HOLY CROSS COLLEGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3713, 12 May 1925, Page 52

HOLY CROSS COLLEGE.

SILVER JUBILEE. ADDITIONAL CELEBRATIONS. The ceremonies in connection with the silver jubilee nf Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, were continued on the 4th. At 9 a.m. Pontifical Requiem Mass was held in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in memory of the deceased founder of the college (Bishop Verdon), its professors and students. Bishop Liston (coadjutor Bishop of Auckland) acted as celebrant, the Very Rev. Father Creagh, C.S.S.R., as assistant priest, the Rev. Father Minogue (New Plymouth) as deacon, the Rev. Father O’Meeghan (Christchurch) as sub-deacon, the Rev. Fathers Buckley and Ardagh as masters of ceremonies, and Bishop Brodio (Christchurch) as preacher. The service was attended by tne visiting archbishops, bishops, and clergy, and there was a very large congregation.

Bishop Brodie took as his text the eighth verse of the forty-fifth chanter of Ezekiel—“Ho made an everlasting covenant with him and gave him the priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory.” The preacher said the lands under the Southern Cross had been singularly blessed in the character and work of their pioneer prelates and priests, who were men of learning, zeal, and wondrous intuition. The pioneer missionaries realised with clearest insight that early provision would have to be made for the ecclesiastical training of youth, and they generously found time to personally supervise this training. The decrees of the Council of Trent on the education of youth were to them principles of supreme importance, and vain indeed would be their endeavours if the youth of this new country did not receive wise guidance and direction.

The event they were commemorating did not take them back to the earliest pioneering days except in so .far as to show the connection between the efforts of the earlier missionaries and the subsequent establishment of the provincial seminary whoso jubilee they were celebrating. Their revered Metropolitan. Archbishop Redwood, could recollect the deliberations on the important question of the establishment of a provincial seminary for New Zealand. All the members of the hierarchy present, together with their theologians, were of one mind that the decrees of the Council of Trent were preceptive. At least a provincial seminary must be established as soon as possible, but at once the obstacles came to mind — the limited resources of our young country, the danger of inadequate financial support, tlie difficulty of providing a professorial staff. All these objections were weighed and seemed insurmountable until Bishop \ erdon, of Dunedin, made tho generous offer to establish the provincial seminary in Dunedin and to provide the requisite staff. Archbishop Redwood, as president, and the assembled bishops saw that the difficulties were overcome, and the decree was formulated establishing an ecclesiastical seminary for the four dioceses of New Zealand. The decree was enacted in January, 1899, and in the following -year «n May 3 Bishop Verdon founded Holy Cross College and opened its doors to receive students for the priesthood. In the jubileo celebrations of Holy Cross College it was fitting that they should honour the memory of Bishop Verdon its revered founder. Bishop Verdon’s life was unique in its association with ecclesiastical training. He enjoyed the great privilege of having studied at the Irish College in Rome —a college closely associated with the love of faith and fatherland. If Bishop Verdon’g Alma Mater could be considered favoured because of its associations with Ireland, it was thrice hallowed in its sacred associations with Romo itself.

Before he came to New Zealand Monsignor Verdon had wide experience in the management of ecclesiastical He had been president of Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, Dublin; vice-rector of the Irish College at Rome, and first rector of St. Patrick’s College, Manly. At tho express invitation of Cardinal Moran, Monsignor \ erdon came to Australia to undertake the duties of rector of St. Patrick’s. Already £60,009 had been expended in the erection of the magnificent txlifice which stands on the northern head of the entrance to Sydney Harbour as a sentinel proclaiming to the world the glorious triumph of the consecra tion of the youth of Australia to the sacred work of the priesthood. A prominent Australian legislator of 50 years ago had rashly boasted that his enactment withdrawing state aid from Catholic schools would sound the death knell of priestly and religious vocations amongst the youth of Australia TTiat prophecy had been falsified—the Catholics accepted the challenge, at gieat sacrifice they provided their own schools, and priestly vocations had been wondrously multiplied. St. Patrick’s College had already sent forth 300 priests to tho various tlioce s es of Australasia.

For the work which Monsignor Verdon had before him, his experience at SU Patrick’s College was of great vaUte. The early years of Manly College wore years mado anxious by financial strain; and it might be expected that the president would gladly relinquish a post cf such anxiety, but in 1895 when Monsignor Verdon was appointed to proceed to. Rome as the representative of the Hierarchy of Australia, he took his departure from Manly w ith genuine regret, a regret more keen because he had to start for Rome y.ist before ho could have the privilege o' seeing the first student from Manly raised to the dignity of the priesthood. Monsignor Verdon had already left Sydney on his way to Rome and had reaches Melbourne when a .higher command came from Pope Leo XIII, appointing him to the Bishopric of Dunedin rendered vacant by the death of Bishop Moran. Before embarking for his future home in Dunedin his mind could discern with prophetic instinct the episcopate as a sphere where he could include amongst his activities the great work of training students for the priesthood. This prophecy was verified three years later at the Provincial Council oi Wellington, and the presence to-day of well nigh 50 priests of Holy Cross College set before them the faithful fulfilment of that trust,. If it be said that Bishop Verdon had a career eminently qualifying him for the work of founding the seminary for New Zealand, his long association with tho work of priestly formation gave him a wondrous influence over the students. Bishop Verdon, in his work for Holy Cross College, heard on all sides unfavourable opinions—that there would be insufficient numbers of students, and that the time was uot yet ripe fo r the establishment of a seminary in New Zealand; but the words came true, “they made him blessed in glory,” and as he saw student after student seek admission to college, ho heard the blessings of gateful parents invoked upon him for having provided facilities for their sons to be trained for the holy priesthood. The limited finances of a young diocese were not always adequate for the requirements of the young college, and many were the fears entertained that the work would have to be discontinued through lack of funds; but. Bishop Verdon was a man of faith. His singleness of purpose inspired others to come to his aid, and zealous priests and generous laity provided the required funds. Priests who had laboured years in the diocese glady helped the good work, and in gratitude for their own vocation to the priesthood revered the name of him who gave them an opportunity of assisting others to complete their studies for that same calling. When the Great War was at its height and New Zealand was sending forth her sons to battle, zealous priests were ready to accompany them; amongst their many worthy chaplains was Father M'Menamin, one of Mosgiel’s pioneer group of priests. He had spent six years in parochial work when the call of duty directed him to the war zone, where he shared many hardships and privations, and where he laid down his life, meeting a glorious death at the post of duty—all honour to the memory of Father M'Menamin, tho first hero and martyr priest of Hnly Cross College, honour to the college which trained him for the the priesthood, and honour to the founder who had been spared to rend the account of the noble life, the glorious death of this worthy son of Holy Cross. In conclusion. Bishop Brodie said : “ We assemble to-day to honour the memory of the founder of Holy Cross College, to commend to God in the Adorable Sacrifice of the Mass the souls of the founder, together with the deceased professors and students. We thank God for the vitality and vigour of our Holy Faith in these young lands, we rejoice at the blessings which have rewarded the zeal of devoted priesta who have come from the home lands to labour in this portion of God’s vineyard. May God be praised for the priestly and religious vocations which are the surest signs of the vitalitv of the faith, vocations to the ranks of the diocesan clergy, vocations to the Society of Mary and to various religious congregations; may these vocations become more numerous still. May we, who rejoice in the sacred calling to the priesthood, be stimulated to untiring zeal in our labours in the harvest of souls: may we remember we share that same priesthood which urged a St. Vincent de Paul to tramp the highways and byways in quest of abandoned souls, the same which called a St. Francis Xavier 'to the distant lands of India, Malacca, and Japan to win souls to Christ; the same again which sent a blessed Peter Chanel from his own beloved France to the islands of the southern seas, there to die for the cause of the Cross that his blood might be the seed of Christians, and his example an inspiration to sacrifice and whole-souled devotion in our priestly labours. May wo all, under the sacred influence of the priesthood which gives us companionship and unity of purpose with the saints, the martyrs; yes, with the apostles, and even with Jesus Christ Himself, may we ho encouraged to highest aspirations and to noblest achievement. rnmembering the words of St. Paul: Wo are fellow-citizens of the suints, we are members of Ihe household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the chief corner stone being Jesus Christ Himself, in Whom all the building being framed together groweth up into a holy temple m ine Lord. Amen.** The impressive incidental music was rendered by tho students’ choir of Holy Cross College. Later in the day the visiting clergy and tho students were token for a harbour excursion. The weather was unpleasunt, but as there was plenty of shelter on the boat

a very pleasant time was spent. The party returned to Dunedin about 3 p.m. fr» tho evening a conversazione was given »>v the Si. Joseph’s Ladies’ Club in honour of the jubilee. There was a large attendance, ail the seating accommodation being taken up, while many people had to # be content with standing room. A most enjoyable programme of musical and elocutinary items was presented, and each Performer hud to submit to an imperative recall. Tlie following contributed to the programme: X. Varney, piano solo; Mr F. Rodgers (“A Russian Love Song”); Air T. Hughes (“Tlie Drums of Life”); Miss A. Vail is (“Ave Maria”); Mr J. Rankin (“Brittany’*); Miss A. Sligo, violin solo (“Mazar”); Miss C. Dillon (“Laughing Song”); Mr I). Fogarty (“The Green Lde of Erin”); and Mr A. Young, recilar lion (“Said Hanrahan”). At the close of the musical programme Bishop Whyte, on behalf of all present, thanked the performers for their delightful entertainment, and also expressed his gratitude to the ladies of St. Joseph’s Ladies* Guild for having organised the function. '1 he members of that organisation, he said, were ever to the fore in the social work of tho parish, and on the present occasion they had readily come to the assistance of Father Morkane. He wished to direct attention to the effective stage decorations, notably the 25 silver bells hung aloft indicating the first 25 years of the life of FTolv Cross College. The guests. cf the evening were afterwards entertained at supper.