LENTEN CIRCULAR TO THE CLERGY AND LAITY OF THE DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH, 1891.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 20, 13 February 1891, Page 5

LENTEN CIRCULAR TO THE CLERGY AND LAITY OF THE DIOCESE OF CHRISTC HURCH, 1891.

Dear Rev. Father and Beloved Brethren in Christ.— At the approach of the Holy Season of Lent, We are but fulfilling our duty, in the absence of our beloved Bishop, by exhorting you to t-pend this time of Grace and Benediction according to the Spirit of Holy Church. We may indeed apply to Lent, the words of St. Paul, " Behold now is the acceptable time, behold now is the day of Salvation." (Cor. vi,, 2.)

Lent is a time of Piaycr, Mortification and Penaoce, a time of weepiDg and reparation for our own sins and those of others, and specially adapted for meditation on the sufferings and death of our Lord Je6us Christ. It ia a time of reconciliation with the God of All Mercy by Penance, and the Holy Eucharist, of entering into ourselves and amending in our lives whatever may be wanting. Thus saith the Lord, " Be coaverted to Me with all your heart in fasting, in weeping and id mourning. Blow the trumpet in Sion and sanctify a Fast." (Joel li, 12-15.) Lent is a time of Penance. The Church now especially calls upon us to turn our hearts to God in sorrow for having offended Him, and to make satisfaction for the insults offered to Him by our manifold transgressions. No one, however blameless his life may appear, can negltct this duty with safety.

The Saints most distinguished for purity of life, were also conspicuous for their spirit of Penance. But, if Penance, and self-denial are necessary, even for these who are striving to live in Gjd's grace, how much more for those who have grievously sinned / Sin means the turning away our will from God to creatures- Penance means the undoing of Sin, and setting free our will from creatures, and bringing it back to God and to His peace.

The virtue of Penance, like the malice of sin is in the soul ; hut its outward acts dispose our hearts to receive God's grace, overcome self-love, and manifest the existence of the virtue which ia itself uneeeD.

As, however, men are averse to this virtue, the Church periodically compels them by Her laws of Fasting and Abstinence to strengthen their wills to labour for the salvation of the souls, lest being left to themselves they should neglect it altogether. If we dteire, therefore, to escape the wrath of God, like the Saints we must

lead lives of Penance, and throw ourselves completely into the spirit of the Church during this holy season of Borrow, pardon and grace.

As regards the " Lenten Fast " we must observe it as prescribed by the Church. We must, moreover, remember that it is not sufficieit merely to comply with the bare letter of the law, which is but a means to an end, but we must labour generously tn restrain oar g eti -)e9, to fast from swearing, profanity, cursing, blaspheming, and from the deadly vice of intemperance. Therefore, says St. Augustine, " Let us above all things fast from Sin." That our fasts may not be rejected like the fasts of the Jews by Isaias, and by cur Lord Himselt in the new dispensation.

With Fasting and Abanneuce let us join prayer and almsgiving according to the advice of the Archangel ttaphael to Tobias :— • '' Player is good with Fasting and Alms-deeds, more than to lay up tre sures of gold."

Holy Church wishes uh during L a nt to meditate on the bitter Passion of our Lard acd invites her children to the foot of the Cross, there to contemplate in deepest sorrow the fearful consequences which s;q has wrougat in the agonising body of their expiring Redeemer.

" Nothing," says rit Augustine, ''is more conducive to our salvation than turning over in our minds all that the Son of God has done for us." " I owe," cries out St. Ambrose, " far more to Thy Passion, by which Thou can redeemed me, than to Thy Omnipotence by which Thou hast created me." Mortification is insufficient for salvation ; it must be accompanied with compunction of hearc. Nothing is more ca'culated to excite this sorrow of heart than the meditation of this mystery of the Passion, so tender, yet so terrible. During these days of Lent honour the Passion of our Lord by prayer, spiritual reading, and receiving the Holy Sacraments with humble and contrite hearts.

Amongst the holy exercises suitable for tha sanctification of Lent is devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, having for object the Divine Heart of that loving Saviour, the history of whose tender mercy as shown forth during His b' tier Passion and Crucifixion, is so touchingly brought before us during the sublime ceremomei of Hoy Week. The accounts which reached us of the results of the solemn Consecration of our children to the Sacred Heart, ordered in all the Parishes of the Diocese last October, were gratifying in the extreme. The crowde I Conftssionals and Communion Bails bore testimony to the effic-icy of this devotion in rousing many of our people from the lethargy into which they had fallen. We wish, therefore, that Pastors and people will earnestly co-operate in the establishment and maintenance of the Devotion of the Apostlesbip of Prayer in the parish, in the family, and in the school, and thus contribute to the extention of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and to the bringing down the blessings of the Sacred Heart on this Diocese.

We feel strongly urged to remind you of the importance of displaying the greatest zeal in the education of our children. The salvation of their souls depends in a great measure upon the impressions imparted by a Catholic education. It is the duty of parents to instruct them in the great truths of our Holy Faith, to teach them to luve the Church as their tender Mother, and the infallible exponent of Divine Truth. No one can exaggerate the blessings of a Christian education A Christian education moulds the heart and forms the consciences of children, makes them good citizens and faithful members of Holy Church. Godless education, by neglecting the moral restraints so necessary for our perverse inclinations, forms bad men and worse women. Lat a cnild be educited without Faith, without the Knowledge of God, of the Sacraments, of the Intercession of the Saints an 1 thd Vngm Mother, and what would it be ? It would become paganised. The child in the Catholic school is reminded of tnese truths. Every system of education not based ou religion must be for Catholics an evil of the greatest magnitude, and such is the State education of this Colony, for whilat it unites in the same school pupils and teachers of every creed and no creed, it must necessarily promote that spirit of infidelity which ignores the very existence of God, " in whom we live, move, and have our beini;." Parents having the facilities of sending their children to Catholic schools, but who, unmindful of their responsibility, should send them elsewhere, are unworthy ot the Sacraments.

Wherefoie, We t arnestly (xhort you, dear Brethren, to assist your pastors by liberal donations in procuring a Catholic edacation for your children. Thereby, whilst fitting tuttn out for eternal hfo by the moral and religious tiaimng necessary, they will also receive that secular educat'on rtquisite for their advancement in this life. Give liberally of the means God has given you, and you shall receive in return an ample reward from the " Giver of every good gift," mindful that wordly goods are not to be compared to the priceless souls redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Lent is therefore the great harvest time of souls, Many a boul now in Heaven can attribute its being there to a well spent Lent : and many a soul which is lost, owes us unhappy state of eternal separation from God to its disregard of the repeated calls made to it to avail itself ot the countless opp >rtunities given in the acceptable time of Lent. You will be pleased to learn, dear Brethren in Jesus Christ, that, during the past year, thanks to the indefatigable labours of the Clergy, and the genero-ity of the people, new churches have been opened in St. Mary's Parish, Manchester street, Chriatchurch, at Fairlie Creek, and Methven, New presby'enes have beeo erected a I Leeston and Darfield. A new c jnvent has been erected at Waimate, and the i-choolsof that parish have been entrusted to the zealous Sisters of St. Joseph, lately arrived from Sydi.ey. A new school has been opened at Halswull. a suburb of Christchuch, and it is hoped thnt in the very near future the Catholic boys' schools of Timaru and Greymouih will be placed under the able direction of the Manst Brother* 1 . The Uiocesao Clergy have been increased by the addition of Uev. P. Aubrey, S.M., (Temuka) and l\ev. W. Hyland (Ahaura).

Once more We direct your attention to the pressing needs of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, of Mount Magd..la. The noble work which they are so successfully, jet so unobtrusi\ely, carrying out at the Magdalen Asylum, impels us to appeal to the generosity of the charitably disposed, in every portion of the ColoDy to aid them. A a

effectual means of practising almsgiving is thus afforded, enabling all to co-operate in the holy work of saving our fallen sisterhood. Dear Key. Father, We have endeavoured to outline briefly. Home of t<ie means proper to sanctify this holy season. Tbeee and others which your wisdom and zeal will suggest, We trust you will develop ard explain to your people. Earnestly impress upon them the strict obligation of approaching thp Paorflmentp of Penance n-.d the Holy Kucharist during Paschal t me. Fxhmt fhem to pray for our Holy Father the Pope, for the complete restoration to health and .-pcedy return of our beloved Bishop, for the Clergy, Secular and Regular. for the various religious boditp, and for all the good works of the Diocese. The following are the dates appointed for the various collections :—: — 1. For the Holy P.'aces in Palestine, on Good Friday, March 2. For tbe Seminary Fund, on Whit Sunday, May 17th. 3. For the Peter's Pence, on the Sunday within the Octave of the Feast of tits. Peter and Paul, July sth. 4. For the Diocesan Charities, on P.osary (Sunday, October 4th. 5. For the Aboriginies, on Sunday wi.hin the Octave of Feast of St. Frances Xavier, December 6th. These collections must he made on the appointed days, or the earliest occasion afterwards, when the priests visit other churches < r chapels in their district They will be good enough to send the proceeds without delay to Very 1 cv. Father Aubrey, Christchurch. Whilst this circular was in the Pi ess, we received a letier from the Bißhop, in which he imparts *o his faithful flock— clergy aod laity —his special and heart-felt benediction. His Lordship, whilst regretting his prolonged absence from his diocese, assures us that the interests of the diocese, rather than his own personal convenience, prevent his being in our midst as soon as he had wished and anticipated. Given at Christchurch on the eve of Quicquagesima Sunday, and appointed to be read and afterwards placed in a conspicuous place in the churches and chapels of the diocese. Stephen Cummings, S.M., Diocesan Administrator. As promised by His Lordship the Bishop in last year's Pastoral, we subjoin a detailed account of the collections taken up in the various parishes of the diocese •

The following are the Lenten and other regulations which we make in virtue ot faculties received fiom neAp »,u,lic S.e :- Ist. Flesh meat is allowed at the chief meil on ..11 da\ s ixo -\ t Wednesdays and Fridays and Emb.-r Kiturlay. whirh fills thi- sear the second Saturday in Lent, and Monday in Holy We^k. 2nd. The u=e of dripping and lard is permitted ar .tinner on 'ill days of fast and abstinence dunne Lur, an I also throughout, the year, except on Ash Wedmsday and tt c Widncwliy ana Fndav m Holy Week. " I 3rd. White meats— such as b-itter. milk, cheese, and eg^s— are allowed an all days at dim.ci and oolla'ioi). with the exception of Ash Wednesday and Good Fad.is. A little milk is always all. , wed in tea, coffee, or other bevenge 4th. For those who, though not b >und to fa-,t, are bound to abßtain The kinds of food which are .illowel „t iheu chief meal to those who are bound to fa-t, ,ire allow, d at all win -s ti> Un».(> who are not so bound. oth. Fish and flesh are not allowed ,it the same meal during Lent. B Cth. There is neither fast nor abstinence o-i S indavs in Lent. 7th. His Holiness Pope Le > XIII, by special Indult Ins exempted St. Patrick's Day. in Australia, trora fa^irg ano abstinence eicpt when it falls on a Fndav or dur.ng hmb. r Week. All who have completed their twentv-thst ye.ir bound to fast and abstain, unless excused by the feta'e d their le.tlth or the nature of their employments according to the regulations stated above; and all who have arrired at tbe useu 5e of reason, though not bound to fast before the completion of their twenty-first j ear, an Eeverthfle«s bound to abstain from the u«e of fle«h meat oi the di\s appointed, unless exempted for a leguimate canw, of which the rtsptctive Pastois are to be judges. All who have arnved at'the^years of discretion are boti.id to ■>■ > to communion wnhin Easter time, which in tins dioc.^e eomme con Ash Wednesday, and ends on the Octave of the Feast ot h'. Peter and S>. Paul. N.B —The prayer " Omtvpotmx Sent pit erne Dev* " (No. 7, Inter Urationi-s ad I)trerm)vnU be continued at every Mas , and after the Litany at Benediction of the Blessed SacranWt, until the return of Hia Lordship the Bishop.

We request you to continue the special Memento for the Bishop in the prayers recite! in public, in the churches, chapels, communities, and t-cbools of tbe Diocese.

The collection fjr (he Holy Places in Palestine will take place on Good Friday.

Given at Chiistchnrch on the eve of Quinquagesima Sunday, ana appointn! to In. ic*d and afterward*) placed in a conspicuous place in the churches &n f Hiapels of the Diocese. Stephen Cummings, S.M., Diocesan Administrator.

Holy Places. £ 8. ii Pro-Cathedral 7 0 0 St. Mary's, Christchurch 2 10 0 Lincoln .. G 1 6 Rangiora ... 3 0 0 Darfield ... IVmuka ... ."> 0 G Pimaru ... 2 0 0 kVaimate ... 2 2 0 3ernldine ... :-? ]() G Lyttelton ... O 12 0 \.karoa Kosw Hokitika ... 4 (; o 3ieymouth <.. 4 ] lo 3haura ... 2 4 o Kumaia ... 4 ] v Seminary. £ 8. d". 10 18 6 5 2 G ."5 5 0 2 1 0 0 i:> 0 G 10 9 8 C) 0 GOO 5 3 0 1 1 9 3 O 0 4 G i) 8 1 11 3 r, <> 4 o 0 Peter Pence. £ s. d. 14 1G 3 :> 2 10 5 10 G 5 0 0 2 1 0 2 17 0 7 1 (, 13 0 O 9 0 0 :, 2 0 1 1 G L> ]2 (, 1G G (I 12 G O 3 10 0 in 0 Diocesan Aborigines. Charities. £ s d. £ s. d. 11 16 0 32 0 0 3 12 G 11 1.-j 0 3 I.") 0 4 G 0 300 5 0 0 1 l,s G 13 0 2 0 0 5 14 6 3 10 0 ,1 0 G 1 12 G 7 0 G 3 10 0 I 10 0 0 10 3 0 11 11 0 14 i) 1 13 0 .i 0 0 2 13 0 I 10 0