LEADER RETURNS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27572, 14 December 1950, Page 6

LEADER RETURNS

Holy Year Pagrimage

MEMORABLE VISIT When the first New Zealand Holy Year pilgrimage left for Rome in March this year, the leader, Bishop H. J. O’Neill, felt some concern about the success of the venture. He returned to Dunedin last night, however, with glowing reports of the pilgrimage. Referring to the visit to Rome itself, Bishop O’Neill said that the New Zealand pilgrims were treated with great courtesy by the Holy Year Committee. They were the only national group received in a special audience with the Pope. This was in the Vatican Palaceand His Holiness spoke in perfect English to a number of the New Zealanders. The Pope looked much younger than his 74 years and by his words and actions showed that he was fully alive to the present world situation. A very full 14 days were spent in the city where a group' of New Zealand priests and students offered as-, sistance to the pilgrims. One of the most tireless workers in the group was Father F. O’Dea, of Dunedin. _ Practically every place of major interest was visited.

Because of the constant activity in Rome the pilgrims possibly found in the visit to Lourdes their greatest spiritual experience, Dr O’Neill said. It was there that they were able to realise more fully the true nature of the pilgrimage.

The party broke up officially in London on June 12 and with one or two exceptions, all were now back in New Zealand. Bishop O’Neill spent approximately three months in Great Britain and Ireland, and he also found a month’s visit to .Switzerland most beneficial to his hbalth. In company

with two New Zealand priests he motored from there to see the famous Passion Play in Oberammagau, Southern Bavaria. He had seen it before in 1922 but found little difference in the presentation. There were record attendances, however, as thousands of pilgrims were taking the opportunity to see the play, which is acted only in every tenth year. Attendances of up to 6000 were common and it was held five or six times a week. “There is an interesting history to the play,” Dr ’ O’Neill said. “A vow was made more than 300 years ago by the people of the city that if they were spared from a plague which was raging at the' time they would reenact the passion every 10 years.” This had been carried out faithfully since and the play, which covered the period from Palm Sunday to Ascension Thursday, was produced and acted entirely by people in the town. After leaving England in the Straithaird with the organiser of the pilgrimage. Father J. N. Pound, Bishop O'Neill broke his journey at Cairo and flew to Calcutta to visit Mother M. Dionysius, who has spent 40 years on a mission station there. Mother Dionysius was born at Palmerston, and another Otago nUn whom he met was Mother M. Irene. The bishop rejoined the ship at Colombo, and after a short stay in Sydney, where he met 15 New Zealand boys studying at the Christian Brothers’ Training College, Strathfield, flew back to New Zealand. He will leave for Invercargill at the end of the week.