CATHOLIC CEREMONIES AT WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 47, 21 March 1884, Page 17

CATHOLIC CEREMONIES AT WELLINGTON.

( Continued, from. Supplement.')

Church than they have been for half a century, others will be more hopelessly godless than heretofore and a greater pest to society. The effort, then, to destroy or weaken the influence of the Christian religion, whilst recoiling on the heads of the conspirators, has only tended to strengthen this influence. No doubt the double tax practically imposed on Catholics because they are conscientious is a grievous injustice. Nevertheless, they have reason to rejoice and exclaim, O, felix injvstitia, O, happy injustice that has spurred us on to make the sacrifices we have made in the cause of truly Christian schools. Nor are Catholics growing lukewarm in this great cause ; time does not diminish their fervour or cool their courage. The history of the day proves this, and your presence on this occasion to take part in laying the foundation stone of St. Patrick's College confirms that proof. I shall say no more, nor shall I ask you to honour this foundation stone by laying large contributions on it, for I feel convinced you have already made up your minds to do so. The Right Rev. Dr. Luck, 0.5.8., Bishop of Auckland, was then introduced by Bishop Redwood. He said : That after the eloquent and exhaustive discourse of the Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, it was not his intention to detain them at any length. He could not, however, but advert to the great significance of the event which had gathered together such a vast throng of people to give expression to their goodwill and interest in the future College of which the foundation stone had just been laid. This event was a most important step forward in the march of Catholicity in New Zealand, the results of which could not be foreseen, but would doubtless play a prominent part in its history. It was the first occasion in which the Catholic Episcopacy of New Zealand had united to take part in an educational function, and it was a worthy occasion, evincing the unanimity and heartiness of their sympathy with and estimation of so great a work, fraught as it was with such practical results in the interest of higher Catholic education. He could not, therefore, refrain from in the warmest manner his own most cordial sympathy and interest in the proceedings, and whilst endorsing the sentiments so ably expressed by the Bishop of the diocese, he wished to congratulate him, his zealous clergy, and the Catholics of Wellington generally, and, inindeed, of the whole Colony, on the great work which hadjbeen so happily inaugurated. There were many there present not united with them by faith, but who were at least one with them in heart and good-will, and in their appreciation of the value of Christian education as in contra-distinction to the godless system actually in force in this Colony. There were numbers there who regarded the Catholic body with feelings of admiration at the manner in which they^ co-operated with their bishops and priests in making great sacrifices in the face of great difficulties for the sake of conscientious principles, and he was sure that this great undertaking of providing a college for the higher education of youth, was one that commanded their best wishes and sincere interest. Whilst he felt himself both pleased and honoured to.take part in this imposing ceremony, he was glad also to avail himself of so fitting an occasion to congratulate the Catholics of the diocese of Wellington on being the fortunate possessors of what, under Almighty God, had been the source and cause of their great religious prosperity. — He alluded to the presence of the Marist Fathers in their midst. Their esteemed and beloved Bishop was himself a Marist, and the zeal and self-sacrifice which had always marked the career of this admirable Order, and which had borne such prolific fruits in the diocese, were also a sure guarantee of the complete success of the future college, both as regards its religious tone and its scientific attainments. He (the speaker), as a member of the great Order of St. Benedict, felt much gratification in seeing his own illustrious Benedictine family represented and testifying its interest in the great work of education so generously and ably taken up in Now Zealand under the auspices of the Marist congregation. In conclusion, he called upon the vast concourse before him, not only the Catholics, but also the non-Catbolics, to prove their genuine appreciation of the cause of Christian education by the generosity of their contributions. He wished all success to St. Patrick's College. The Bishop of Wellington then called upon all those present to aid in the good cause by contributing liberally. An interval being allowed for that purpose, His Lordship's appeal was most generously responded to. The Band in the meantime played appropriate music. After the collection the vast audience quietly dispersed. At 7 p.m. solemn Pontifical Vespers were celebrated in St. Mary's Cathedral, followed by Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The congregation was larger on this occasion than it had been in the morning ; so large, in fact, that the procession had to be abandoned in consequence of the crowd standing by the doors. The music, which was supplied by the same choir and orchestra as in the morning, was universally admitted to be sublime. Rossi's " Magnificat," "If with all your hearts" (Elijah), Murphy's " Tantum Ergo," and Mendelssohn's "War March,"— all masterpieces of musical genius, were brilliantly rendered, and the whole service was the most complete and impressive ever heard in Wellington. The altar had been specially adorned bj Mr. Brogan for the occasion, and presented a perfect picture of simplicity and chaste elegance. Candles were arranged on either side in the shape of a harp, and the whole, decorated with nature's ornaments — flowers,— contributed fitly to the celebration of so grand a ceremony. Thus it will be seen that the whole of the ceremonies passed off with great eclat; and it may be taken as an indubitable omen of the successful future of the College of Bt. Patrick that, favored by the brightest of weather, an immense attendance, and a great and substantial recognition of the importance of the occasion, the cervices to the glory of God were very largely productive of edification and interest. The total amount collected during the day was over £1200 and the attendance at the laying of the foundation stone was between 6000 and 7000 people.

After Vespers, a sermon was preached by the Right Rev. the Bishop of Auckland. He took for his text the words of St. Luke, " Jesus went down to Nazareth, and was subject to them." The interest of the day was concentred in the event in which they had taken part that afternoon, and also in the celebration of the great festival so dear to all Irish hearts throughout the world—the feast of the glorious St. Patrick. After the eloquent panegyric of St. Patrick delivered from that pulpit in the morning by the revered Prelate of Dunedin, and the erudite and glowing discourse of their own beloved bishop on the site of the aew college, he felt a certain reluctance at complying with bis Lordship's request in addressing his audience this evening. However, lie would endeavour to supplement, by a few simple remarks/the great event of the day which had proved so eminently successful. The reason of his selecting these words of the Gospel as bis theme -was because they enounce the realisation^ a vital principle of Christianity. It was the principle which in reality was the key to the proceedings of the day—the basis of that Christian education for which they had made up their minds to struggle— the explanation and sufficient reason of all Catholic feeling and action. That principle was the subjection of the creature to the Creator, a subjection and. subordination which must necessarily underlie the life of the Christian and pervade every aspiration, every pursuit in life. This principle of subjection of the inferior to the superior is potent in all of God's own creatures in which we see the work of His band subject to the laws He Himself had framed. With roan, however—the noblest of His works, — the case is different— the subjection which is demanded of him has to be voluntary and dependent on his free-will. But as from the beginning of the world man's liberty was abased — and the rebellious non serviani of Pharaoh has been re-echoed at all times and in every sphere in which this subjection is due, as in our own times it is the pass-word of those who deny or ignore the subordination of Reason to Faith, oE Science to Religion, ot what is temporal to what is eternal. The Most) Rev. preacher developed this train of thought and showed how this principle received a marvellous illustration in the subjection and obedience of Jesus to Mary and Joseph and how also, it; was the loyal and Catholic upholding of this principle in the great question of education that had led to the realisation of the effort they had that day inaugurated and so successfully begun. If others choose, by the abuse of God's own greatest gift, their freewill— to shake off their allegiance to their Maker, they will have it their own way for the few days of their mortal existence, only to open their eyes and see their rash folly under the eternal vengeance of an angry God. He exhorted them to persevering efforts to accomplish the work so well begun— a work which would render that day memorable in the annals of the diocese. He concluded an eloquent discourse, which was listened to with the greatest interest, by a crowded audience, with a well-timed and deserved enlogium of the works and labours undertaken in the service of the Church in New Zealand by the Marist Fathers. It was, he said, an evil day for his own diocese of Auckland, where the traces of their zeal are still to be found in abundance, when the Marist Fathers withdrew from the first scene of their labours to concentre their efforts and zeal within the diocese of Wellington. He bore willing and eloquent testimony to the gratitude that is their due from, the faithful whose spiritual interests they serve so well, and with a graceful compliment to the estimable and amiable prelate who reflects such honour on the congregation of the Marist Fathers, he concluded his sermon with an earnest exhortation to the faithful to support their Bishop and clergy in the arduous task they had undertaken of founding a college which was to be for the substantial and permanent benefit of their own children and their posterity.