CONFIRMATION AT ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL DUNEDIN. '

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 12, 19 December 1890, Page 7

CONFIRMATION AT ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL DUNE DIN. '

On Sunday at 3 p.m., the sacrament of Confirmation was administered io 8t Joseph's Cathedr 1 by his Lordship the Bishop, assisted by the Rev. Fathers Lynch, Adm., Golden, O'Neill and Coffey, a lame Congregation being also present. Before administpring the sacrament the Bishop explained fully its meaning, the privileges it conferred, and the obligations it imposed. The candidates forconfiimation numbered 200: 112 males, and 88 females. After the ceremony the Bishop again addressed the children. He briefly but earnestly exhorted them to be on their guard against the iudifference of the age, and the many dangers by which faith is menaced He said he had two requests to make of those whom he just confirmed One of the greatest evils of the present day was the immoderate use" of stroDg drink. He deplored the exceese« consequent on its abuse The young Bhould shun the habit which blighted so many lives and brought ruin to so many homes. He thought that next to drink the ute of tobacco by the young was a matter for great regret. He would ask all those confirmed that day to solemnly promise Almighty God to abstain from fermented liquor and the use of tobacco until they were 21 years of age. He thought that if tbey abstained from drinking and smoking until they were 21 theie would not be muoh danger of their afterwards injuring their health by the immoderate use of tobacco or of their becoming drunkards. Of course exceptions would'be found,but speaking of people generally he believed that total abstinence to 21 meant Christian temperance, if not total abstinence throughout life. At the desire ofjtbe Bishop all knelt down and pledged themselves in the manner recommended. The Bishop then addressed ar some length the grown persons present. He stid one thing noticed in the examination of the candidates was that those who attended Catholic schools knew the Christian doctrine very well, but m my of those who through distance were unable to attend Catholic schools were not fo well instructed. These had, through special classes formed in view of confirmation, sufficunt instruction to pass the ex amination, but not enough to satisfy him. He called on all Catholics wbo valued their faith to Bend their children to Catbohc schools where they would be brought up among Christian licences and in an atmosphere of faith. He denounced the piesent State system of education as anfi-Chnstian, and expressed his btlief that it aimed at the destruction of faith. Children were brought up without anp proper idea <>f Gud, without any proper idea of Jesus Christ and without the inculcation of Christian morality. He promis-d another occasion to show where godless education had its origin who were its promoters, and from their own expressions what was their object. If the purely secular system of education were al'owed to po on unchallenged and unmet, he thought that in twenty five years (here would not be a ves'ige of revealed religion in the rising generation. Godless religion practically taught the youn» to ignore God and Hia Christ. It placed the things of this world pro-

mmently before a child's mind to the exclusion of spiritual things, and induced a spirit of religious indifference which paved the way to infidelity. He concluded by uiging his people to continue their selt-sacnface in maintaining schools where, together with an excellent aecuUr education, their children would be taught to adore and love God, aod to recognise and revere Jesus Christ.