WINTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 19, 31 August 1888, Page 15

WINTON.

(From an occasional Correspondent.) THE pulpit of the Winton Catholic Church was graced on Sunday the 19th instant, by the presence of the Rev. Father Dooley from Invercargill. Emerging from behind the confessional, the gentle graceful form advanced towards the centre of the altar, from which he addressed the people thusly : " My dear people,-Borry I am that my state of health prevents me fr«m giving the usual sermon, but were I able to so deliver myself I Bhould not be before you here to-day. Yet, however weakly one feels, I am always most willing to address a few words to my fellow Catholics and countrymen— more especially to Catholics like those of the Winton district, whose faith and devotion are so marked and evident. When a priest visits any parish, the first thine that claims his attention is the church of that parish, and if the church to be found there excels those of other sects or denominations, then he immediately concludes that the faith and devotion of the people are right. The church is, as it were, the thermometer on which he bases his conclusions. I have to congratulate you upon being in the proud position of possessing the best church to be found in Winfonf and though large enough at the time of its erection, its extension must be in the near future, as it is too small to accommodate your present membere. This, I trust in the Almighty God, you will soon be able to accomplish, and, judging from the state of the thermometer of Wiaton Catholicism, I am confi lent there will be no difficulty experienced when your good priest sees his way clear to undertake such extension. The Irish Catholic, as a rule, feels proud of his Church, and it ia to be hoped that this pride will be handed down by parents to their children in this Colony. I should not say I hope, but I pray, and shall continue so to do as long as I am in the Colony. Your children are exposed to many dangers that you are not cognisant of, or, if cognisant of very oi ten you fail tocleck in time. In the first place, they associate with children who scoff and make fan of everything Catholic- and very oicen the children of what ought to be respectable parents are led away by such company, and become negligent in either attending or supporting their Church, and are finally lost to the Church altogether. I eaid catholics were proud of their Church, and why not ? In the Catholic Chnrch you have true f litb, the communion of saints, and on the altars of her different structures you daily offer up the same sacrifice offered up on Calvary, though in a different manner. I will not detain you longer, but I cannot help stating that you have done your duty in the past, so ftr as the building cf a church is concerned. Now. in all places where good Catholics are f jund, the expenditure on church building is about £2 per head. This is thte case in Melbourne, and also in Sydney— two cities containing cathedrals which can hardly be surpassed in any part of the world,"— -While feeling gratified and proud to listen to the rev. preacher, still one could not help thinking that it was more tnan could be expected from one suffering from sickness such as Father Dooiey is. Anyone acquainted with Invercargill, also, mußt feel anxious to ask : Why is it there is not a better presbytery or a better church there ? However dull the times are. eometbiog ought to be done to make them what they ought to be. We are enjoying, and. in fact, have enjoyed, some splendid weather all through the winter, aud as a consequence farming ia in a pretty forward condition. The all-important topic among the Catholics of the district at present is the coming art-union in aid of our presbytery. It will come off. on the 9th of November, and it is to be hoped that tbuso who have got tickets to dispose of will try their utmost to get rid of them, and forward the proceeds to Father Keenan, so as to enable aim to make arrangements to bring the affair to a successful issue.