ARRIVAL OF THE BISHOP OF DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 34, 18 December 1885, Page 21

ARRIVAL OF THE BISHOP OF DUNEDIN.

His Lordship the Bisaop of Dunedin returned from Sydney on Tuesday, by the s.s. Ringarooma, which reached the Rattray street Whaif at a few minutes after 9 a.m. In compliance with a resolution passed at a meeting held on Sunday, Mr. F. Meenan in the chair, a number of gentlemen belonging to the Catholic congregation were p--e-,eat to receive the Bishop, who was also met by the V enerable Archdeacon Coleman, and the Rev. Fathers Walsh, Lynch, Burke, O'Neil, and Purton, 0.b.8. His Lordship was driven by Mr. Fitzgerald in a carnage and pair to St. Joseph's Chuich wheie the ceremonies directed by the rubric for the return of a bishop to hi-? diocese were carried out.— A procession was formed consisting cf cross-bearer acolytes, the clergy, and the Bishop wearing the cappa Ma»na and which entered the church by the front door and proceeded to t ie sanctuary, a choir especially formed by the Dominican Nuns for the occanon, singing meantime Webbe's " Ecce Sacerdos magnus " after which they sang a very beautilul " Te Deum," which is the particular property of the nuns, and which was also given with exquisite sweetn('Bs and nnihh. lue Bishop mediitimH. had assumed the vestrnciN of the Mass, and begun to offer the Holy Sacrifice assisted by the \en Archdeacon Coleman, the Rev. Fatheis WaJsh, O'Neil, Lynch, and Purton, 0.5.8., being ai-o present in the sanctuary. On the conclusion of the Mass (be Blessed Saciament was removed flOmf lO rn the tabernacle and Mr. J. B. Callan read the following address : - , i^ord Bishop,— Although we understand n to be your Lordship s desire that the capabilities of the Catholic congregation should be reserved for the reception to be given to his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney, aud the other prelates who have promised to attend the opening of your new cathedral, as well as for the ceremonies themselves, we still think it right thdt we should make some recognition not only of your Lordship's claims to our gratitude and confidence, but also of the importance of the business that called you hence, and of the submission and fidelity dua by us to the decisions of the Plenary Council. Therefore, we have come to greet you, and to assure you that your return to your dioc^e is tDe occasion of unfeigned joy to your people, and of their thankfulness to Providence Who has prospered your journey. ''We saw with particular pleasure that the illustrious President of the Council, recogniping your Lordship's standing as a notable champion of the cause of Catholic education, requested you to define aDd explain that chief part of Catholic duty before the assembled prelates, and m presence of a crowded gathering of the laity We

have read with much profit the comprehensive, exhaustive, and solid argument in which the matter was set forth by you with such lucidity and strength, and we are persuaded that the opponents of the cause have nothing to advance that can in any degree invalidate your admirable reasoning. Were the question to be decided on the grounds of justice, your Lordship's plea could not fail to secure an immediate victory.

"We wish to congratulate you, as a Catholic Bishop, on the evidence of the Church's growch and importance in this part of the world, so Btrikinglyjgiven by the sitting of the Plenary Council. No greater proof could be produced of the high position to which Catholicism has attained in these colonies, and we are convinced that not only haa an eloquent testimony been borne to the past, as well as to the present but that an assurance has also been afforded regarding the prospects> of the future.

"The wisdom of the Council has certainly provided]forastill more vigorous Catholic life, and given a fresh impetus t j the progress cf the Church in these colonies.

" Not only, then, Lord Bishop, do we welcome your return, and assure you of our undying affection and esteem, but we also desire to express our confidence in the decisions of the Plenary Council, and our gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff, by whom, in his paternal solicitude for our spiritual welfare aad that of our fellow-Catholics in this hemisphere, the Council was appointed to be held. " Signed on behalf of the Catholic congregation. "John B. Callan."

On Mr. Callan's concluding, five pupils of the Christian Brothers — Masters Lynch, C >lumb, JFalkner, Mcllroy, aud Pavletich — presented an address on behalf of their fellow pupils, which was read by Master Lynch as follows :—

" May it please your Lordship. We, the Pupils of the Christian Brothers' Schools, Dunedin, desire to join in testifying our joy for your safe arrival.

"We congratulate your Lordship on your having been chosen Chairman of the Committee of Education at the great Plenary Council of Australasia ; and we congratulate ourselves oq having such a champion for our Bishop and our Father. " Our Examinations for the Scholarships lasted nearly a fortnight. We hope you shall be pleased with our efforts, when looking over our papers.

" The Examinations being concluded, the thought occurred t> us that you would not be here f<>rthe Distribution of Prizes on Friday next. This thought male m sad. Had you not arrived in time, we should have baen deprived of your paternal advice and blessing on our vacation. Thank God, however, our hopes are realised. " We have observed daily the progress the Cathedral was making — calculating how much would be done,— knowing how glad your Lordship would be to see it far advanced on your return. '• In conclusion, we humbly beg your Lordship's blessing for ourselves, our parents, and our teachers,— and wishing yourself and your gog >o I priests all the blessings of the holy, happy season which is approaching, we remain your Lordship's devoted children in Christ.

••(Signed on behalf of the pupils) '• Chaklks J. Columb, Alexander J. McTlroy, "Daniel J. Falkner, Leonard J. Pavdetich " Thomas J. Lynch."

Eight pupils of the Dominican Nuns' schools— namely two from St. Domimck'B Boarding school ; two from St. Catherine's dayschool ; two from St. Joseph's school ; and two from St. Patrick's South Dunedin— then presented the address of the Girl's schools. It was the following :—: —

" My Lord,— Though you have not broken your fast after your long and weary journey, we think you will not be displeased with us for delaying you for a moment while we welcome you home, and tell you we are very proud to hear that our dear bishop was chosen by the great Austiahan Cardinal and the other prelates to be in Australia what he has been for 15 years in Now Zealand— the champion of the religious education of youth. We have been told that to your Lordship was entrusted this office of preaching at the synod on this subject so dear to your heart, and that yours was the honour of presiding over the committee appointed for the purpose of drawing up the decree^ regarding primary education. We thought the bishops were all very wise in their selection, ami we gratefully recognise the distinction conferred on our beloved father. Begging your blessing for us all, for our parents, for our kind teachers, and thanking your Lordship for all your unwearied eifortg in the promotion of our true inteiesH— We are your Lordship's very grateful and devoted chihlieu, Mary Uanmng, Kate Cameron, Maggie Martin, Hannah Dennehy, Helen Columb, Mary Drumm, Ellen Tresider, Bridget HefTernan." The Bishop replied as follows :— He said that he was sorry he had not received copies of the addresses, as in that case he would have written a reply to them. The demonstration made was quite unexpected by him. It was true, as they aaid, that, he had wished the strength of the Catholic congregation to be reserved for the reception to be given to the Cardinal Archbishop of Sydney and the other prelates who bad promised to come to the opening of the cathedral, and to whom they would give a right royal reception. No proof was needed by him as to the estimation in which he was held by his peopl- ; they had given him too many proofs already of their affection for him to require anything more. He was glad to see the demonstration made, not for his own sake, but because it spoke highly of the disposition of his people towards their religion, an' l of their fidelity to the Church. They must not expect him to say much concerning the Plenary Council. Its decrees had no force whatever until they received the sanction of Home, and until then none of them would be published. They would in a few days, however, have the joint pastoral of the bishops of Australasia, which ■would g ye them a little information as to what bad been done but a very little. The Council had given the Church in Australasia a certain standing. It consisted of sixteen Bishops, a Vicar Apostolic, and the representative of another prelate who was absent, with their theologians, and other members-

feSS??* \1 tO l° 7 70 able men ' who had Co(ne togethsr to discuss So forth egood f th e Catholic people and the Advancement oT 'So m? ' ?; eccleßiaß ! t ! C 9 represented Catholics to the number of !w> h IZ WußW u B ° nl7 c fifty year 3 Biace the firßt Vicar Apostolic landed on the shores of Australia and at that time there were only in «5L C r°™lh ßOme^ hreeor to^ P riesta who existed there rather on sufferance than otherwise. Now there were great cathedrals- vast the ew!^ Bj s*7 & f Melboura «- lurches Covered the land, and CathoUc ~E3 dred £ of . P» eßt * and thousands of religious, and many Phnrl h tv He had no doabt but that tQ e progress of the SSnJhifH? h D - Xtbalf Ceatur y relatively, be greater Sp a^k d Vl been duri ?S th <* l a «t fifty years. The Pope by elevating oftl^S ?r b ?P. of Sy^totheCardinalatehad raised the position « tinn fn YDV D hh £ 8e Coloaies - He had doQe 8O Q °t only in recog2L r? a ! d^ al ran ' 8 deserts bufc also a 9 a reward for th 3 faith S^SfSi o^ Ghurch( 8h ° Wn hy the Catholics of Australasia and it was then dHty to prove themselves grateful to his Holiness. When ££p £ Ce °J tbe ? urch whj ™ 8 the Pope's representative came teen SS Th Z™ °PP° rtunit y ot thanking him for what had oTSi S LT° U i d glTe him a r °y al reception. He was worthy of all that could be done in his honour because of his abilities and hZJFH ?r iC6S tO the Churcb - He ™ M be here « with othe? pr n e d settled^L fc a lrp° P ? niDg °l the cathed ' a < was now definitely E 2£ft *t P ° Q the 9econd Bunda y in February. With regard couTd say*otSS "f? C °T m > his Ctbe Bishop's) own merifshe coum say notning. It was for his people to judge as to that, and they had frequeutly proved their affection towards him, he would now in accordance with their wishes impart his benediction to them school PhiMr P afterwards addressed a few words especially to the 2n2 n hlldre * \ a re P ly to the remarks concerning education contained in their addresses. He said, it gave him much fo valued Ca?h n ol- tb f M the^ Were they bad Bfcill ]ear^ d CathS s %Afr. dU ° atlOn - The le g ißlators of the colonies treated Catholics fairly with respect to everything else, but in this matter ThJJK unjustly. Tne effects, uowever, were not all evil oh^fn J« made fa y Catholics to fulfil their duty in educating their children were meritorious and calculated to keep their faith alive ' ". The children, moreover, .would learn to take tor P /k y i Bacnfice 8 which their parents made, and when they s u r hereaftertoact ia iike — the '