from the Dublin Congress full of health and vigour, ready to open this building which we are erecting for the honour of God and the moral and spiritual advancement of our country.” THE ARCHBISHOP SPEAKS.

Speaking with that quiet force and dignity that always belies his great age, Archbishop Redwood, who was received with sustained applause, said that it gave him great pleasure, and he considered it an honour, to perform the ceremony. He recalled the instructions issued by Pope Leo XIII, when that Pontiff ordered the separation of the Church in New Zealand from Australia and urged that, above all things, the council that was set up should endeavour to establish a provincial seminary. Now, his Grace was delighted to see all the progress that had been made. There was, he said, nothing more important to Catholics than the establishment of a proper seminary in every province. Holy Cross College was the seminary for the whole of the Dominion, and so far it had been marvellously successful. It had been established in the name of God and the blessings of God on it were visible in every way.

“ A good priesthood,” said his Grace, "means a good people and a good people mean a happy country.” A priest, he continued, was a second Christ, and his Grace told how Christ Himself had established the priesthood and placed into his hands the powers it exercised. The priest stood at the altar in the sacrifice of the Mass as the instrument of the Christ crucified. “ The Sacrifice of the Mass,” said the archbishop, “ is the greatest thing there can be in the world.” St. Francis de Sales had compared the Blessed Sacrament to the sun. Like the sun, it had light; a great light; the white light of truth. It had heat, without which we would all die, and the heat'of the Blessed Sacrament was the heat of charity and devotion. It had life; the Blessed Sacrament gave supernatural life. And, like the sun, the Blessed Eucharist had activity. There would be very little activity in the Church without the Eucharist, said his Grace. It was the Blessed Eucharist that sent forth missionaries ready to sacrifice their lives for the Faith, the Blessed Eucharist that inspired all priestly and religious vocations. Concluding, Archbishop Redwood congratulated Bishop Whyte on what he had done for the seminary, and referred to Dr Whyte’s expression of the hope that it would fall to him (the archbishop) to open the completed buildings after his return from the Congress in Dublin. BISHOP BRODIE’S SPEECH. Speaking next. Bishop Brodie said the ceremony added another bright page to the annals of the progress of the faith

in this young land. He traced the history of the college from its inception, stressing the great part played by the saintly Bishop Verdon; its founder and first president. The presence of the revered metropolitan would recall to the archbishop’s memory the historic decision he was called upon to make in 1876, in association with Dunedin’s first Roman Catholic bishop, Dr Moran, of honoured memory, “ a worthy associate of his Grace as an intrepid and unflinching champion of Catholic education,” said Bishop Brodie. “In the year 1876 the wave of secularism in education reached New Zealand. It had already swept Australia, where a leading legislator openly boasted that secular education would put an end to the vocation of the priesthood. In New Zealand our legislators were not actuated by such unworthy motives when they came to the illogical decision that'the only way to provide for the education of children of different religious faiths was to banish all religion from the schools. To meet the difficulties brought’ about by this legislation, Archbishop Redwood and Bishop Moran decided to establish and equip Roman Catholic schools where all Catholic children would be trained in the teachings of their holy faith. This decision was a momentous one; it involved the outlay of. millions of pounds, it demanded life’s consecration from our teachers, our devoted priests, our brothers and sisters to the cause of Catholic education. But time has vindicated that great decision, and bishops and priests and people must do honour to Archbishop Redwood and to his illustrious associate, Bishop Moran, for their great leadership in that crisis.”

Referring to the archbishop, Dr Brodie said that his Grace’s life well-nigh spanned the entire period from the time when, on January 13, 1838, Bishop Pompallier offered mass for the first time in New Zealand. Bishop Brodie ventured to predict that, of all the representatives at the forthcoming congress, none could be so well fitted to represent his country as the archbishop. Dr Brodie congratulated Bishop Whyte and the rector and staff of the college, “ praying that Holy Cross may continue to send forth its zealous priests to labour in the harvest of souls and to perpetuate the great work of those priests who in the past have done so much to spread the truth of holy faith in New Zealand.” THANKS EXPRESSED. The rector, Dr Morkane, who was practically the first student to enter the gates of the old college, and who has been associated with its staff for 23 years, made a short speech, referring to the past history of the college and thanking each an<4 all of the bishops of New Zealand for their interest, “ supremely so, the venerable patriarch and the , Dominion’s grandest old man, Archbishop Redwood.” For 32 years the archbishop had been a trusty and sympathetic friend to Holy Cross, said Dr Morkane, and his presence at the ceremony was but one more testimony of his devotion to the college and its splendid aims and ideals. The rector welcomed Bishop Brodie, and expressed regret, that Bishop Liston and Archbishop O’Shea were not present. He thanked all who had responded to the appeal for funds, and acknowledged the solicitude and helpfulness of the architects and the builder, Mr Lawrence. “And now, as on*

of the first-year students and the first to be raised to the prietshood, I cannot but rejoice on this happy day,” concluded Dr Morkane. It is my sincere and fervent prayer that God’s grace, bearing'with it every happiness and success, may light upon this foundation stone, and make these new buildings fragrant with the hope and faith and charity that have ever dwelt in the old walls of Holy Cross, and., what is better, in the heart of every Holy Cross student and priest.” Father Collins, Adm., who was in charge of the collecting work, thanked all who had contributed, and made special reference to the wonderful assistance received from the priests in the various parishes and all religions. Mr Mandeno, the architect, also spoke, after which Archbishop Redwood concluded the function by imparting his blessing to those present.