OPENING OF THE BLENHEIM H A.C.B.S.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 149, 10 March 1876, Page 12

OPENING OF THE BLENHEIM H A.C.B.S.

+4 To the Editor of the New Zealand TABLtT,

Sir, — I send you a summary account of the proceedings at the establishment of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, which took place on Tuesday, the 15th February, at Blenheim. We might be considered here like the laborers who went to work in the vineyard of the Lord only at the eleventh hour, but the energetic good-will with which the members of the intended Branch commenced their labors shows plainly that they intend to regain the time lost. The Branch was for some time past in contemplation, but insurmountable difficulties seemed to be in the way, yet they all vanished, as they were met properly. The preliminary arrangements being- carried out according to the kindly advice of the Nelson Branch, the Dispensation having been obtained from the Executive Directory, the intended members met together in the girls' school for the opening of the new Branch, ■which was placed under the patronage of St. Patrick. His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Redwood, being on his way to Kaikoura, •was pleased to honor the ceremony with his presence. The Rev. Father Garin, of Nelson, the Rev. Father Sauzeau and others were present. Mr. C. E. Bunny having been delegated for the occasion performed his duty in a very creditable manner. A short prayer was offered up to Almighty God asking His blessing on the undertaking, and the dispensation having been read the delegated officer proceeded to initiate with great solemnity about twenty-five memLers. This being done, he proceeded to the nomination and installation of the officers of the new Branch. Bro. G. Houldsworth was elected President ; Bro. J. Morrisson, vice-President ; Bro. J. Ward, jun., Secretary, Bro. E. G.Walsh, Treasurer; Bro. Desmond, Warden ; Bro. W. Morrisson, Guardian ; Bros. Thomas and Charles Redwood ■were elected Trustees. Every officer was then vested in the regalia

appertaining to his office, through the very kind attention of the Nelson Branch, which had lent their regalia for the occasion. Bro. Houldsworth took the chair and thanked the members in a few words for the honor they had conferred upon him, and mentioned a few of the advantages with which they would be blessed by the establishment of the Hibernian Society in Blenheim, if everyone would do his best to discharge faithfully hia duties, either as officer or member ; he also expressed, in the name of the Saint Patrick's Branch, Blenheim, how grateful he felt to the Nelson Branch forkindly sending their rich regalia which greatly added to the solemnity of the opening. After the recital of the Angelus the first part of the programme terminated. When the members and their numerous guests had inhaled with delight for hah* an hour the delicious fresh breeze of the evening of a very hot day, they repaired to the boys' schoolroom to the dinner which did credit to their host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, of the South Star Hotel. The room was gorgeously decorated with evergreens and flowers, and flags of all nations, and * most prominent of all was a beautiful large Irish harp in evergreen by a devoted son of the Emerald Isle. After full justice had been done to the delicacies with which the tables were covered, our worthy President called the attention of all to the toast which was about to be given. His Lordship the Right Eev. Dr. Redwood then rose to propose the health of his Holiness the Pope. In beautiful and fervid language he represented to us Pius IX. as the Vicar of Christ, the supreme and infallible head of the Church, the greatest personification of truth upon earth. " The Holy Father's reign," added his Lordship, " has surpassed that of all his predecessors in the number of years, and has equalled, if not excelled, in glorious deeds the most eminent of them. No one can look at that majestic, calm and serene countenance, in the midst of so many robberies, persecutions, and trials of all sorts, without admiration. Pius IX., although very much advanced in years, stands as a rock against all the false and pernicious doctrines of the day, and he has fearlessly condemned them all in his famous syllabus." His Lordship then exhorted all there present to drink the health of the Holy Father with filial and loving affection, which was responded to with the greatest enthusiasm. The President next proposed Her Majesty the Queen. It was a purely Catholic gathering, and therefore the Pope's health had been drunk first, as Supreme head of the Church, and as their Spiritual Father, in which there was no derogation of the respect due by us as loyal subjects to the Queen, who has reigned so long and gloriously over the British empire. The Governor of Malta, though not himself a Catholic, proposed the Pope's health a few months ago in glowing terms of respect and admiration ; and also* the same toast was proposed at Salford in the presence of the Mayor and other dignitaries of the corporation, and no one thought it an affront to Her Most Gracious Majesty. The health of the Queen was then drunk with due honor. Mb. C. Redwood proposed the Governor of New Zealand, representing his Excellency as a perfect gentleman, possessing with noble birth, high culture and attainments, and also great amenities of social manners, which had endeared him to the people of New Zealand. The toast was responded to with applause. The Rev. Father Sauzeau then proposed the health of the Right Rev. Dr. Redwood. The rev. gentleman said the success of the opening of the St. Patrick's Branch was mainly owing to the presence of his Lordship — (loud cheers). He hoped that the society established under such favorable auspices would progress rapidly and become a large tree, where many members of the congregation would find shelter, help and comfort. One thing that endeared his Loidship to them in a special manner was that he was almost a son of their adopted country. The worthy representative amongst us of our glorious and beloved Holy Father the Pope. His Lordship had only been a few months iv New Zealand, and he had already won golden opinions by his zeal, his high culture, and his eloquence, and everyone would agree in drinking to the health, long life, and prosperity of our beloved Bishop. Amid great cheering the toast was fully honored. His Loedship answered in appropriate terms, and thanked everyone for having responded to the toast with so much good feeling* — it spoke well for the good understanding between pastor and people^ The Rev. Father Garin proposed the Society, coupled with the name of Mr. Bunny. This Society, highly commended by the Episcopate and clergy, filled a gap long felt among Catholics. It conferred advantages upon the members both spiritually and temporally, although some persons would represent it as a secret society, not understanding that such societies are condemned by the Catholic Church, and he strongly advised all who could do so to join the Society as soon as possible. Union gives strength and power — the drops of rain form the rivulets— the streams beconi^ mighty rivers, and altogether they compose the vast ocean. And as for Mr. Bunny, he had been most zealous and energetic in opening the Nelson Branch, in carrying out the rules of the Society, and in promoting its success, so he had much pleasure in asking them to drink success to the Society and health to Mr. C. E. Bunny. Mr. Bunny returned thanks for the very kind manner in which his health had been proposed by the Rev. Father Garin, and responded to by the assembly, and added that the little he had done had been performed with the firm conviction that he was working in a very good cause ; for the Hibernian Society was not, as some might judge by its name, a purely national institution, but a really Catholic one, and was intended to promote the spiritual and temporal welfare of all the members of the Catholic Church no matter from what country or clime they come. It was called Hibernian because founded by Irish Catholics and approved first by the Irish Hierarchy, and because the bulk of Catholics in these colonies were from Ireland. Mr. Bunny then proposed the Blenheim Branch. He had much pleasure in finding himself among so many acquaintances, who had welcomed him in a truly charitable and friendly i manner. He congratulated the new members on their spirit and

energy, and said a Branch opened under such good auspices could not but succeed and prosper. He had much pleasure in calling on them to drink prosperity and success to the Blenheim Branch. Mr. J. Mokeisson x*eturned thanks fox the kind words and good wishes of Mr. Bunny, and for the enthusiastic manner in which the toast had been received by the company. Bro. T. Redwood proposed the Clergy, coupled with the name of the Rev. Father Garin, who had been the pioneer of this station for many years ; he had come from Nelson to visit the few Catholics of the province who were scattered in all directions. He there went through very many hardships and privations as the roads were few and rough, the stages long, and the comforts of life only in their infancy. The reverend gentleman had made himself the friend and father of all by the kind advice and encouragement he gave to everyone without distinction. It was therefore a pleasing duty to call upon them to respond to the toast — the Rev. Father Garin and the Clergy, — which was done amid great cheering. The Rev. Father Garin returned thanks for the very kind " manner in which they had drunk the health of the clergy, and his own in a special manner. Ho thanked them particularly on behalf of Father O'Reilly, who had upon one occasion come over here from Wellington, and thus was the first priest who had set his foot upon this land. It was after him that he (Father G-arin) came to pay an annual visit to the Catholics of this place. He had, indeed, to travel through a rough country, and this very spot which is now called Blenheim, but which in those days was named the Beaver, had not a single house upon it. if there was any hardship in the journey the people whom he visited, Protestant as well as Catholic, in every direction, rendered it so light and agreeable by the cordial hospitality they gave him, that it was not only a pleasure for him, but in many cases a treat to be amongst them ; if he recorded this it was in order to have| an opportunity of thanking the people of this province at large, and particulai-ly Mr. Ward, who. introduced him to the ICatholics of the Wairau, for the kindness he had received from them. He thanked them on behalf of Father Tresallet, who, after him, had paid visits to this place, and also on behalf of Father Sauzeau and Father Pezant. Father Sauzeau was the first priest who came to settle in Blenheim, where he established the Catholic Station ; he was still laboring hard and displaying great zeal and energy amongst them — travelling through thick and thin, not only once a year but all the year round. As for Father Pezant, there was not perhaps a priest in New Zealand who could travel on foot as he did, being supported not so much by bodily constitution as by his remarkable self-denial and his ardent zeal for the salvation of souls. In conclusion he once more thanked Mr. Redwood for the toast he had proposed to the clergy and to himself ; he thanked also the laity for their kind co-operation in the labors of the clergy, and expressed his confidence that as long as the laity and the clergy would work together they would work wonders. Bro. J. Ward, jun., proposed the health of the Rev. Father Sauzeau. The Rev. Father Garin had been specking of what had been done in the past, he was happy to speak of what was being done in the present among them and for them by Father Sauzeau. He would not undertake to mention all the good qualities of their beloved pastor, else he would have to go through a list as long as a Litany, he thought it was quite suliicient for him to call upon them to drink that pastor's health to ensure a response that would show their gratitude and the union that exists between pastor and people (great cheering and applause.) The Rev. Father arose and said : Bro. President, my lord, and gentlemen, — I thank you very much for the very kind manner in which you have drunk my health. lam rather afraid Mr. Ward has praised me beyond what I deserve, yet I am glad to see the good feeling of the congregation in regard to their pastor, and it will be an encouragement to me in future. The rev. gentleman also profited by the occasion to thank Mr. Ward for what he had done in assisting him when he came first to the place, and added that if anything had been done hero he should not be justified in attributing it all to himself ; he had always received assistance, kindness and good-will from everyone. So working in such a fei'tile field no wonder if the harvest had been pretty good. I must not forget to mention that the programme was varied occasionally by songs, contributed by Messrs. Eccles and Grimstone, and Bros. J. Morrisson, J. Ward, jun., and C. Leary, which added to the general good humour, and were loudly applauded. Several other toasts were duly honored, especially the health of the ladies, proposed by Mr. Eccles in an able and quite enthusiastic speech, which was received with great acclamation and for which Bro. Joseph Ward, jun., returned thanks in an appropriate manner, after which a very pleasant gathering terminated in high goodhumor, everyone no doubt returning home well satisfied with the coming's entertainment, looking forward with pleasurable anticipation to the future gatherings of the Society and its friends in Blenheim. — Yours, ie, A Member.