BISHOP REDWOOD'S VISIT TO REEFTOWN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 102, 10 April 1875, Page 8

BISHOP REDWOOD'S VISIT TO REEFTOWN .

His Lobdship Bishop Eedwood arrived at Eeefton from Ahaura yesterday evening in Messrs. Gihner Brothers' coach. A number of gentlemen proceeded to Squaretown where they met his Lordship, and then escorted him to Eeefton, where he was met by a numerous procession with banners. Heavy rain was falling, whichinterfered with the effect. The procession proceeded to the chapel where His Lordship alighted, and amid the cheers of those assembled passed into the building where he was received by the Eev. Father Cummins. Mr. Patrick Brennan, as President of the Hibernian Society, presented His Lordship with an address of welcome, who after briefly thanking Mr. Brennan expressed his intention to reply to it from the altar. His Lordship, with crosier in hand, and enrobed in the vestments of his holy ofhce proceeded to the altar where the subjoined address was read and presented to him by the Eev. Father Cummins. The chapel was tastefully adorned, but it being Lent the devotional painting's were veiled. We noticed one veil of beautiful design and workman* ship, a gift to Father Cummins from Her Grace the Duchess of Norfolk. There were numerous handsome banners in the procession, used for the first time on bhe occasion. The Sacred Heart, which is the parochial banner, the banner bearing His Lordship's coat of arms, consisting of a red cross, with the motto Arbor decora ornata regis purpnra, a third with a pelican feeding her young with her heart's blood symbolical of our Saviour, with the scriptural text "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not." A fourth and fifth banners were in honor of St. Joseph and St. Mary, besides others. Address or the Pastoe and People op Eeefton, to the Most Eeyebend Db. Eedavood, Bishop op Weiiington. My Loud— We, the Pastor and People of Eeefton, having already unanimously hailed the first dawning of that auspicious day which brought your Lordship to this orphan diocese, and having already on that occasion conveyed with electric speed our greetings and best welcome, deem it our duty to come forward to-day in a more special and ostensible manner to give you, as the Irish have it, " a hundred thousand welcomes," or a genuine Cead Mille Failthe, to our district. We avail ourselves also of the opportunity which your presence affords us of testifying our esteem for your sacred character, our affection and devotedness towards you. as our Bishop, and our warm appreciation of the exalted virtues which those who know you better believe you already possessed of. May you equal, and far surpass their best imaginings and most glorious anticipations In days -of rationalism, despotism, and incredulity like ours, when might assumes the place of right, when corrupt literature penetrates through every vein, when Godless systems of education endanger our children, and strive to pervert our youth, at Buch a crisis in the history of God's Church, My Lord, it is a source of sincere gratification to us to learn that now, at least, we have a young and gifted Bishop, possessed of that energy of mind and body, so necessary for the 'efficient discharge of the sacred functions of the ruling of his high office. How ardently have we looked forward to your coming, what fervent vows were poured forth at the foot of Mary's Throne, that she might send us a prudent, just, determined, and gifted Bishop, and Mary is never invokecl in vain. Was it not the Immaculate Mother who watched over Your Lordship when the hidden designs of Providence carried you back, like our own loved Patrick" to the far off shores of France ? Was it not Mary, or her vanguard, that served as the guiding Btar, the burning bush, through which, as another Moses, you received the solemn call and mission. In fine, was it not Mary— Blessed Mary— who called yoii to that society she loves so much, where she watched over the delicate years of your boyhood, and from whence She now conducts you to this vast, and not uninteresting portion of Her" son's vineyard. Hail! then, privileged son of Mary; hail! Champion of the Sacred Heart's Devotion ! Hail and welcome thou chosen one of the Lord,* great field for zeal lies open before you ; hundreds of souls long lapsed into indifference await your paternal call, and the name of the Good Shepherd here beckons you on. And now, very dear Prelate and Father, (we love to call you by that name, for it brings back one who was to us a father, indeed — the saintly Bishop Viard, your much loved predecessor), our very dear Prelate and father, permit us to add that while we listened with increasing satisfaction to all good accounts given us of you, your mildness, your goodness, your zeal and ability, we have not remained insensible to the many toils — the almost insurmountable difficulties that await your Lordship here. Would that it were ours to lighten, or immediately remove them ; but, alas ! what can we in this newdistrict — crippled in its infancy — and now but crawling on for want [of help and sustenance. Ah ! it is not ours at present to bear any balm to our Father's heart (save that of first efforts in God's service), but we may do so later. We cannot come forward with temporal gifts, for at present we much want them ; we can only Bupply by prayer, and this we daily offer for your Lordship. We terminate in recalling to mind the voyage of your Lordship to the eternal city, your visit to our saintly Pontiff Pope Pius EL, and the impressions at that centre of light and unity. Our feeling* in his regard, and with reference to his sufferings, are but the echo of the Catholic world. His trials are our trials j he is our Father, the Church is our dear mother. We wish your Lordship every blessing, and recommending our> selves to your prayers, we ask your Paternal Benediction. Signed for the Clergy and people, Eet. Fathee Cr^tMiNS, S.M. . Patbick Beennan, Secretary of Catholic Committee. His Lordship, in replying to the addresses, stated that he was indeed proud of the enthusiastic reception accorded to him, and be could readily believe that the gathering would have been more numerotis but for the inclemency of the weather. He was partly prepared for the character of the reception, knowing that those whom he tai

•ddrewng almost exclusively belonged to the Irish race ; and he Inew aot where they BhQuld look for. enthusiasm unless in the breasts of irishmen. He was pleased to receive the address of the Hibernian Society, since he could claim them as brethren, being himself a member of the branch in- Wellington. He could/ therefore, speak of the Order with authority, and he must say that if its precepts were acted upon, those belonging it could not fail to be good members of society. It had above all the sanction and encouragement of the Church, and could not be classed with those secret societies which aimed at the •undermining and subversion of tho Catholic Church. Replying to the address of the pastor and flock, His Lordship said that he must congratulate them upon the advantages enjoyed in having so worthy a pastor as their spiritual guide. If they acted upon his admonitions they would act rightly. The address had referred to the crippled state of the parish, but on looking around him he was pleased to find evidences of the Church flourishing. The building was a better one than lie had expected to find. His Lordship then referred to his visit to Europe, and ths present position of His Holiness, who, he said, was morally a prisoner. He spoke of the policy of Prussia as determinedly hostile to the Catholic Church. There might was right, and all the influence of wealth and armed hosts, imprisonment, fines and banishment were being resorted to for the purpose of weakening the influence of the Church with the Catholic German population. But the Church would surely triumph. It was far from the wish of Hiß Holineßs to cause bloodshed among his faithful children. He concluded by admonishing them to be steadfast in their faith, and subsequently pronounce the benediction. — ' Herald.'