Not Inclined to Paganism

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 142, 6 September 1927, Page 1

Not Inclined to Paganism

SYDNEY’S RELIGIOUS TONE DUNEDIN BISHOP’S VIEWS Sydney, so frequently held up as pleasure-mad, is not on the road to paganism. A favourable impression of the city’s religious tone was gained by Bishop Whyte, of Dunedin, who returned by the Ulimaroa to-day after two months in Australia. “People w r lio are content to stay in the streets to get their impression of the city may find many faults,” said the bishop, “but anyone who goes to the church and homes will not take the pessimistic view of the superficial observer. I found that new parishes had been formed, and new churches were being built, and I was impressed with the generosity of the people.” Bishop Whyte attended two preliminary meetings for the Eucharistic Congress of 1928. While in Melbourne he stayed with Archbishop Mannix. Big efforts, he said, were • being made to have St. Mary’s Cathedral, in Sydney, finished except for the two

towers for the Eucharistic Congress. The work w-as practically a duplication of the old building. The weather had been almost too fine for the whole of his visit, and a drought was feared in New South Wales. “I had to go to Sydney to be made an archbishop,” said Bishop Whyte with a smile. “A Sydney newspaper did it for me.” He had received the distinction through attending a hurling match between Victoria and New South Vales. This old Irish sport, he said, was played by Irish societies in Australia. It was a kind of hockey, without the restrictions of “sticks” and other rules. “The game looks very rough to the observer, but actually few get hurt,” he said.