WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 12, 6 January 1893, Page 17

WELLINGTON.

« (From our own Correspondent.} December 31, Christmas has come and gone, and by the time this appears in print, tne baby year will be crowing and laughing with all the energy and powers of a healthy infant. What memories do not the conclusion of the old year call to our mmd — of expectations unrealised, of hopes unfilled, of resolutions never carried into effect, of lives ruined and brokeo, or perhaps unexpectedly out short by the ruthless scythe of time, of the dearest ties on earth brokeo, of fortunes dissipated, of the closest friendships destroyed by man's treachery, of reputations blasted by the discovery that they were built upon the foundation of deceit and trickery — a foundation, unfortunately, which is too common now-a-dtiys in this commercial greedy age of ours— of souls, bright with the halo of youth and innocence, or, alas, scarred with old age and sin, called to their account before th^ Creator of the universe. How many have toiled and moiled during some portion of the past year, in order that they might accumulate what men call wealth— riches, the most perishable endowment whioh a. man could have. They have laboured to store up this wealth, with a perseverance that would lead one to imagine that they had a lease, of this world for a number of years whilst they are now rolling,, piJac as their corporeal parts are concerned, in their graves, and very likely their names and their labours forgotten by even their nearest kinsmen. And as we begin the year does the thought ever stake uft is it probable we will be permitted to Bee the end of 1893, and what will be the trials and difficulties which we will have to go through in the meantime? One Christmas looks much like, another, as far aa outward appearance goes, still there is always a continual change taking place in the personnel of the human race, and yet life with its uncertainties is as sweet to the hungry beggar as to the titled nobleman, and yet how little do we sometimes prize it. Let me only hope that my readers will have the happiness of beginning the new year well, and that when the time will come when— .deorepid and hoary with age — it will be drawing nigh its span of existence, one and all can look back on the twelve months spent and say we have not lived our life in vain, we have improved our position bo£h from a temporal and eternal btandpoint, and should we be caJUed away, we can point with pride to the faot that we have left the world better than we found it. Chrißtoaas was celebrated in the usual manner at the Catholic churches here. At St Mary's Cathedral Pontifical High Mass w«l celebrated at 11 o'clock by his Grace the Archbishop; Father Dawson being deacon ; Father O' Sullivan, sub-deacon ; Father Leterrier, assistant priest, and Father Power, master of ceremonies. The musical part of the Mass, " Gounod's Mease Solennelle," was splendidly rendered by the choir, under the conductorship of ,Mr 8, Cimico, and assisted by a strong orchestra consisting of Messxi Spalkman, Trowell, King, Cimino (2), Schwartz (2), Kennedy, Woodmass (3), and Man tell. The soloists were Mrs Swift, Miss Mcl^ean, and Messrs Bowe and Loughnan. The Very Bey Father Damson preached an impressive and eloquent sermon on the occasion, Pontifical Vespers were sung in the evening by his Grace, assisted by Father Power, deacon, and Father O'Sullivan, sub-deacon, but the/c was no discourse. The church was prettily deoorated for the occa,eion with ivy and evergreens, especially the sanctuary, which wai buug with crimson cloth, and the high altar wag a mass of white and red flowers arranged most tastefully.

Haydn's Imperial Mass was rendered by a full choir, under the conductorship of Mr F. Oakes, af St Mary of the Angels, Boulcott street. There was also a numerous orchestra ; the soloists were Misses Boss (2), McEeegan, and Curtis, and Meßsra Rots, Gardner, and Gormley. The celt brant was the Very Rev Father Devoy, V.G.. the Rev Fathers Goggan and Lewis being d6acoa and sub-deacon respectively. In the evening at Vespers the principal soloists were Misses Boss 1 (2) ; Mr. Kearsley presiding at the organ. Father Goggan preached a very eloquent sermon appropriate to the occasion. The high altar was very tastefully decorated aod also the pillars of the church. In consequence of the absence of the Very Rev Dr Watters in Nelson, where he preached on Christmas Day, there was no High Mass at St Joseph's Church, but Masses were celebrated, at half-past seven and nine. At Vespers the Very Rev. Father Devoy, T.G., nade feeling reference to the lobs sustained by the Church in the death of the Rev Father Seauzeau.

The annual picnic in connection with the Catholic schools took place on Boxing Day. The children, to the number of 600, met at the Bonlcott street church about 9 o'clock, and from there marched two deep, headed by St Mary's drum and fife bind, to the railway station, where they were met by a goodly number of the children from the Thorndon side of the town. They were accompanied by the Very Rev Father Devoy and Rev Father Goggan, and the members of the picnic committee, including Messrs Da vies, Brady, Coogan, and flyland. The whole of the number of about 900 were then conveyed by train to Father Lane's ground at the Hutt, where they spent a most enjoyable day, any amount of games and sports being provided for the juveniles, who certainly took advantage of the means provided by the committee for their amusement. Amongst the visitors during the day I noticed his Grace the Archbishop, tht Very Rev Fathers Lane and Dawsoo, Rev Fathers Power and Sullivan, and Sir P. A. Buckley, Sir Charles Lilley (chief justice, QueeDdlsnd), Drs Cahill and Malkin, and Mr M. Kennedy. Amongst those who exerted themselves to amuse the children were, besides the forementioned members of the picnic committee, Captain Collins and Messrs J. Sheridan (handicapper), W. Naughton, V. Henry and V. O'Brien (judges). Refreshments were supplied by the ladies of the Hntt congregation, and the ladies of the Christian Doctrine Society paid speoial attention to the wants of the children. The children returned to town by the 6 o'clock train very well pleased with their day's outing, the success of which was undoubtedly due to the energy and zeal of the VicarGeneral and Father Goggan, assisted by the hardworking committee, who deserve the thanks of the Catholic community.

The obsequies of the late Very Rev Father Seauzeau, S.M., whose death occurred at the Catholic Presbytery, Boulcott street, on Saturday morning last, took place on Tuesday morning at the church of Bt Mary of the Angels. At eight o'clock the coffin containing the remains were conveyed from the deceased's late residence to the cbnrcb, which was draped in black for the occasion, a solemn Requiem Mass being sung at nine o'clock. His Grace the Archbishop was present, and the Very Rev Father Davoy, V.Q,, was celebrant, BeT Fathers Melu and Sullivan deacon and sub-deacon respectively, and the Rev Father Goggan, master of ceremonies. The Rev Fathers Dawson, Braxmeier, Patterson and Power assisted the choir ia rendering the music appropriate to so solemn an occasion, and the Rev Fathers Leterrier, Yardio, and Lane occupied seats in the sanctuary. His Grace preached an impressive Bermon from the text, " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord," in the couise of which hesketchel the deceased — who possessed all the qualities of a true missionary — from his arrival in New Zealand until the close of his priestly labourp. He testified also to the good works done by the deceased, far he had seen him at work and knew him for many yeara. The Rev Father was endowed with those qnalities so necessary in the mission field - piety, zeal, science and charity. His Grace's discourse was listened to with deep attention by a crowded congregation, who were deeply moved at its conclusion. The funeral procession waa immediately formed after the giving of the absolution, the following being the order of the procession : cross-bearer ; acolytes ; the girls and boys attending the Te Aro Catholic schools; the junior (60) and the senior branch of the Hibernians ; the hearse ; two officers of the H.A.C.B.S. acting as pall-bearers ; the Marist Brothers (about 30) ; carriages containing His Grace the Archbishop and clergy ; the French Consul (Dr Lostalot de Bachoue, in consular uniform) ; then came a large concourse of pedestrians. The remains were laid beside those of that grand old Catholic priest, (the late Very Rev Father O'Reilly) in the Catholic cemetery, the service at the grave being conducted by his Grace whilst the clergy Bang the Benedictus. There was an immense concourse of people at the cemetery besides those taking part in the funeral procession, the entire ceremony being very impressive and solemn. — The following short biographical sketch of the deceased may not prove uninteresting to the readers of the Tablkt : — The Very Rev Father Augustine Seauzeau was born in April, 1834, at St Hilaire, in the Vendee, France. He rectived an excellent education in his early days, and was intended for the medical profession. At the age of 25 he entered the Society of Mary, and at the age of 26

he was appointed Professor of Rhetoric at Bar-le-dnc. la a year or two after this, at the call of doty, he bade adieu to friends and relatives and all that was near and dear to him in France, and set sail for far-away New Zealand, which waa then a terra incognita to the people of Europe. He landed here in 1861, eince when he has been engageJ — with the exception of the last three or four years, daring which time he has been incapacitated — in active missionary work. It is not necessary here to go into the details of all the hardships, trials, privations, and dangers which those good pioneers of Catboliaity had to undergo in the early days of the Colony. The reading of such recountals nowadays, with our bridges, and roads, and coaches, and iron horses, would seem almost like a romance rather than a recital of the bare outline of solid facts. They carried their lives in their bands, for the Maoris were in many instances decisively hostile, and in many cases frantically so ; consequently this was another danger and annoyance, added to the difficulty occasioned by impassable roads — or rather.want of roads,— flooded rivers, and the severity of the weather. But where the duties of his sacred calling necessitated his presence, Father Seauzaau was not to be deterred by natural obstacles. Distance was no object to him, even if the way lay through trackless busb, so long as he was required at the bedside of some sou 1 wishing to make its peace with its Creator. He was stationed first near Jerusalem, north of Wanganui; afterwards at Napier with the Rev Father Forest. la 1863 the district of Blenheim, wLic'a then extended from Peloras to sixty miles east of the Kaikouras, was entrusted to his charge, and for many years the good Father waß as welcome as he wa9 well known to many a homestead in the Marlborough Province — be the owner of whatever creed or nationality. He was appointed parish priest of Timaru in 1882, and in the same year was sent as a delegate from the Marist Order in New Zealand to represent them in France. On his return from thence he was appointed Vice-provincial of the Society in this Colony, and for the purpose of superintending its affairs he took up his residence in 1883 in Wellington. He met with a very serious accident at Waipawa in 1887, when, on b«nng thrown from bis buggy, his leg waa brokeu, and although the fracture was set, be never recovered from the effects of the fa'l. In 1889, in consequence of continued ill-health, he retired from the active administration of the affairs of the Society, Since the accident five years ago he has been a very great sufferer ; but he bore his great pain with fortitude, resignation, aod true Christian patience. On Saturday morning he went to Confession, and intimated that he would be ready to hear Confessions in the evening. He sat down to breakfast, but was taken ill during the course of the meal, and bad to be taken to his room, when he became worse, and one of the priests attending him, seeing his critical condition, administered the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, which was scarcely done when death claimed its victim, and the soul of a good man, an ardent missionary, a devoted priest, and a model Christian winged its flight before its Maker.

At a serious fire which took place at the Lower Hutt on Wednesday night last, whereby a valuable hall, store and private dwelling were destroyed, the Very Rev Father Lane distinguished himself by the great assistance which he gave in rescuing property. Were it not for his courage in leading others and breaking into the Oddfellows' Hall, some valuable property and regaliajwouldlbave been destroyed by the fire. The paperj here gave him a meed of praise for his action on the occasion.

It is said that Sir Charles Lilley has been so pleased with the climate and scenery of New Zealand that he has expressed his intention of taking np his residence in the Colony.

The Very rtev Father Devoy, V.G., wishes me once more to remind holders of tickets for theZealandia Art Union to send him in the blocks aod money as soon as possible, so that they may be in time for the drawing, which takes place in the beginning of February. Active preparations are now being made for the carrying out of the fair and bazaar, which promises to be one of the best ever held in Wellington.