INSTALLATION OF THE SISTER OF MERCY AT BLENHEIM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 20, 11 September 1885, Page 21

INSTALLATION OF THE SISTER OF MERCY AT BLENHEIM.

(Marlborough Times, September Ist.)

Many priests were invited by the Rev. Father Lewis for the above occasion, but of the many invited the only one who came was the much esteemed and beloved V ry Rev. Fattier Sauzeau, S. M. His arrival with the nuns in Blenheim was looked upon as an event of great moment, and augured well for the solemn and imposing ceremonies of Sunday. Father Sauz^au is thoroughly well liked and appreciated by all classes and creeds. He spent many years among the Blenheimites, and was truly the founder of the Catholic station in days gone by. By his Chris ian acts he was a kind friend and benefactor to all denominations. He visited all, he benefited all, he assisted all. He comforted all by his wise counsels, and by his medical skill when necessity required. He was welcomed by poor as well as by rich, and found a home at every hearth. It may be truly said that he won the affections of his people. No wonder, therefore, that his presence in Blenheim was looked upon as a favourable omen of success. Always energetic and brave, undeterred by wind and weather, he instantly obeyed a call where his priestly functions demanded his administration. He crossed and swam rivers on his old horse, Barney, at the peril of his life. He was also a lovor of the beautiful and displayed a great taste and knowledge in the field of botany, as many testify to the prizes borne away by him: so that with his faithful old gardener (W. Bkellon), be has contributed largely towards making tha Catholic station what it now is. The Very Rev. Father Sauzeau had the great pleasure, on Sunday, of seeing many of his old friends flock around him, Catholic as well as non-Catholic. Rich and gorgeous golden vestments having been procured by the Rev. F. Lewis, P.P. of the station, the solemn and imposing ceremonies of the day were proceeded with. High Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m., by the Very Rev. Father Sauzeau, Deacon Rev. J. Lane, Sub-descon R^v. Father F. Lewis, P.P. The choir, with the assistance of several friends, under the direction of Mr. J. B. Gudgeon, rendered the music more elaborately and with better effect than has ever been given at the church before. The Kyrie, Credo, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei were taken from Weber in G. ; the Gloria from Mozart's 12th ; and th« Sane us from Haydn's Imperial. The solos were taken as follows :—: — Soprano, Misses Augustus and Walshe ; contralto, Misses Redwood and Hyan and Mrs. Joseph Ward, junior ; tenor, Messrs. Vavasour and J. P. Lucas ; bass, Mr. Gudgeon. Mrs. Canning was the organist. The Offertoire was the Adagio movement from Beethoven's Sonat*, finely played on the violin by Mr. Trevithick, with organ accompaniment. Immediately after the Gospel of the day a very beautiful and eloquent sermon was preached by the Very Rev. Fa h-T Sauzeau. He dwelt especially on the importance of a Cnristian educttion, and showed very clearly and ably from master minds of antiquity that the so-called secular and godless system of education nowa lays is not prop-rly education at all ; that you may educate in all the sciences and languages of the age if you will, but that this is not education — o lly instruction — that education embraced and meant the cultivation of the heart and head ; the development of the nobler faculties of the soul with the proper government and discipline of the pissions and affections of the heart ; that reason, enligh ened by knowledge and religion, should be our guide, and that Plato, Aristotle, Napuleo.i 1., Lord John Russell, Gladstone, Disraeli asserted that knowledge must be grafted in religion. He said the Sisters of Mercy have high reputation as a teaching body. They were ladies of culture and refinement, versad in all the accomplishments of the day, with a knowledge of music, paiuting, and modern languages. They had given complete satisfaction in Wellington even to non-C<« holies, and did not tamper with their religious creeds. They would visit the sick of all who wish to see them, and no doubt be a great blessing to the district. That parents can bequeath a rich legacy to their children in giving them a sound Christian education. He exhorted one and all to be generous in their subscriptions. A collection was made and realised over £100. After Mass a procession was formed and marched to the new Convent singing hymns until they arrived in the new grounds. The tiuas and priests having occupied the verandah two addresses were read to them, one from the girls and the other from the congregation by Mr. Ward, seur. Father Sauzeau replied on behalf of the nuns and spoke at some length, conveying to the people the great pleasure and satisfaction it gave the Sisters in coming to a locality in which they were received with such warm expressions of welcome. The Key. Father then proceeded to bless the Convent, and this ceremony brought the morning services to a close.

The following is the address from the congregation : —

"Dtar Rev. Mother and Sisters, — We, the Catholics of Marlborough, have come to wish you a most hearty welcome. Several years I have elapsed since we tried to secure your services for the instruction of our children, but the number of calls made upon your Order necesitated a few years delay ; these calls have been responded to, these y ars hive rolled away and our turn has come. Fhe privilege of having a branch of your Order established in Blenheim is one of the greatest vilue. We are well aware that your residence amongst us will be the means of conferring benefits of the highest kind not only on the young persons committed to your care but also upon the en'ire community. Notwithstanding our having look 'd forwa>d for \ e<iM with hope of your arnval, our last bteps have bueu made hastily, and we have not been able to provide t > the extent we wish for your reception. But please G id, before many years — having secured such valuable and extensive property for the palish aud raised our beautiful church to the worship of God — we shall be able to erect a suitable convent capable of affording accommodation for boarders and a large community of Sisters.

" It is needless to say that we shall indeed be glad to confide our children to your care. The number of your beautiful convents that

cuZeTJunn^M j? o ""^*".'^ world, the high intellectual culture, the unparalleled success in every branch of science lan t g h U e a r!T 8 '? ne 1 r H t9 ' aie K^ t9 that Bpeqk volumeß 'or tbemseT.es, bS cl 8 . Born e. thing which enhances all these and surpass*, all in our estimation v,z. the gentle blending of Christian virtues with the highest cultivation of natural talent. <, m JnT°T i 8 t? " ul7 a uObleu Oble work ' a work which implies a great amount of patience, abnegation and za*!, wihout any hon^of earthly reward except that which the conscientious, discharge of £r, CUreß ,;/K m °f thanktu!ly entrust to your care-not our S I7Sl 7S ■ th ! K minds - the h « ar ts, and the souls of our children, fully cmscious that you will show a mother's car* and love fhlword ' 70U WiU 6dUCate them m the true sense of

Nt th*°A T "C 01"0 1" like almost all the others Governments fLtnf ,, WW ° Uld haV6 U8 Bend our children to ready prepared E- ivV ' : T'^ --'•-»• " d s xttß the great secret the motive power of our endeavours to build and maintain our Catholic Schools. We love our children and earnestly wberebv tTev wmh ttain k,^ hi fi <>Bt de?ree ° f £ rr t e j h,7h ,7 wIU be enabled to fill their honourable place in society vfno^Tfw \ WS t0 QBeeQ Bee them v^tuous children We are convince. that the godless State schools are not institutions in which •~ "^ a°dandChrißti an education can be imparted to our children. Why cannot our fellow colonists see the injustice of obli^inons to support schools for their children from which we can derive no

wel C omp a w? e h; MM f othe K and u Sißterßl again wißb i°S?y°u a most hearty "STouV^o^rvts; 66 oursel7t8 ' oq behaif of the con^a"Jos. Ward. " Thos. Hedwood. "A. Casey." of RtS 88 ' 0 ,? 6 ,? B^,^ M3rcy from the Catholic children of Blenheim, read by Miss Ellen Leahy :— on beZf ll^^ MM vu t M r aDd Sipters - W e. the undersigned, > haf , of the ch,ldren, assemble around you on this mtw ?• P p °P»t»ou 8 morning to off,r you our humble Ihlt gr r, e f tl ? I^ oa c thls y°«r first appearance amongst us, to pay you love ™\?°^?° ar yy ° UnR anfl tend " r heartß> aff ■ctions.eJteem, love, and grat.tude on so important and joyful an occasion. For to' tr'Z? greata ? d f fe * tive d^ for us all. We hail, thcefore, yo°r arnval in our midst. Your oresence to-day is the forerunner of peice and happ.ness; according v wo b.d you, dear S.sters, a thousand of Sd rrp'Si'tt .cc?. cc ?* mi } l °J<MW' we salute you as the shepherds of old greeted their " Guiding Star." The ol.ve branch was not more welcome to Noe and his family in the ark than you are he,, to-d v to von for r h ' 9 ' nCere 7th mk yy ° U ' ada '' d Bhall BVer fL ' el dee P^ "debted ?n2Jr?r " OUr ' the n ° ble sacri^eß you have made in of ni^nmnT* L WHh v M m Hlenheira - T1 >^ »«» small expresss.ons and Tov?nT n O> ir h / 8 : ne , vei - tbelesß they are earnest, pure, sincere, and lovinß. Do Sisters, please, accept them as a token and mark of filial respect from your future chil iren. We group around you minrf«l h babesatthe feet °* thdr mothers, full of confidence, Xl r el n e WUh g reafc veneration foi the fond Sisters wt>o will h-lp in moulding and forming our future destiny. We fed now all our t.mid>ty. bashfulne^, -md nervousness disappear as we Lord JiT'l^» bl "|>d -el.'-denying form, gentle hand-ma.ds of the iov h',2 chasLe \ an / 1 chantab'e. Ladies tair, a celeafal ray of holy world n?o°" y °w ° y countenanf -« 8 . y«« look like st.ang.r, to this world of cw. We appear to prejudge you, pardon us tor domo- so but we i mag, ne a heavenly charm spreads itself wherever youg.,' feature "7 a P' >arentlv sett "'« on yoar calm and self. >o«ess V Sn.T • tOe ? PPy , ° Ur lot) and ? rea » indeed our privilege in friend SI ! Q irV OO f dWeil in BlliDheira > to *'■ our second mothers, aad our i> ' i f >d , bMt Oi ™' ltors - i Man y ot the grown-up ones will envy a ehfiH G> - Dd maUy Wlll Bay " l 9hould llke to b- young again, nun VV ° c f ° U >'' 1!1 ° r(ler t0 be Under tbe Postering c,ire of the rhorm'^h'i 1 > V get f \ solld and BOund instruction, as well as a watW ,k, k : iovvl " d - c of tho art^ a °d sciences. Yes, last night wo Tour cm nyn v n * mom - beams b "? bt - Last we dreSmt of you r Co mmg. Xbur name has become a household word,— the ionic GoTir; nVerSa w° Q b r y day and ourdreaQ i 3by night. To-day, th inks to «od, it is a reality. Ims morn.ng we longed to see the sun mount lull, aaie and valley in orler, as it were, to hasten your advent amount us. We are delighted, we are overjoyed to see you. We are quue conac.ousof the permanent great blessing you will be to the locality We hope those few kind sentiments from us shall softe.i down the nature pain you m-JHt h.ive expedenced in breaking up your home in Wellington, m separating fiom your dear companions there iti religion, in severing as n were, those bonds of sisterhood, thossacred ties of high and holy aspirations and charity. Besides tbe manifold blessings of education, we have another great consolatio.i before our minds, ami it ih this— should the hand of Providence bpleaded to afflict us, thm indeed we know you will visit us, smooth down our lowly pillow, ease our bed of sickness drop a word of balmy hope into our breasts, to cheer us on our way. For the future we caa hear your gem le ire id, soft as angels footsteps. Finally we pledge ourselves to you, as faithful, and respectful, and obedient children Once more we welcome you to Blenheim, and wish you, dear Sisters' long and happy days in our midst, and shall ever remain your dutiful and devoted children in Christ.

Signed on behalf of our companions. '•kllbn Lbaht, "BWDGEr MlH«B. "Louisa. Mcrhhy. ' a "Kate D"fft. "Z* "ZOB BHSDMOND." l ~"j At 6.30 p.m., solemn vespers took place, daring which a second sermon was preached by the Very Rev: Father sJLeaa on Jh" true £££' r iQg • bat^ U / .h. ha PPine"P me" ber « «d hereafter consists in known? an I servmgOod in spirit and in truth, and that from the want of it follow an innumerable train of human miseries, snehw murders, suicides, persecutions, tyranny, and all sorts of crimes? that true religion makes men better, more virtuous, good citizens «ood member, of society ani gooi, edifying fairs' Ed mothe™' and therefore that education must ba founded and ropported by religion to render it estimable; accordingly, Diderot himself a rationalist, and many others of r.he same class.would have his Shter instructed in re igion in order to make her better ; and that the ultimate e«d of intellectual study should be to cause us or enable « to become more effective combatants in the great warfare which never cease* to be waged between good and evil? The rev! prelcher was listened to with close attention by all. Father Lewfs was agreeably surprised at the large sum that was realized -over £10? *or it must ba remembered that a month from this date £200 were fTmVo Ti* 30 <°-' &n / £12 ° C ° lleCted b * Mother cVcefia hemlf deb? n ° n " Cathollc fnends - S° a great way in paying off the entire