PASTORAL LETTER FOR THE CONVOCATION OF THE FIRST SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 9, 16 December 1892, Page 18

PASTORAL LETTER FOR THE CONVOCATION OF THE FIRST SYNOD OF THE DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

John Joseph, by the Gbace of God and favour of the Apostolic See, Bishop of Chbistchubch. to thb cleeoy aß.d faithful of the said diocese, heal7h and benediction in the lord : Dearly Beloved Brethren and Children in Chbist Jesus,— Five years and more have now passed by since, in Bpite of our unworthiness, God and His Church imposed on Us tbe appalling burden of the Episcopate. Notwithstanding oar protracted illness and forced absence fro n yoar midst, We bave reason to be grateful to the Moat High, Who has enabled Uj, during that time, to make a thorough visitation of every parish in the diocese at least twice, whilst not a few districts We have visited far more frequently. These viaitatioas, together w'th the many other administrative acts of our office, have brought no little consolation to Us at the sight of tbe great good that is being done in this remote part of Christ's vineyard. We bave rejoiced, and blessed the Almighty, on beholding the striking memorials of your piety, your ze*l a ..d devotion, which prompted you to second the glorious efforts of a noble band of self-sacrificing missionaries, some of whom have gone to reap the reward of their labours, whilst others, emulating their sacerdotal spirit, are still working amongst ns.

It is oar duty to leave no means untried that the great good hitherto done may prove more lasting— that our dearly beloved brethren and children in Christ may walk more securely in the ways of God — that they may grow in the knowledge, and love aDd servica of the Most High, bear more abundant fruit, end thereby become the more pleasing to the Divine Majesty.

As a powerful means to this great end, Holy Church bids her chief pastors convoke, at times marked out by her Canons, certain solemn assemblies, called " Diocesan Synods." Announced long beforehand, preceded by serious study and fervent prayer, opened and carried on amid the most sacred and august rites of her Bitnal, these assemblies are convoked by the Bishop who summons thereunto all the priests of his diocese whose right or" duty it is to attend ; with them he examines whatever, before God, he considers to be conducive to the greater glory of the Most High, the parfectioaof the clergy, and the spiritual good of tbe faithful. Drawing from tbe treasures of the Fathers and Councils of the Churcb, he therein promulgates decrees to secure tbe end priests and people must always have in view more especially for the right observance of all that pertains to ecclesiastical discipline. The time has, at length come, for Us to convoke the first of these assemblies in the diocese of Cbristchnrcb.

Wherefore, We hereby announce that, witb the blessing of God, ■our first Synod will begin on the morning of the seventeenth day of January, in the year of grace 1893, and end on the nineteenth day of the same month, All who, by right or custom, are bound to attend the Diocesan Synod We summon to the same, and, in virtue of holy obedienca, We command the attendance of all having charge of souls in our diocese of Christchurcb. Should any canonical reason prevent any priest from attending, We must be informed, and permission fcr abseuca be previously obtained from us. Following the salutary customs of old, We, moreover, wish all who are summoned to the Synod to take part in the spiritual retreat, which, D.V., will begin on the evening of tbe eleventh of January and close on the morning of the Synod. Thus, we shall, We fondly trust, obtain the chief fruit which the holy Fathers and Councils of the Church so strenuously Bought and urged in these Canonical assenblies— viz,, holy recollection, careful examination of conscience, and the thorough renovation of our whole Jives.

But in order th.it the salutary object of bath the Synod ■nd the retreit may be obtained, it behoves us to pour forth fervent prayers to the Father of all mercy, the God of all consolation, from Whom "every best gift and every perfect gift cometh down." L:t us go with confidence to thetbione cf all grace, and there supplicate our loving Saviour Who, having redeemed U3 by the shedding of His precious blood, is ever pleading in our behalf before the tbrone of His Eternal Father. Let us implore the light of the Holy Spirit that We may decree, and one and all fulfil, whatever is boy, right, and meet. That the Almfghtly may vouchsafe to hearken to our supplication and grant $ur request, let us turn to the glorious and immaculate Mother of : God, Mary, who is our own dear Mother, our Queen, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. Ask her to look down upon us and our deliberations with eyes of mercy, to pray for us, and to spread the mantle of her protection over us. Let us, too, secure the help and advocacy of ail the heavenly host, especially tbe great St Joseph, Mary's spot lees spouse ; the illustrious precursor, St Jobn the Baptist 5 the blessed martyr, Peter Chanel, and all the patrons and protectors of this diocese.

We know by experience that God is wont to do much in His Church through the prayers and supplications of His consecrated < •pooeea and little children so dear to His Adorable Heart ; we beg

and implore the many spiritual children it is oar privilege to have in religious communities, to unite in more frequent and fervent prayer and the recaption of the Moat Blessed Euohariafc, frool now nntil the close of the Synod, to obtaia for us the help we need tram on high. \k. We earnestly beseech the many pious souls who live in tha wo»ld without being of it, to give us the same holy help. On each of the three Sundays, preceding the Synod, we direct that in all the Churches and chapels in the diocese, the hymn M Y«ni Creator Spiritus " with the veraicle and prayer, be suog before tbe principal Mass, to bring down the blessing of God on the Synod and and tbe preceding retreat. Wnera this byaia ctnaot ba sung, the litanies o! the saints with accompanying prayers may be recital instead. At Benediction, on the same ''Sunday, the hyma Aye Mart* Stella shall be sung after the Litany of our Lady of Lorelto. From the receipt of this pastoral, until further order, instead of the prayer hitherto prescribed, that of the votive de Spiritu Sancto shall be said or sung at Masa and .Benediction, whenever tbe Rubric allows it. Moieover* on the Sunday immediately preceedingithe, opening of the Synod, the Blessed Sacrament shall be solemnly exposed to tbe veneration of the faithful from the last Mass till the evening, in onr pro-Cathedral church, in 8t Mary's, Manchester street, and the other principal churches of the diocese. To all who shall visit these churches and unite in the prescribed prayers when said or sung, We hereby grant an indulgence of 40 days in tha usual form of Holy Church. We would further have all our faithful flock know that the Sovereign Pontiff grants a plenary indulgence to all who, having received the Holy Sacraments of Penance and the Blessed Eucharist shall, during the days of the Bynod, visit our pro-Oatnedral, and pray therein for ihe intention of our Holy Father the Pope. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communication of tha Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Given at our pro-Cathedral, Christohufch, this Bth day of December, in the year of our Lord, 1892, beiag the festival of our beloved Mother's Immaculate Conception, and appointed to ba Wad, and afterwards placed in a conspicuous place in tha churches aid chapels of the diocese. t John Joseph Gbimes, 8.M., Bisltop of Chiistoburch.