ISLANDS MISSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26749, 19 April 1948, Page 6

ISLANDS MISSION

BISHOP CONSECRATED CENTURIES-OLD CEREMONY P.A. AUCKLAND, Apl. 18. With impressive centuries-old ceremonial, a veteran priest of a comparatively young Roman Catholic parish was, consecrated titular Bishop of Sertet In St. Patrick’s Cathedral. He was the Most Rev. John David Lehman, D.D., who for the past 35 years has been in the Cook Islands Mission, and for the last nine years prefect apostolic at Rarotonga. The mission has been given the status of vicariate apostolic and this provides for its administration by a titular bishop. ,His appointment to the titular see of Sertet, an ancient diocese of Mauritainia, was made shortly after his recent visit to Pope Pius XII. Many Cook Islanders were among the large congregation which attended the elaborate and symbolical consecration mass, a ceremony rarely performed in New Zealand, but one which has been witnessed twice in the cathedral in the past six months. The consecrating prelate was Bishop Liston, of Auckland, and co-consecrators were the Most Rev. Peter McKeefry, D.D., who was consecrated CoadjutorArchbishop of Wellington in the Cathedral last October, and Bishop Lyons, of Christchurch. Mr A. G. Osborne, M.P., Parliamentary Undersecretary to the Prime Minister, attended the service on behalf of Mr Fraser, who is Minister of Island Territories. Mr A. L. Lewis, Auckland officer for the Department of Island Territories, and Mr O. Reid, secretary to the Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands Administration, were also present. . Bishop Lehman, who was born in Holland, is a member of the Missionary Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (known also as Picpus Fathers, of whom Father Damien, the Molokai leper priest, is one of the most famous figures). His territory is 100 square miles of scattered islands and with him have been six priests and five nuns. _________