BISHOP MORAN AT RIVERTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 502, 24 November 1882, Page 18

BISHOP MORAN AT RIVERTON.

S rK1 P K fc^ V - Dr : Moran ' Bisho » <* Dunedin,, arrived St 1 l«t °^ Fnday ■S9S 9 & m ß}* ad on B*to*toj> accompanied by our esteemed pastor, Fatter Thomas visited Oteutau, returning the same evening. Af*^??^*? B^*^ 11 " 1 ! churcb at'Kmton was the centre rlo I ? • to * Q e Catholics of Riverton and the surrounding district. Si M* - S « ta * tod on the sum^ifc of a hill, where a magnificent view is obtained of ocean, woodland, and fertile plains to the distant nonzon, where snow-capped mountains bound the view. His Lord, ship, assisted by Father Kehoe, celebrated .High Mass at 11 o'clock, »£^" 8 !? iT/ W lwd by toe choir from St. Mary's, luvercargill who kindly attended, and executed the music of the .Mass in a very able manner. The Bishop addressed the congregation, impressing ?h * hei . r ., minds t h fir parental duties to see to the religious education of their children both by precept and example. Scattered as the congregation were throagh.the country districts, it was absolutely necessary for them to attend to this all important duty. His Lordship delivered a very impressive sermon, which was attentively listened to by the congregation, amongst whom were many Protestants. addr •— "^ MaSS Mr# F * P * °' Beill 3r3 r "^ the following "M Lord — ° the M ° St ReV ' Dr * Moran ' Bisho P of D »nedin. "On behalf of your faithful and devoted children in this portion of your diocese, we hasten to welcome yoa on this your first visit I since your return from Rome ; and to tender you the expression of our most grateful thanks for having undertaken a long journey in the cause of our spiritual welfare, and to maintain that close and treasured union which binds us and the whole Catholic world to the See ot Saint Peter. " We welcome you as the representative of that spiritual government, which m peaceful order and just gradation descends from our holy Pontiff through the princes, bishops and clergy of the Universal Ofiurcn, whose gentle sway is felt by every race, and blessed in every language to the utmost ends of the earth. "We have seen the head of that Government, a sceptred monarch, seated on the throne before which Charlemagne bent his knee, a thousand years ago. You, my Lord, found the Vicar of Christ a prisoner in the Vatican ; you saw the sacred soil of Rome, which even Attila and his barbarians respected in the fifth century, desecrated by the infidels of the nineteenth. But we rejoice to know, my Lord, that you found Leo the Thirteenth animated by the same undaunted spirit which Leo the First displayed when armed with the cross alone he vanquished Attila and the Vandals— animated by the same Bpint as Pius VII., the prisoner of Napoleon, who, restored to his throne, saw the conqueror of Europe in the dust and bis empire passed away. * " We rejoice to see, my Lord, that you display the same spirit : #°^vu a r 8 , fraildulent force in the old world has in every age found faithful and fearless soldiers of Christ to oppose and to break it, such soldiers are not wanting in this new world ; and as we hope at no dißtant day to see the Supreme Pontiff restored to the patrimony of Baint Peter— the territories of which our holy Chnrch has been sacrilegiously despoiled, so my Lord we hope, under your guidance, to obtain the restitution of our civil rights. "We pray that the dangers created and fostered by godless systems of education will make the Christian world look in time to tbe foundations of Christian society, and that your Lordship may see the day when the Rock of Peter, now surrounded by turbulent men, and human passions, will be victorious over all the devices of the enemy, and rise aloft in the midst of a united and happy people. Imploring the Apostolic Benediction, we are, my Lord; your attached and obedient children." " Signed on behalf of the congregation." His Lordship, in reply, said he congratulated the congregation on the Catholic spirit and the ability displayed ia their beautiful and elegant address. He then dealt with the matters treated of in the address, giving a most interesting account of the present state of Italy He said that in that unfortunate country there was no money except paper, the smallest sums being represented by printed paper. The people were oppressed by a taxation of 50s. per head, which under the former Government had been 10s. per head. The rich, though very few, were growing richer, and the poor, which might be said to be the whole population, as there was no middle class, were growing poorer. The present reigning House of Savoy, which was a foreign an( * nofc ***■ Ita »an family, had nothing in its origin, history, traditions, or policy to recommend it to the Italian people ; it was opposed by five-sixths of the people, and was only supported by its officials, and only enabled to maintain, its position by tbe standing army " J . J , Pop ? was a P rißo ner in tbe Vatican, which was the most splendid palace in the world ; but he w&b still a prisoner like a bird m a gilded cage. He agreed with them in their expectation that the head of the Church would be restored to his throne, tbe powers of Europe would again, as they had before, find it necessary to their safety. The Church had from the earliest ages been persecuted, but such was in accordance with the divine prophecy, " They persecuted me and they will persecute you.'" He did not fear for the Churchthat was safe ; as our Divine Redeemer would be with it to the consummatiOH of the world. He was pleased to see the expression in their address approving of his course in the question of education. He had only endeavoured to do his duty ; there was no other course open to him but that which he had taken. Still, the expression of their approval would encourage him to greater exertions in the future. The above is a very short summary of some of the matters treated of by his Lordship in the course of his very interesting address, which was attentively listened to and appreciated by the congregation. In the evening there was Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, when the Bishop, who was assisted by Rev. Father Fitzgerald, of liXTercargiU, again preached,