LENTEN PASTORAL FOR 1874.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 43, 21 February 1874, Page 7

LENTEN PASTORAL FOR 1874.

Patrick, by the Grace of God and Favor of the Holt? See, Bishop of Dunedin and Administrator of Wellington. To the Clergy and Laity- of said Diocese, Health in the Lord and Benediction. Deably Beloved Bbetheen, — The Holy Season of Lent begins this year on the 18th February, Ash Wednesday, and ends on the sth April, Easter Sunday. At the end of this Pastoral you will find a schedule of the 'regulations for the fast and abstinence of this penitential time, which we have made in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy See, and after duly considering the circumstances of these two Dioceses. On previous occasions we called your attention to the allimportant question of education, and urged on you the necessity of providing Catholic schools for Catholic children. It is consoling and encouraging to be able to -bear witness to tho docility and zeal with which you have responded to this call. Although comparatively few and poor, you have established and maintained many excellent schools for both Sexes, and, in most places, at your tfwn sole expense. But though much has been done, the work, it may with truth be said, has only commenced. Nothing like adequate provision for even the most elementary education of our children has yet been made. Renewed exertions, therefore, will be demanded of all ; and the faithful of these Dioceses will have to prepare themselves for great sacrifices, in order to hand down to their children the faith onoe delivered to the saints, and without which "it is impossible to please God." — : Heb. xi. v 6.

You must trust in God and your own exertions alone ; from the Governments — Provincial and General — you can expect nothing. In some of thesmaller provinces, an attempt is made to do justice to Catholics, and to give {them some share of the taxes they pay for the maintenance of schools, by granting us subsidies in a few instances. But in the larger, such as Otago and Canterbury, the Governments refuse us all aid. It must be said, however, that everywhere the system of education supported by the State throughout this colony is anti-Catholic. So far as we are concerned, all Government schools in these Diocese; are Godless and hostile to the Catholic church. Catholics cannot frequent them ■without exposing themselves to grievous dangers to their faith and morals. Of these schools, therefore, Catholics cannot avail themselves except in cases of very great necessity, and when — such necessity being supposed — every possible precaution is taken to ward ofE all dangers to faith and morals. Parents and guardians should bear in mind that they are responsible for the children under their Tcharge, and often reflect on these words of the Apostle : " He that neglects "his own, particularly those of his own household, has lost the faith, and is become worse than an infidel ;" and again on these words of our Divine Master : " What will it avail a man to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul ?" We, therefore, most earnestly exhort all to exert themselves to establish and maintain efficient Catholic schools wherever it is possible to do so ; and we call upon the clergy— who, indeed, have not been wanting in this matter — to exert themselves with the greatest zeal and perseverance in the great cause of Catholic education. Nothing but such an education can save the rising generation from the baneful influence of the infidel systems of education so characteristic of this century, and so fashionable in this colony. Our Holy Father is still a prisoner in the Yaticau,"a.d dependent on the alms of the faithful for the means of carrying on the Government of the Church. It is our duty to aid him in every way in our power. Whilst, therefore, we supplicate the Throne of Mercy in his behalf, let us be generous in our alms on next Good Friday. For we ordain that on this day — the Anniversary of the Crucifixion of our Divine Redeemer — a collection be made for His Holiness in all the missions of the two Dioceses. The amount thus collected is to be forwarded to us as soon possible for transmission to Home. You are aware that not only in Italy, where the work of the spoliation and plunder still progresses, but also in other lands, as in Germany and Switzerland, Catholics arc subjected to a fierce persecution on account of their faith. Our enemies in these countries have determined to uproot the Catholic faith, and utterly destroy the Catholic Church. For this purpose they have banished Catholic bishops and priests, closed Catholic schools, forbidden the education of priests, intruded suspended and immoral ecclesiastics in defiance of the sacred canons and the indignant remonstrance of the faithful, and seized on Catholic property. Nothing, almost, that wicked legislation and tyrannous adtninish'ation can do, has been left undone to break Up the Ministry of the Church and impede her action. Those who endure such terrible wrongs are our brethren, members with us of the one universal told — the mystic body of Christ. Let us give them our sympathy, and at least tho aid of our fervent and prc severing prayers. During this holy season pray for the conversion of sinners and unbelievers, pray that all may come to the knowledge of

the truth " that there may be one fold and one shepherd." (John x. v 16.) Pray also for our Holy Father, and the liberty and independence of the Church ; and that a merciful Providence may send us a sufficient number of good priests, and enable us to provide a Christian education for our children. " The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Thess., last verse.) f P. Moean. Given at Dunedin, Feast of St. Agnes, 1874. The following are the regulations for Lent, which we make in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy See : — Ist. We grant permission for the use of Flesh Meat at dinner only on all Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and also on all Saturdays, except one, that is the second Saturday, during Lent. 2nd. Lard and dripping may be used after the manner of butter, at dinner, on all days of fast and abstinence during Lent, and also throughout the year, with the exception of the first and last Wednesday* of Lent, and Good Friday. 3rd. White Meats — such as butter, milk, cheese and eggs, are allowed on all days at dinner, with the exception of Ash Wednesday and the Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week, on which three days the ancient discipline of the Church is to be observed in all its rigor. 4th. Fish and Flesh are not allowed at the same meal during Lent. There is neither fast nor abstinence on Sundays in Lent. All who have completed their 21st year are bound to fast and abstain — unless excused by the state of their health or the aature of their employments— according to the regulations stated above ; and all who have arrived at the use- of reason, though not bound to fast before the completion of their 21st year, are nevertheless bound to abstain from the use of flesh meat on the days appointed — unless exempted for a legitimate cause, of which the respective Pastors are to be the judges. Subject to the above regulations, every day, except Sunday in Lent, is a day of fast and abstinence. All who have arrived at the years of discretion are bound'to go- to communion within Easter time, which in these Dioceses Qonamences on the first Sunday in Lent and ends on the Octave of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The clergy are requested to read this Pastoral from the several altars as soon as possible, and to cause a copy of it to be placed, during Lent, in a conspicuous place in their respective ahui ch.es and chapels. f P. M.