MISSION BEGUN AT CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18888, 14 October 1929, Page 16

MISSION BEGUN AT CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL.

A mission led by the Redemptorist P'athers, Fathers Gill and Cahill, was begun at the Catholic Cathedral yesterday. and will be continued all this week. Yesterday there were large congregations at all services. An impressive ceremony began the mission. The missioners were met at the main entrance to tlie Cathedral by a procession, and were received with the prescribed ceremonial by his Lordship Bishop Brodie, assisted by the administrator, Dr Kennedy. The procession then re-formed and moved towards the sanctuary, whilst the choir rendered the Yenii Creator Spiritus. Bishop Brodie extended a welcome to the ’ Redemptorist Fathers on his own behalf and on behalf of the clergy of the parish. Missions were intended to supplement their ordinary ministrations, he said, and were more necessary than ever. He appealed to the parish to maintain the high standard set in the diocese at such times by their faithful attendance throughout. The congregation of the Most Iloly Redeemer as the one to which the Missionary Fathers belonged, had rendered since the days of their holy founder, Saint. Alphonsus, priceless services to religion through their missions in all countries.

At the end of the Mass. Father Gill delivered the inaugural sermon from the text, taken from the Epistle read yesterday: “Be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of His power. Put ye on the armour of God that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.” (Ephes. x., 17.) The preacher showed how appropriate to the mission they were beginning was the inspired passage read that day, which compared their religious life* to a \\;arfare in which they were engaged against insidious and powerful foes. The apostle in striking imagery compared spiritual weapons with the accoutrements of the soldier of his time. At the foundation of all right living was God’s revelation, preserved in the doctrinal and moral teaching of the Church. The object of the mission was to recall to their minds that teaching. The mission had one message for all, and it was a message

of comfort, peace and pardon. All needed a mission, wether they had remained faithful to their religious practices or had grown careless. To profit by the mission they must attend the whole series of exercises comprised in it. But most of all they must make the mission a time of prayer, for without God’s help their labours would be in vain. Father Gill preached again at the evening exercise. His subject was on eternal salvation, his text being: “ What doth it profit a man if he gained the whole world and suffered the loss of his own soul?”. The preacher related that the founder of their congregation, when dying, was visited by a. nephew who sought the saint’s advice. Saint Alphonsus contented himself with the simple words: “ Save thy soul.” lie would begin the mission, then, by urging on them with all the earnestness at his command to labour for the salvation of their souls. The issue involved was a tremendous one, the consequences of which were everlasting. There was danger of their losing sight of this salutary truth, or of not conforming their conduct to it. The duty of saving their souls was a personal one: no one could do it for them. They could not renounce eternal happiness without incurring eternal punishment. They were reminded that morning of the enemies that threatened the destruction of their souls. To meditate on the salvation of the soul would result in a transformation in the tives of those who were living at variance with the Christian standard. CHILDREN ADDRESSED. The Cathedral presented an animated appearance yesterday, afternoon when the children of the parish attended the final exercise of their mission. Father Cahill had been engaged since the previous Sunday with the young people who attended the Cathedral morning and afternoon. The missioner gave the children some parting words of advice and secured promises of fidelity to the practices of their religion. The mission exercises begin at 7.30 p.m. to-day.