THe RIGHT REV. DR. LAMAZE.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 4, Issue 187, 26 February 1881, Page 3

THe RIGHT REV. DR. LAMAZE.

The following which wo take ft on tho Vreemitii'n Journal (n paper publishoi in Sydney, N. S. \V. ami whoso politiea tenet's wo cannot subscribe to) of tbo Btl ulto., may be of interest to many of ou readers: — "Ilia Lordship, llio Right Boy. Dr Liuimzo, Vicar Apostolic of Central Oeea nica, left Sydnoy on Christmas murniiij for Tonga. Tho following brief ucctiuu of tho zealous missionary and his oxtousiv. vicariate may prove of interest to our roa ders. Dr. Lamazo first camo to Ausfali! in 186-1, in company with Father Muraire and during that year ho left .Sydney foi t!io South Sea Islands, having boon" appointed to tin- charge of an important mission on tho Island of Tonga, in plnec of the late lamented Father Moulder, S.M.. whose soiviees were required in New Sunt); Wales. He remained there for a period extruding over fifteen years, and about the •middle of last vear, in consequence of tin ■death of Dr. Klioy, he was selected llisho;. of Oi-i-aiiicii, and ill the sunm time received an invitation to go homo and rec'-'ivo thu episcopal honour from the hands of the illustrious Cardinal Archbishop of Lyons, who had been a friend and father to him in his youth, and who Inning conferred upon him all the other orders, asked as n privilege to be allowed to ot&ciuto at tin episcopal consecration. Shortly nftor his elevation to the Pontificate he paid a visit to Home and obtained the pontifical hiessing of Oar Hole leather, l'ope Leo XIII fir himself and his distant mission. 11, also spent n few months travelling in Franco in order to officially visit the fi-ieiiib •and relatives of the missionaries engaged in the South Seas, and to preach in various places in order to direct public attention towards the Association for the I'ropugation of the Faith. Dr. Lnmiize is the siircessur of two lu'shops well known t st of our renders. who often visited Villa Maria, and oili.-laled there, giving Continuation there mid al livdf. Dr. liataillon was the first mission-iii-v in the Islands, mid first Hi-hop of Central Ueeniiicn. Dr. Kllov was his eoadjuror for many years, and subsoipiouih bis successor. It will be reuiei.ibered that Dr. Kllov was present at the hiving of tin foundation stone of the church at Villa •Marin, and ollleiated at the ceremony. The mission of Central Oeeiiiiica is a very extensive one. comprising nuinerous islunds scattered over an area of some thousands of miles. At present the missionaries have laboured on only eight of the principal islands, there ' being in all about twenty- four. The missionary residence:nre occupied bv thirte-two priests, and besides these nr'e several establishments ol 111-others and Sisters of the order of Mary. This does not include the Fijis and New Caledonia, which form different missions. The first missionaries, went to the South Seas in 18;Sli, and ill- progress has been •necessarily slow ra account of the comparatively suiall mi.uber of missionaries, and the gre.lt difficulties which these good m.,,11 bad to encounter. When the ntisss,„i was established, the work was v.-rv laborious, and as the natives were not then as peaceful ami civilized as liiev now are, several of these valiant soldiers of the Cross suffered i'o ill ut the hands of the savages, and the miss' mill ies who escaped death were subjeetol to great hardships. Another dilßcultv wbiih the missionaries experienced al first "as learning the different languages. They. having no menu, of acquiring the desire, 1 kno.vl.nlgi', were compelled to devote much time and immens ' patience t« this unpleasant study. The progress was -low. but there others entireiv converted and received into the Church. Altogether there were about 111.1100 converts baptized, most of them reallv good practical Catholics, having adopted and entered tlionnighlv into tin'spirit of the leading Catholic devotions, which are infallible signs of eonversion and of tin- preseu 1 the Divine grace. Most of the converted natives ntteul Mass cverv morning unless living t «, far awav. and frequently approach the S .craineuts. In the morning before Mini mv nr be-een going round the Sintions of the Cross or in devout inlonition before the Blessed Sacrament. In fact, in all these nissions the congregations are us thoroughly practical in their faith as any other Catholic i imiinitv, ami vi-itor- remarl; that the great devotion displayed bv the natives rinds them of the fervour of the early Christians. The work of a juissionurv on these UUinds is very diffornnt from that of one engaged in n civilised country, as all sorts of hnnWiios and privation- have to be endured, lie has the care and nearlv always the personal labour of building his own'house, his church end school, and he has to tench everything In ev rvboilv writing, reading :uii,-;iug cnteehisin, etc. Day after day tho missionary is to bo seen at nil hours.'not only ill the church and school, but in the village huts seated among the natives, repenting the same things over and over again trying to tench them. It is u work of humility, of patience, perseverance, and self-denial, and the missionary has no human end in view, neither pleasure nor glory, no, comfort, nor money. Mai hard and trying as is the labour of it missionary priest, the duties of a bishop are fur more onerous and severe. 110 has to do exactly the same work us u priest, and has moreover the grave responsibility of the whole mission. He bus to visit periodically the different stations in small and uncomfortable vessels; mid u tour of inspection to all the islands scnttered over mi urea of over 101)0 miles is it long, tedious, und very dangerous voyage, storms being very frequent. He lies to settle dif•tieulties, encourage und comfort missionaries lit their lonely posts. His Lordship und priests left for tho Islands on Christmas I lav. and we are sure tliui it is the wish of all our fellow-Catholics that Heaven will giant him every blessing, and protect him from nil danger."