WESTPORT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 6 July 1888, Page 23

W ESTPORT.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

A moit iuccessful miseion was brought to an edifying clow here on Friday morning, June 22ud. Our esteemed paitor, Bey. Fathw Walsh, dißoivtu tb« waim thanks if his flock for securing the lervlcei of so fluent a preacher as the Key. Father Goggin, of th« Wellington College. The attendance at first was very meagre, but, probably, the fact of its not being known until last BuDday morning th-it a misiiun would commence the same evening may have be«n the o*use. However, after the opening sermoni were delivered, the Rev. Father had the satisfaction of seeing the church crowded by a cong-egation whose attention was rivetted on tvery wor<l, aa he explained in a maaterly and lucid style the doctrines of our Holy Ohurch, the devotion to our fc Lndy, the origin of the icapular, b«adj, etc., in language earnest fluent and soul-stirring. I could not but »dmire hit manner in describing the truths of Holy Faith by relating iome anecdote of the old land, at, for instance, the scene he witnessed in Kerry at the eviction of a poor old woman and her children, turned out in the drifting •now, goaded on by brutal peelers, whicu he compared to th« »wf al

agony that our Lord experienced at the hands of the malignant Jews. At another time be drew for as s piotnre of the old parish church, with its earthen floor full of holes, the grey-haired man at the alter rails with his large Rosary beads in his hands, surrounded by yosng and old, all reciting the prayers in Irisb, Beldom have I seen a con. gregation so moved as on these occasions, thus proving the Westport Catholics retain the faith as stroag as when they left greea Erin. The preacher knows our weakness— our gtrenth, perhaps, would ba more appropriate, for indeed, he was but uttering the TabLWTS* sentiments, Faith and Fatherland cannot be separated. These allusions to the long past bring in their train a food of tender recollections. We are back once more in the old land, wending oar way amongst its beautiful fields to early Mass, beloved companions by oar side, innocent mirth and witty sayings abound. No wonder many an exile's heart was stirred to its very depths, and through that oongregation could be seen a manifestation of lore for Faith and Fatherland. Father Goggm has a calm, spiritual appearance, and a distinct enunciation ; his gestures are suitable to a perfectly modulated voice, bat tbe secret of his success as a preacher lies in the earnestness whioh forces li s way to men's hearts. The edifying crowds which approached Holy O.>mmumon testify to the preacher's ability and iv the brotherly feeling which Catholics evince towards each other we see the beneflsal results of this holy mission, the words of the Roman Heathen being verified, see how those Christians lovs one another." In addition to his duties im the church the rev. geatleman kas been engaged examining the school, and a good number anxiously await his report. lhe rev. gentleman retnrned f ron tbe Caps on Sunday afternoon in order to preach here after vespers. The church was crowded in erery available pUce where studing room could be obtained. Before commencing his sermon, he said tk«t ke saw before him those wnom he had seen attending the church night after night expecting them to come to their duty, and make their peace with God. He said " I mean the men, I was told the « hard cases ' wsre all at the Cape. Well, I have been to the Cape, and hare never been more pleased in ■y life than m the sight I saw this morning of seventy stalwart man approaching Holy Communion in a body. If thosa are the " hard cases, that yen have told me of, I should like to meet some more of them in Westport." He then preached upoa the necessity of a Christian education, commencing from childhood by the parents teaching and practising the duties of a Christun : by saying their prayers, attending Mass, and seeing that their children do likewise, then sating that they attend a Catholic school, and learn a knowledge of God as well as a knowledge of worldly matters, and where in most cases to* teaching is superior to that obtained in the State schools. The rer. preacher gave instances of the demoralising effects of State school education ai witnessed by himself and others aad on the testimony of men in high position, suck as the present leader of political matters in JSiew Zealand, showing that if we wish to have good children, and good colon ista, we must give them a religious as well as a sec alar education. ±le hoped parents would be more particular in sending their children regularly to school, as he found in numerous in stances that out of 200 school days in the year some of the children only attended 85. If ha was conducting the school, he would tell the parents of snob children to keep them at home. Father Goggin leaves for Charleston tomorrow to conduct a mission there. In business, matters are very dull. The stoppage of traffic on tie Buller road has nearly ruined the business of some of oar townsmen, and the reduction of wastes has the effect of compelling men and their families to exist on the barest necessaries of life. The weather kas been as usual— rain, rain, rain, but there is a prospect now of a little frost by way of a change for a few days. A reported rush in the direction of Waites Pakihis caused 40 of the unemployed to go in search of it on the 18th inst., but up to the present the rush has not been found and the general opinion appears to be that it is a hoax.