BISHOP REDWOOD AT MEANEE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 98, 13 March 1875, Page 8

BISHOP REDWOOD AT MEANEE.

++ TnE Eight Rev. Dr. Redwood, Catholic Bishop of "Wellington, proceeded to Meanee yesterday morning ii a carriage and four accompanied by the Very Eev. Father Forest, and the Key. Father Carew. On arrival at the Mission Station, his Lordship was met by the Rev. Father Reignier and a large concourse o£ people. The children were formed into a procession, carrying banners, and the ladies and gentlemen present lined both sides of the pathway leading from the road to the Church. While proceeding between the ranks thus formed, his Lordship bestowed the episcopal blessing. Having reached the door of the sacred edifice, R. D.CManey, Esq., M.P.C., read the following address : — To the Rig7it~_Rev. Dr. Redivood, Bishop of Wellington. May it please your Lordship — We, the undersigned, Catholics of the Meanee and Taradale districts, on behalf of ourselves and other members of the congregation, beg to offer o>r sincere congratulation to your Lordship upon this your first visit to our parish, and to express our sincere thanks to you for the honor you have done us in thus affording so early an opportunity of expressing our attachment and devotion to your Lordship and to our Holy Father the Pope. We beg to assure your Lordship of our deep sense of gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff for his wise selection in thus giving us yourself as our chic? pastor, and to assure your Lordship of our heartfelt sympathy with him in his present trials, and our admiration and esteem of lv's patient endurance. We beg to express our sincere thanks for the indefatigable and untiring efforts of the Rev. Father Reignier and others connected with the Mission, and to take this opportunity of acknowledging how ni' eh weowe them for their solicitude and zeal in the cause of education and Jour spiritual welfare. My Lord, we bog to assure yoiu* Lordship that it will ever be a pleasure to us to aid in all good works in which yon may be plea&ed

to continue or initiate in this part of the diocese, and among them we hope it may be possible to make arrangements for the higher education of the Catholic 'youth of the district, in connection with the college at Meanee. In conclusion, wishing your Lordship may, with God's blessing, long be spared to us, we humbly solicit your episcopal blessing. [Signatures.] On the conclusion of the address, his Lordship thanked Mr Maney, as the representative of the congregation, and stated that he would reply from the pulpit. Dr. Redwood then entered the Church, and was presented by the Rev. Father Reignier with an address from the Catholic clergy of the Meanee district : — The Might Rev. Dr. Redtvood, Lord Bishop of Wellington. May it please Your Lordship,— With feelings of the most profound respect and veneration, we 3ongratulate your Lordship on your elevation to the Episcopal dignity, and welcome you to St. Mary's Mission Meanee. ' Doubtless it will be a source of satsifaction'to your Lordship to see and hear what progress our holy religion has made in this district. Not sixteen years ago all this district was a complete wilderness, inhabited by a few natives, and still fewer Catholics. Neither Church or school was to be seen. As the Christian education of our yoiith is a subject alluded to in your Lordship's letter, we will be thankful for your advice and direction on that all-important topic. With reference to the Native portion of this district and the province at large, your Lordship will kindly interest yourself on their behalf to promote their spiritual welfare. Uniting with your Lordship in our best wishes for the welfare of [ His Holiness the Pope, and the prosperity of our Holy Mother the Church, We remain, Your Lordship's most respectful and obedient children, E. Reigwier. High Mass was then celebrated, and his Lordship delivered a most impressive and eloquent sermon taking occasion to reply to the addresses ho received first from the laity, and secondly from the I clergy. In. thanking the laity for their expression of welcome to himself, he assured them of the satisfaction and pleasure it afforded him to receive such testimony of good will and affection towards His Holiness. He was also pleased at the evidence of the desire of the laity to aid in the cause of education, and of their appreciation of the past efforts of the clergy. His Lordship then most affectionately replied in a most suitable manner to the address of the clergy. In the afternoon, Dr. Redwood visited the schools in connection with the Mission Station, expressing himself well pleased with all he saw. In the evening his Lordship attended Vespers, and after again preaching a most impressive sermon Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given. His Lordship then returned to Napier. Bishop Redwood proceeded by train to-day to Paki paki to meet the natives of that settlement. We understand his Lordship has" expressed much regret at being unable, through press of timo, to visit Waipawa.— 'Daily Telegraph.'