THE VISIT OF HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD TO PICTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 21, 16 September 1887, Page 5

THE VISIT OF HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD TO PICTON.

HIB Grace arrived in Picton by the last train on Thursday, the Ist inst., and, with the Rev. Fathers McNamara, S.M., VicarlGeneral and Sauseau, Provincial of the Society in N.Z., proceeded to the George Hotel, where they were received and treated in the most hospitable manner by the host and hostess, Mr. and Mrs Harris whoße hotel for its first-class accommodation and its every convenience is a credit, not only to Picton, the chief port of Marlb6rough but to the district at large. s ' On Friday morning, the 2nd inst., the Archbishop said Mass at 8 o clock in the pretty little church at Picton, which, although always kept in admirable ordei by the ladies of the Altar Society was, on this special occasion, most tastefully and beautifully decorated. The Rev. Father Sauzeau said Mass at 11 o'clock This worthy priest is not a stranger in the Marlborough district ■ be has been connected with the place for at least 18 years. In Bltnheim he secured a very nice piece of Church property, and a short time •ince had erected thereon one of the nicest churches, for the size of the place, in the whole of New Zealand, which has just at the present time been completed, under the direction of Father Lewis, S M who IB now parish priest of Blenheim. Father Sauzeau is, therefore' held in the highest esteem and deserved lj revered by all who know him on account of his amiable disposition and genial manners, as well as for his zeal as a good and holy priest, always indefatigable in his labours for the glory of God and the welfare of His people Directly before the 11 o'clock Mass, the following address was Tery nicely read, and presented to his Grace by Mr Harris of Picton :—: — ' "To the Most Reverend Dr. Jtedwood, S.M., Archbishop of Wellington. r *• "c" c M £ Ord Ar c hbiß bop,— ln the name of the Catholic congregation of Picton, we come to greet your Grace with a thousand hearty welcomes, and to give public expression to the joy and gratitude which we all experienced on your Grace's elevation to the exalted rank of the Archiepiscopate. No doubt our Holy Father singled out your Grace for this responsible distinction on account of your wellknown abilities, and unpretending piety ; but the choice of the Supreme Pontiff is enhanced in our estimation when we learn that your Grace is a member of the Society of Mary, which gave us the saintly iatber Pezant, whose mortal remains are entrusted to our affectionate keeping, and whose virtues are still living in the memories of his children. We are happy to inform your Grace that at present our children may enjoy all the advantages of the sound secular instruction given in the convent and Catholic boys' schools, where they are taught to know and love their Creator, and to seek the one thing necessary, viz., the salvation of their souls. We feel grateful to God for this favour, and take this opportunity to thank those Members of Parliament— notably, tbe late Member for the Wairau— for the zeal they have shown to secure for our children the ?fft v lt c X*Tl On - the railw& y s the nearest Catholic schools. Although the Catholics in this part of your Grace's charge are neither very numerous nor wealthy, yet it must gratify your Grace to know that we have recently painted and ornamented the church aud preebytery. The|cburch committee and the lad les of the Altar Society have been conspicuous by their zeaJ and generosity to beautify the house of God. Ihere is still, however, much to be done. The want of a bell to summon the faithful to divine service claims our first and earnest attention. Today a special collection will be made for that purpose and no doubt every witness of this imposing ceremony will gladly and generously contribute to commemorate, by the purchase of a bell, this visit of your Grace and the first Confirmation given by you since you have been vested with the sign of your jurisdiction. Again we hail with welcome your Grace's visit to Picton. Again we desire to express our joy at your Grace's deserved promotion in the hierarchy, and only hope that you may be long spared to cultivate this portion of the Lord's vineyard. In conclusion, we beg for ourselves and our families your Grace's paternal blessing " In replying, his Grace congratulated the people on being so much favoured by the visit of the Very Rev. Fathers McNamara, V G , and SEfTji Vlce - Pr , ovinci £} ,°f the Society of Mary in New Zealand, who had come from Wellington to grace with their presence the ceremonies of the day. His Grace very often found greater consolation in small congregations than in larger ones, because small congregations had by their zeal to make up for wealth and numbers. His Grace complimented the ladies of the Altar Society for the taste they had manifested in beautifying the inside of the church and especially the altar, and exhorted every Catholic lady in the parish to join the Society, because beautifying God's house was a very

hLnn£ nOUBw ° rk - Christian kings and nobles found their greatest thfSin f l eiS^ }\ P re P ariQ S everything mcssary for thJ I£ P #°si t s e Almi g Qt *. aQd * h en they were decorating cne altar of God, they might consider themselves as decoraung me stable in which our Divine Saviour was born, or the room where he took His Last Supper with His Apostles. His wace also spoke in kind and feeliug terms of their first missionary priest who laboured among them so lovingly and so long, lbe Archbishop, in referring to the bell, said it was a great necessity; us sound called them to prayer, th«ire was a grace attached to its sound on account of the blessing of the Church given it. He hoped tney would all subscribe liberally towards its purchase. His Grace exnorted all who could do so, to Bend their children to the Catholic scnoois at Blenheim, where they would get both a good religious and secular education. He also congratulated the people on having such R« a cH d zealous priest, to attend to their spiritual wants as ths aev. *atner Aubery, who was a worthy successor of their saintly triend whose memory they held so dear. After the 11 o'clock Mass. iiis urace explained in a manner never to be forgotten, the nature "'™ Uol 7 Sacrament the children present were about to receive, ana tne necessary dispositions with which the Sacrament of Confirmanon stiould be approached. Then about twelve or thineen children or ootd sexes were confirmed. After the usual praysrs for His xaonness the Pope, their parents, their Archbishop, their priests, and inemseives, the ceremonies of the day were concluded. A good number received Holy Communion at his Grace's Mass. Unfortunateiy tne weather was not all that could be desired, but notwithstanding, there was a large congregation. Indeed, Friday, on the wnoie, was a red letter day f >r the Caihohcs of Picton, and, no doubt id win oelong remembered with h ippiness and pleasure, as a day of giace and blessing to many who had the happiness for the first time in this province to partake of the Holy Kucuarist from the hand of a prelate of our Holy Church