ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6558, 27 August 1948, Page 5

ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH

HOLY NAME SOCIETY TE AWAMUTU’S FIRST RALLY The 161-strong branch of the Holy Name Society in Te Awamutu held a highly successful first rally on a recent week-end, when his Lordship Bishop Liston and Right. Rev. Msgr. Cahill, diocesan spiritual director, attended the functions and addressed the men, states “Zealandia.” The branch president, Mr C. 0. Edmonds, welcomed the visitors at a social evening in the. Regent Lounge, where the local Holy Name men were hosts also to members from Hamilton, Putaruru, Cambridge, Kihikihi and Ohaupo. Paying tribute to the work of the chaplain, Rev. Father Colgan, Mr Edmonds pointed out as evidence of his care for the Society, that of 161 members the average attendance on Holy Name Sundays was well over ninety per cent. Thanks to his Lordship the Bishop and Monsignor Cahill for their encouragement at all times and particularly for making a special trip for the rally, were expressed by Father Colgan. Rejoicing that there was little or no “dead wood” in the Society, he recalled that just 100 years ago, on the feast of the Assumption, 210 people received Holy Communion in the church at Rangioahia (near Te Awamutu), the old men and the chiefs leading the way to the altar rails. Bishop Viard had visited the district then and stayed for three months, baptising 323 people and confirming 580. One hundred years had passed, Father Colgan said, but was not the picture the same now? The Church never changed, and past history in Te Awamutu was repeating itself, with the Bishop again visiting them to encourage and inspire his people. His own work, Father Colgan declared, had been made light by the successive presidents and officers of the Society, whose zeal had been of the greatest support to him. Monsignor Cahill, responding to the welcome, congratulated the spiritual director and the Society on the. large membership and excellent attendances at Holy Mass and Communion, which were things of which they could be justly proud. The rally itself, Monsignor Cahill told them, showed a practical interest in the Society which meant very much to the Church to-day, when good Catholic men were needed in a world harassed by danger and conflict, with the enemies of Christianity pledged io destroy the Catholic Church.

Though the Church could not fail, the diocesan director said, it can suffer much and be hampered in its work. He appealed to the members of the Society to preserve their fervour and to be active in this, the age of Catholic Action. His Lordship the Bishop Stating that Monsignor Cahill would feel well rewarded for his work as spiritual director of the Society in the diocese, Most Rev. Dr Liston expressed his pride and satisfaction at the grand manifestation of Faith they were witnessing. His Lordship spoke of the great problem of the world to-day, in the saving of its soul. We had seen the collapse and destruction of false gods, the Bishop declared, but the very fact that there had been great progress in matters which did nothing for the soul of man might be the very sign of inner decay. “We are coming to a great era,” his Lordship said, “and I believe that there is a great revival deep down in the hearts of men, who are no longer content with self-sufficiency as compensation for the God in Whom they have ceased to believe.” Appealing to the men to pay attention to real news affecting the Church, which they would find in Catholic journals only, the Bishop quoted the words of Miss Helen Keller, who had declared that the secret of her life was “Faith in God and trust in fellow men,” words that had deeply impressed her audience. Reports from Western Europe which often did not appear in the secular Press, told of a great recovery of Faith, his Lordship said. People who had faced brutal onslaughts which might well have been expected to lead them to despair, had, instead, reached out for better things for themselves, for their homes and for the extension of the Kingdom of God. Italian Example

Quoting the case of the Italian premier, De Gasperi, his Lordship pointed out how few were the headlines for him, who had stood his ground and won, and how many there had been for the. exponent of the other philosophy, Benes, who had not remained true. Still the Press largely ignored the fact of religious revival and made nothing of the story of a Catholic layman like Luigi Gedda, who, under the inspiration of the Pope, and of the Cardinal. Archbishop of Milan, had organised the canvassing of towns and villages and warned millions of the battle that was taking place. Deep thinking led to the conviction that religion counted most in the hearts and minds of men, the Bishop continued. The fact to be remembered was that the Church did not declare war on “our friend the enemy,” but took up the challenge made by him. Materialism and revolution would destroy man, body and soul, afid the Church had to act. Belief in Our Lord would save, the world, his Lordship concluded. There was little use talking about Communism and totalitarianism unless we understood what these things meant and what was necessary to counteract them. The true antidote, lay in the spreading of the Faith and in setting up a truly Christian social order. Men who were alive to their responsibilities of prayer and action, could do much for their God and their country. The Pope’s “Divisions”

Re,v, Dr Delargey, prefacing a short address with Stalin’s reported query concerning the Pope: “How many divisions has he?” described how freedom-loving men in Europe to-day, including Catholics in their millions, have rallied to the defence of the Faith in the war with Communism has declared on the things of God. “Behind the Iron Curtain,” the speaker said, “Stalin has met the divisions of the Pope. Never in Poland’s life, have her Catholics been so united, and there the rallying point of all decent men is the Church. The

churches are fuller than ever; the schools and seminaries are carrying on, and many vocations are being fostered.

“In Hungary the occupiers, have tried to dispose of man’s soul by destroying Catholic education, but the people in their thousands have pledged support of Christian education and the Christian tradition. The same is true of Yugoslavia, where division after division has rallied round the Church to resist the modern heresy which seeks to destroy it. “Luigi Gedda, to whom his Lordship has referred, is the moving force of lay action in Italy. His idea is to organise groups of young men to know their Faith better, and to undertake whatever work the Holy Father would assign to them.” Swinging the Balance “Comparatively speaking, his work seemed trivial; but when the balance lay between Communism and Christianity, it was these young men throughout Italy who rallied in their loyalty to the Holy Father, and turned the tide.” The loyalties of Holy Name men must be the loyalties of apostles, Dr Delargey declared. Careful study of Catholic thought and the strengthening of their Faith by prayer, charity and friendship, were all-important in ensuring that when the battle came they would remain true. “You are soldiers of Christ,” the speaker concluded. “You should realiso your destiny and strive to be worthy of it. Remember also that you are soldiers of Our Lady. Come 'good, come evil, remember that for 2000 years, quiet, simple men have stood fast. The legions of evil will be resisted and trodden down in the dust. This gathering has a greater significance in that the same motives unite the men of other parishes and other countries throughout the world; and thus they face together whatever Calvary lies between this world and a glorious Resurrection.” Mr B. C. O’Connor, president of the Ohaupo Holy Name branch, ably expressed the thanks of members to the visitors, and the rally ended with the singing of “Faith of Our Fathers.” During the evening entertainment was provided by Mr J. Fitzpatrick (songs), Messrs Rici and Parvey, of Hamilton (vocal duets), and Mr Robinson (conjuring).