CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 457, 13 January 1882, Page 13

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.)

January 9, 1882. lam extremely gratified at finding that the Duneproposed din Evening Star in a recent issue, commented on AOTI-cbceltt your article of December 23, " A Worthy Undersociety. taking," and expressed a strong opinion* that the time had now arrived when a society should be formed for the prevention of the gross cruelty to animals so terribly prevalent. Your contemporary seems to have somewhat misunderstood you, inasmuch as he concluded that you wished to limit the proposed society exclusively to Catholics ; but I feel sure that it will be a source of real pleasure to all the lovers of humanity and justice that the Star is so anxious to participate in this good work. There can be no doubt that a Cosmopolitan Society would occupy a position of far more influence and greatly extended power than would a purely Catholic organisation, and I venturs to hope that our contemporary's suggestion will be at once acted upon. It should be immafr rial whether the proposed society be started in Dunedin instead of Christchurch, provided always that branches be established in as many of th« leading towns and centres of population as practicable, and energetic efforts be made to enlist public sympathy with its objects. I cannot hope that my own experience is exceptionally unfortunate, and yet scarcely a week passes by without some shameful case of brutality coming under my notice. It is for this reason that I feel so anxious to use the strongest possible words of entreaty, and urge your readers (may I once more mention in particular the Catholic Literary Society?) to do tteir utmost that the present golden opportunity should not he lost, but that some decisive step be at once taken to lessen the terrible amount of wanton and unnecessary suffering inflicted on creatures given by God for man's use, but not his abuse. If Protestants are willing and anxious to start this good work, surely Catholics will not be found wanting.

Two very serious fires occurred almost simultaneBERIOUB fibes. ously last Friday night in Christchurch, the first

being in the top storey of the Union Bank of Australia, in Hereford street. The Fire Brigade were quickly on the spot, and worked most zealously until the flames were thoroughly extinguished. Great damage was done to the roof, the upstairs rooms, and the oeiling of the banking room, though the exact amount of injury is not yet ascertained. The iron safe containing the decuments was fortunately downstairs, and thus escaped, as also did Mr. Palmer's private residence adjoining. The insurances on the Bank amount to £7800, while the damage is probably about £2000. Business is being temporarily carried on in Messrs. Lewis and Gould's new buildings, in Worcester street, wheie the clerks are already at work. Of a more disastrous character was the fire in Mr. Reese's large sawmill and timber yard, situated in Lichfield street, which may be counted among the most destructive ones which have ever occurred in this city. Every one of the buildings was burnt, and nothing remains but charred timber and some machinery. A poor dog chained up in the yard, was slightly singed by the flames, but was rescued through the humanity of the bystanders, though the heat was most intense. Mr. Reese is unfortunately a great looser, for his insurances amount to only £2750, while his stock in the yard was valued at £4000, exclusive of machinery and plant, his business will also suffer through the temporary cessation of work. The Fire Brigade again rendered prompt and efficient aid, as did likewise the Fire Police. There was nothing specially remarkable about the THE con- devotions in the Church of the Most Blessed FIBMA.TION &c. Sacrament on the Feast of the Epiphany. The

parish priest preached a sermon suited to the occasion, on the text " Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? For we have seen bis star in the East, and are come to adore him " (St. Matt. 11., 2). His Lordship the Bishop of the Diocese arrived in Port at an early hour on Saturday morning, and took the first train to Christchurch, which place he reached in time to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Throughout Saturday immense numbers of penitents crowded the confessionals, and the work of the priests must have been most arduous and exhausting, as the parish priest remained in the confessional from 9 a.m. till between 10 and 11 p.m., with only two brief intervals, and the Rev. Father O'Donnell almost as long. In fact, had it not been for the accidental presence and kind assistance of the parish priest of Lyttelton it is difficult to say whether the resident priests would have finished their labours before midnight. During the evening the long continued drought gave place to torrents of rain, which came down all night, and (however grateful the farmers may have been) some apprehension was felt lest thoße about to be confirmed — many of whom lived at a considerable distance — should be seriously inconvenienced. However, though cold and stormy, Sunday was Dot altogether unfavourable, and at intervals the sun shone brightly. The church was very nicely decorated ; very lovely masses of roses, geraniums, carnations, kc, were placed on the altars, and the banners of the different confraternities established in the parish were scattered about the church. One or two of these, particularly that of the Guard of Honour of the Sacred Heart, and that of the Children of Mary, are exceedingly handsome. The Mass at 7 o'clock was said by the Bishop, and was very largely attended, all the adults who were to be confirmed receiving Holy Communion ; and at 8.30 the Mass of Confirmation, said by the Rev. Father Ginaty, was still more crowded. The parish priest could scarcely have been less than 20 minutes in giving Holy Communion, which was received by all the children about to be confirmed, as well as a large number of other persons. Immediately after the Holy Sacrifice was ended, bis Lordship the Bishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation ; first addressing the children on the nature of the Sacrament, the great gift they were about to receive, and the necessary dispositions with which they should approach it. He also exhorted them to pray for the good Sisters, the schoolmasters, and others who had taken so much care and trouble in preparing them. Above 200 were confirmed, including a large

number of adults, all of whom were, I believe, conrertß. The children were, as usual, neatly and suitably dressed, the girls in white dresses, wreaths and veils ; their reverent demeanour was most edifying, and I could not but notice the look of innocence and peace on their bright happy young faces, and the earnest, or rather c*grr f manner in which they repeated the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Hail Mary after the Bishop. I am informed that a very large number of the girls took the names of Philomena and Agnes, among the latter being, as might be expected, the Halsnell children, whose district is uuder the patronage of that glorious Baint. The favourite names with the boys w«re those of Joseph, Patrick, Thomas, and John. Owing to some mistake as to the hour four children from HaNwell were too late ; their poor mother., who had walked nearly all the eight miles between that place and Christchurcb, was in floods of tears at the disappointment. The Bishop, however, kindly confirmed them later on, and their joy and gratitude, as well as that of the mother, was a sight to witness. High Mass did not begin till nearly half past 11 o'clock (owing to the length of time occupied in the confirmation), when the Bishop ascended his throne, and assisted at Mass, which was sung by Father O'Donnell, and by his Lordship's wish, the sermon was omitted. At vespers the altar was more than usually beautiful with its wealth of flowers and blaze of lights, and on the predella were placed two magnificent standard fuchsias. The Rev. Father Walsh was present, in addition to the Rev, Fatheis Ginaty and ODnnnell, and the Bishop preached from the texl, " Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of tbiups that appear not " (Hebrews XL, I.) His Lordship pointed out the intent interest with which man could not but regard such questions as " Whence do I come ? " 41 Whither am I going 1 " •' What is my destiny ? and how shall I beßt fulfil that destiny .' >( Questions utter'y incapable of solution by even the greatest philosophers that ever lived. After defining faith as a supernatural virtue, whereby we believe the things revealed by God, who can neither be deceived, nor deceive us, the Bishop went on to combat the wave of infidelity, now, alas, spreading throughout the whole world, showing that faith was no degradation of human reason, the limits of which he poiuti d out. any more than the arts and appliances by which man aided his limbs and faculties were a degradation of those natural gifts. He instanced the folly of a man who, recognising the marvellous beauty of the structure and powers of the human eye, would yet indignantly reject as a degradation the use of the telescope, the microscope, the field glass <kc, by which many of the wonders of nature imperceptible to the naked eye, were made visible. His Lordship also spoke of the many inventions and tools by which the <l little hands " of man accomplished so many marvels in science and art ; and showed the inconsistency which recognised the use of all these aids, whilst denying the gift of Divine Faith which solved all the problems that human reason was powerless to grasp. I dare not venture on more than this sadly bare and fragmentary outline of the Bishop's grand sermon. Immediately before Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, his Lordship announced that during his recent visit to Rome, he had, at the request of the Eev. Father Ginaty, begged the Holy Father to give hia special blessing to the converts who hay« been received into the Church during the past five years, i.e., sines the arrival of the preseut parish priest. This request was at onco granted, and therefore, as the delegate of the Holy Father, he would proceed to give them the Pontifical Benediction. The Bishop then exhorted the converts to prepare themselves for the due reception of this signal favour, by making an act of contrition, and heartfelt gratitude. Many happy and thankful hearts, besides the converts, and those who received the Sacrament of Confirmation, will tenderly cherish the glad memories of this the second Sunday of the new year, 1882. I must not omit to add that the Bishop announced that the new church of St. Patrick's, Kaiapoi, will be opened next Sunday, the 15th inst. A special train will leave Christchurch at 10 a.m. for Kaiapoi, returning at 6 p.m. We Christchurch Catholics, whether able or not to be present on the auspicious occasion, will one and all share in the joy of our Kaiapoi friends in tbtf realisation of their wishes— the opening of their long-desired churcn. You have more than once recorded cures which MIBACULOUS have recently taken place through the intercession cubes. of our Blessed Lady either at Lourdes or at Knock, and I fee' quite t-ure that you and your readers will hear with delight of two cures of the same nature which have just lately happened in Cbrietchurch. I may state that my information is based on authority which it would be impossible either to deny or gainsay. The first case is that of a lady, a long-co;itinued sufferer, who, after receiving no benefit whatever from a numbar of doctors, and a variety of medicines, was restored to health after taking a email portion of the Knock cement in a little water. The other case is that of a sick person in great and immediate danger, all remedies having been ineffectual, but who was nevertheless cured by a few drops of the water from Lourdes. The relief was almost instantaneous ; next day the patient was iv a fair way of recovery, and is now quite well. Iv both cases, as may well be imagined, feelings of the warmest love and gratitude have been excited towards our most dear and blessed Mother, now, as ever, 6O truJy salus infirmorum and auxiliwn Christianorum.