LENTEN PASTORAL, 1879.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 304, 14 February 1879, Page 14

LENTEN PASTORAL, 1879.

PATRICK, BY THE GRACE OF GOD AND FAVOUR OF THE HOLY SEE, BISHOP OF DUNEDIN AND APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF AUCKLAND. TO THE CLERGY AND LAITY OF SAID DIOCESES HEALTH AND BENEDICTION. Dearly Beloved Brethren, The Holy Season of Lent begins this year on the 26th February, A.sh Wednesday, and ends on the 13th April, Easter Sunday. At the

end of this Pastoral you will find a Schedule of Regulations for the fast and abstinence of this penitential time, which we have made in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy Sec, and after duly considering the circumstances of these Dioceses. The essence of the fast of Lent primarily consists in abstinence from flesh meat. This species of food was given to man by God, out of condescension to his weakness, and not as one absolutely essential for the maintenance of life. Hence, whilst in many countries the use of eggs, milk-meats, and even of dripping and lard is permitted, abstinence from flesh-meat is everywhere insisted on as essential to fasting. We call attention to this, for the purpose of exhorting all to bear in miod that if they are really desirous of spending their time during Lent as Christians ought, they will to the utmost of their ability abstain from the use of flesh-meat, according to the regulations^ of this Pastoral. ™ No doubt it is sometimes found to be extremely difficult to find, particularly in country places, suitable fasting fare ; and people, particularly men who are obliged to work hard, are not unfrequently unpleasantly situated. The Church is not unreasonable, and does not impose an obligation of abstaining from flesh-meat when no other species of food can be obtained. But she expects that everything than can reasonably be done, will be done to comply with a law of Christianity, which dates from the days of the Apostles, has been always and everywhere observed by the faithful, and which is so necessary in order that men may satisfy for their sins, conquer their passions, and acquire virtues. To fasting should be joined prayer, alms deeds, and other goad works. Such is and ever has been the practice and teaching of the Church. We earnestly exhort you, then, to attend assiduously at the exercises of piety and devotion which will be held in the various churches, and to contribute according to your means to aid all good works recommended to your charity. In particular, in addition to those of a local character, of which you have never been neglectful, we must remind you again of the claims of Our Holy Father the Pope, on your charity. Anel we may go further, and say what is really the fact, that His Holiness has a claim in justice on us all. In justice and charity we are bound to help to maintain Him in independence in the .administration of the affairs of the Universal Church. When called upon, therefore, you will, we feel assured, respond generously to the appeal that will be made for Peter's pence. There is also another object to which we ask your special attention. In order to provide a sufficient number of priests to meet the wants of this Diocese, it is necessary to aid candidates for the Ministry during their college course, to pay the expenses of their journey from Europe to New Zealand, and to provide them an outfit. Iv order that the Bishop may have at his disposal a fund for these purposes, an annual collection will be made in all the churches aud chapels of this Diocese. th 3 proceeds of which will be forwarded to the Bishop and placed to the credit of a Fund to be called " The Seminary Fund." The amount collected for this Fund in any one year will be acknowledged in the Lenten Pastoral of the following year ; as also the balance that may remain after all necessary expenditure for the purposes indicated above. Having spoken and written so frequently and distinctly on the Education question, it is not now necessary for us to write many words on the subject. Yeu know your duty in this matter, and we are happy to be able to testify that you have bravely and nobly done it. It only remains for us, then, to exhort you to persevere and to be prepared to make, in the future, if necessary, even greater sacrifices than you have hitherto made. The faith of your children, your own salvation, are at stake. Secularism is determined, if you permit it, to destroy Christianity, make men forget or ignore God and their own eternal destiny. Its object is the unchristianising of the world, and the le-introduction of Paganism. Be not deceived Ly the sophistry and hypocritical professions of its advocates. We are bound to be Cbrisi'ians and Catholics above and before all other things;" and we should never forget the words of our Divine Redeemer, " He that is not wi£b me is against me." All Government schools in these dioceses are godless anel hostile to the Catholic Church. Catholics cannot frequent them without exposing themselves to grievous dangers to their faith and morals. Of these schools, theiefore, Catholics cannot avail themselves, except in cases of -very great necessity, and when — such necessity being supposed — every possible precaution is taken to warel off all dangers to faith and morals. Parents and guardians shoulel bear in mind that they are responsible for the children under their charge, and often i eflect oti these words of the Apostle: "He that neglects his own, particularly those of his own household, has lost the faith and has 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 Catholic 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. 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 anel one Shepherd " (John xv. 1G), Priiy 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. MORAtf. Given at Dunedin, Feast of St. Agatha, 1879.

The following are the regulations for Lont, 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 Wednesdays of Lent and Good Friday. 3rd. White maats— such as butter, milk, cheese, and eggs, are allowed on all days at dinner, with the exception of f Ash. Wednesday and the Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week, on which three days the ancient discipline ©f the Church is to be observed in all its rigor. •tth. Fish and Flesh arc 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 arc bound to fast and abstain— unless excused by the state of their health or the nature of their employments — according to the regulations stilted 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 lisa 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 aud abstinence. All who have arrived at the years of discretion are bound to go to communion within Easter time, which, in this Diocese, commences on Ash Wednesday 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 churches and chapels.