CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 16, 5 February 1892, Page 31

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.') > February 1, 1892. THUS was a very large congregation at the pro-cathedral on Friday laat, when a aolemn pontifical requiem Mass was suog for the repose of the aoula of Cardinals Manning and Simeoni. Hia Lordship the Biabop waa oelebrant, the Very Bey Fathers O'Donnell and Treacy being deacon and sub-deacon respectively ; the Very Bey Fathers Camming*, V.G., and Canon Martin acted aa assistant priests at the Maaa, the Very Bey Fathers Le Menant des Chesnais and Goutenoire were aaaiatant priests at the throne, and the Bey Fathers Bowers aad Belt were masters of ceremonies. Beaidea these mentioned there were npwarda of thirty priests altogether present, from the various parta of the diooeee, among whom were the Very Bey Father Le Bennetel of Sydney, who ia here for the purpose of conducting the retreat of the clergy, and the Very Bey Father Leterrier, the Provincial of the Marist Order. The aigna of mourning suitable to auch aolemn occasions were everywhere visible, the vestments of the officiating clergy, the catafalque and lights in front of the high altar and the black drapinga of the sanctuary giving evidence of the Church's Borrow. The choir, which waa not very numerous, sang the musical part of the Mass very effectively, the Very Bay Father Aubrey contributing in no small degree to its success by taking the tenor aolos. After the Gospel hia Lordship briefly addressed the congregation. He said they bad met together at the foot of God's altar to pay a tribute of love to two illustrious cardinals, whose death had caused euch widespread sorrow. The congregation knew that he referred to Henry Edward Cardinal Manning, Archbishop of Westminster, and John Cardinal Simeoni, Prefect of the Propaganda. The latter, though not so well known here aa Cardinal Manning, waa more intimately connected with the Church in Australia than a good many imagined. After the Holy Father himself no prelate had greatej powers over the Church in English-speaking countries, than Cardinal Simeoni, who, aa Prefect of the Propaganda, had powers over the biahopa, vicars-apostolic, priesis and people of the whole Catbolic world. All those who bad anything to do with him were loud in their expressions of praise as to the conscientious manner in which he discharged hia duties to God and His Church. He (Dr Grimes) had known him to ait in his office from early morning until late at night, reading multitudinous despatches, receiving visitors from all parta cf the world, and transacting the business pertaining to his responsible office ; hia ruling principle being the greater glory of God - and the salvation of the millions of souls with whom he had to deal. Cardinal Manning was better known to English-speaking people, as daring half a century he had been looked upon as one of the most illustrious men of the present age, and held a foremost place in the minds and hearts of millions of men who were outside of the pale of the Church. Men who could not agree with bis dogmatic teaching, looked upon him as a man of the loftießt mein, and the keenest judgment, and most zealous in the discharge of bis duties towards God and that Church which he had made such sacrifices to join. His Lordship said he felt the death of the great Cardinal very keenly, as from bis boyhood be had known him, and whilst he was a priest he had received many marks of kindness from his Eminence. When be waa appointed Bishop ef Chrietchurch the Cardinal was one of the first to offer him congratulations and expressions of goodwill, and expressed a desire to be the consecrating prelate, but was debarred from acting through illness. Those present had occasion to regret the death of Cardinal Manning, as members of the Church and of society, for the poor, the lowly, and the suffering had lost a good friemd, and the Church & faithful servant. He had been a true lover of mankind, without distinction of creed or class, and whilst they were present to honour the memories of those two illustrious Cardinals, it should be remembered that the greater their talents, the greater would be their responsibilities before God. To those to whom much had been given, of them much would be required, and that was why he asked them to offer up their prayers with him to the throne of of the Moat High, that these two great servants of God may be cleansed from their sins and admitted into the joys of heaven. It is admitted by all classes here that Lord Onslow ia a very popular and obliging gentleman, and that in this respect he has been assisted to a considerable extent by his amiable lady. The good citizens of this Cathedral city have been debating amongst themselves during the past fortnight as to the most suitable way in which to entertain bib Excellency and Lady Onslow before their departure from our shores. Tbe orthodox dinner and the fiery champagne was thought to be the proper thing for such an occasion, but then demos said be could not afford a guinea in those hard times, and although j^ke was an uncompromising opponent of nominated Governors, still for the nonce he would pocket his opinions and attend the banquet if the price were reduced by two-thirds. But why have a dinner at all, said Blue Bibbon ; you know very well that although 1 am as anxious aa any man amongst you to bask in the sun of vice-royalty, yet I cannot very consistently attend a banquet where alcohol ia drank, Let na have a ball, said a youthful citizen ; it ia the proper

thing, and everybody conld attend then ; but a atraight-laoed Christian objected to auch a function, aa he would have to wash hia hands of the affair if it were any such ungodly kind of entertainment. Let it be a conversazione said another, and then all of us can viait it without diatinction for the modeat anm of one shilling, but then the Governor might object to be one of the exhibit* and crowded upon by a mob of sight-seers. The Mayor ought to give the dinner, so that it would not be necessary to go around in a paltry way selling tickets for the same, suggested another, but our chief magistrate did not take the hint, although there may be a chance of knighthood in futurity for auch an act of loyalty and liberality. Somebody suggested in the local Press that his Excellency should be entertained at a temperance banquet, but the aad and sorrowful manner in which auch a suggestion was received by aome who bad been at a temperance feaat aome abort time ago, spoke more eloquently than worda could of their opposition to a repetition of another such folemn affair. Why not have a tea-meeting, suggested a not very original thinker, bat there was a mild protest against this, aa in the ordinary courae of things, it would be necessary for a prayer meeting to follow, and the Governor may not appreciate such proceedings. However, after a diversity of opinion there cornea a conaenans, which decidea on a happy medium of a aeven-and-six-penny dinner in the Tuam atreet hall, whioh will not allow of much champagne, except to the invited guests.

The editor of the Prokibitimut returna his sincere thanks to the gentleman who left at his front door, one night laat week, an empty black bottle, which bad an aroma of very stale beer about it. No doubt the maudlin wag wished to parody fie Baying, in vino vertias, by substituting for it in eerevisiafaceti*, as he suspected that when the empty bottle would be seen next morning by early wayfarers, a vision of a gentleman in a black coat embracing a lamp post and apostrophising the spluttering gas jet aa the silvery moon, or trying to open the door with hia left boot instead of a latch key, would not unnaturally appear before them. The editor, more in sorrow than in anger, for he knew that if it were possible for|the owner to aeaimilate the bottle juat aa he did the beer it would not have been left, took the empty vessel and carefully planted it in his back garden. At High Mass on Sunday Mrs Sheath, of Napier, rendered in aplendid style, Hummel's " Alma " aa an offertory piece, and at Vespers, " Justorum animam," and " Tantnm Ergo," the latUr being especially well sung. The Very Bey Father Le Beonatel at Veapera preached a very eloquent and impressive sermon, selecting for bia text, » Woman, behold thy son." The retreat of the clergy will come to a close on Wedneeday morning, when the public will be admitted to the concluding ceremony. The Diocesan Synod will be held immediately after, before the clergy separate for their respective parishes.

There was given a very successful concert in the Oddfeliows' Hall Addington, on Thursday evening last, in aid of the Catholic school of the district. The success of the entertainment was, no doubt due in a great measure to the energetic and enthusiastic manner in which the matter was worked up by Mr J. C. Chase, who has, not alone on this, but on many other occasions, exerted himself in the furtherance of the cause of Catholic education. Messrs Pope, O'Callaghan, and Delaney, the school committee, have aho worked very bard during the year to make ends meet, and the thanks of the parents of the children, as well as the Catholic public are due in an especial manner to those gentlemen.

The great event of the week has been the lectures of Mr K. M. Stanley, the great African explorer. I need not repeat what has been said over and over again, that he is one of the moat distinguished men that has ever come to New Zealand. The man who misses seaing him and hearing him certainlj loses an intel'eotbal treat. Although not an orator, his style is very graphic and instructive." The theatre was crowded *ach night of his lecture, and those present were agreeably disappointed, both in regard to bis style of speaking and personal appearance. He is certainly not the stem, dogmatic martinet whom we were led to suppose he was by many who were inclined to depreciate and undervalue his services to humanity by opening up the Dark Continent to the intercourse of Europeans, an undertaking which he was originally assisted in carrying out by a Catholic and a Jew. He is not lavish of his praise of his white officers, but he goes out of his way now and again to pay a welldeserved tribute of praise to the genial, painstaking, and bard-work-ing Surgeon Parkes, the only Irishman who was with him, for to the popular Celt was doe in a great measure the lives of a great macy, •yen that of the great explorer himself.

The fatea or the influenza seem to be in conspiracy for the purpose of keeping Mr E. George from tacking on the potent capitals M.H.B. to hia name, for the election trial ia postponed until the end of this week. The subject is not one of absorbing interest to the general public, the feeling being that of regret if the election should be upset on aome technicality, aa we do not want another conteet at the present time. The prestnt member aita as the chosen of the greater number of the electors, and wiil be returned again if the election is declared void, by a atill greater majority, ao that it ia aa we 1 to accept the inevitable.