CATHOLIC CENTENARY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19248, 13 February 1937, Page 5

CATHOLIC CENTENARY

PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR AMBITIOUS PROGRAMME PREP ARATIONS IN HAND , (Per Press Association.) . AUCKLAND, this day. A Dominion-wide jamboree for Catholic Boy Scouts to be held in Auckland about the. time of New-Zealand Catholic centenary celebrations next February was mentioned at an executive meeting! in. connection with the centenary plans. Children are to play a prominent part throughout > the. celebrations of the phurch., A large choir of boys is being organised. . Bishop Liston, who presided, said that the apostolic delegate for New Zealand and Australia, His Excellency Archbishop Panico, would come to Auckland for the centenary. The presence of tins distinguished representative of the Holy Father would give much joy to. New Zealand Catholics. An eminent English priest and Etuthoi, Monsignor Ronald Knox, had offered to consider a translation and adaptation ol a' religious ’ presentation entitled “Credo” This had been staged in a i’eri&t:of.,tableaus iii' Belgiuiit and was a great success. Bishop Liston read encouraging letters received from members of the Australian hierarchy. A publicity campaign was well advanced with a view to bringing large numbers of visitors to New Zealand. SITE OF FIRST MASS Referring to the proposed Maori celebrations at Totara Point, in Hokianga harbour, on the site of the first mass offered in New Zealand on January 13, 1938, Bishop Liston said that much depended on the provision of an access road. The construction of the road appeared to be practicable, as it had been long desired by the settlers. It was proposed to erect a marble cross on the actual site of Bishop Pompallier s first mass. The Mill Hill Fathers, who conductd Maori missions, were training a native choir to sing! mass. A party of about 100 Maoris would assemble for the Auckland celebrations. The numerical representation would bo in the hands of the missionary fathers, but the actual personnel would be chosen by the Maon people themselves. An essentially New Zealand element would be introduced at many liturgical gatherings, said Bishop Liston. Mass and prayers wpuld be recited in St. Patrick’s - Cathedral 'by the natives, who would sing the hymns and chant divine praises. The celebrations would be financed on a subscription membership. The system was planned to create a permanent memorial of the centenary by the establishment of a £IOO bursary for students for the priesthood. Proposals for children’s processions and assemblies were outlined. The main events in New Zealand's 100 years of Catholic life would be depicted on a senes of banners. A bursary for the priesthood would be presented by the schools as a centenary memorial.