LENTEN PASTORAL OF THE BISHOP OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 18, 17 February 1893, Page 25

LENTEN PASTORAL OF THE BISHOP OF CHRISTCHURCH.

John Joseph, by the grace or God and favour of the Apostolic See, Bishop of (hbistchurch. 'lo the Clehgy, Skculab and Regular and Faithful, of the said Diocese — Health and BENEDicriON in the Lobd. Deably Beloved Brethren and Children in Jesus Christ, — It has at length been granted us to bold our firßt Synod. This great event, to which priests and people were long looking forward, will, we are confident, be treasured as one most memorable in the annals of the diocese of Cbristchurch. The sessions began after the Pontifical High Mass on January ltitb, and ended the following Wednesday morning. None who were privileged to be present at the opening or closing ceremonies of this canonical ceremony could fail to bo deeply impressed by the august rites Holy Church presences to be observed on •och solemn occaeioD?. W>, who presided over the deliberations, ' were still more deeply impressed by the perfect concord and harmony which reigned throughout the same. We have, indeed, much to be

grateful for. Oar first and heartfelt thanks are due to the FUber of mII mercies, to His only Begotten Son, whose divine promiaea we knew, with the knowledge of faith, were being fulfilled in oar regard. Gathered together in His adorable Name, we seemed to realise the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit, guidiog and directing as in what was framed solely for the greater glory of God and the good of souls confided to our keeping. To Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, aud our own dear Mother, to our angels, guardian and our Bpecial patrons, we are indebted for their powerful protection . We owe much to our zealous clergy for the wisdom of their couns 1 and experience. To the devoted religious, liviog in communities, no less than to all the pious faithful of our diocese, we return thanks for the help of their prayers, offered up to the throne of the Mo»t High, long before and during the course of the synod. We trust, with the blessing of God, to publish, at no very distant date, the synodical acts and decrees. Drawn up in Latin, they are intended to guide and direct the diocesan clergy in the discharge of their ministry. To these alone will they be distributed. Whatever concerns religious communities, and the faithful at large, will in due course be made knowc to them by tbeir respective paatorß or other ecclesiastical superiors. Id the meantime, we deem it our duty to call your attention to a few facts which have come more especially under our notice daring diocesan visitation?. In examining the baptismal registrars, we were painfully surprised to find the too long interval allowed to elapse between the temporal and the spiritual birth of so many little children. If we bring homt to ourselves the great risks to which the lives of those dear little ones are exposed and the still greater risk of Buffering them to die without the regenerating waters of baptism being poured upon their soul, how could we rest until they were admitted into the bosom of the Church ? It is surely the first thing Catholic parents should have in view, when heaven blesses them with offspring, to make them children of God and of His Church, and heirs of the Kingdom of (Jhriut. To put off this great act, without grave ieasone, for more than a few days, is certainly most criminal and deserving of censure. We have given our clergy instructions on this important subject. Again, we are astonished at the indifference of our flock for what holy Church has ever and deservedly held in the highest esteem the Nuptial Mass for those entering upon the holy state of matri- | inony ; and the Mats of Rtquitm for the dear departed, on the day ! of their burial. We could name dioceses, in m.esionary countries, too, where the ! distance frcm chuiches is even greater than in New Zealand, and yet I the august sacrament of Matrimony is there never administered save I at a Nuptial Mass. If, dearly beloved brethren in Jesus Cbrist, the ' great blessings of such a Mass were made known to yog, we feel sure i you would make any sacrifice to have it celebrated for the marriage of any near cr dear to you, or in whum you have any true interest. 1 Thanks be to God, and the enlightened zeal of their pastors, we have | in our diocese, some few parishes where no marriage is celebrated [ without the special Mass prescribed for such a solemnity. It is the proud boast of such pastors, too, that they have never assisted at a mixed marriage. Would that we were never applied to for any such i dispensation. On this painful subject we here repeat what we de1 clarei to our clergy, at the foot of Cod's holy altar, during our ! Bynod : " We would lather err on the side of severity than that of leniency in granting dispensations for such marriages." Does not | daily experience prove them to be a cause of irreparable harm to , individuals and to society I i We are often inclined to ask whether the beautiful devotion to ! the dead, which most of us have inherited as a precious heirloom i from our pious ancestors, will not soon die oat amongst us. Costly funerals seem to be the order of the day. But bow few, how very few, of cur people make the least effort to have a Requiem Mass 1 celebrated for the beloved ones, whose earthly remains they are | sorrowfully following to the grave 1 How few, who, though believing with the inspired penman, that " It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead " (11. Mach, xii, 46), practically believe that the adorable nacrifice of the Mass is the most powerful prayer that can be (ffered in behalf of the poor suffering souls? How much morerfadily do most people follow the spirit of the world than that of God and Ilia Cburch in the last duties they discharge towards the dead 1 The plea of poverty can seldom or never be a lawful exouse in New Zealand for auch neglect of the only trae in.

terestß of ehe ilear departed. Pounds are freely spent on elaborately wrought coffins or expensive wearing apparel, and & few shillings are begrudged for the wants of the sou). A Catholic funeral should be distinguished from others by the celebration of a Mass of Requiem and the prtsence of the priest and bis attendants, aMired in the robes prescribed by the Ritual. This we wisb to be the rule in this oar diocese. At the present moment, dearly beloved brethren and children in Jesus Christ, (he Catholic world is celebrating the Episcopal Jubilee of our Holy Father Ihe Pope. This memorable event will be reached February 19, the first Sunday of Lent. At a meeting of the Catholic bishops of this Colony, held in Dnnediu last July, it was resolved :— 1. " That an address of congratulation be sent to the Holy Father on the occasion of his Episcopal Jubilee, and special prayers enjoined for February 19, 1893, and the following Sunday." 2. "That the prayer ' Pro Papa ' be added in the Mass of the day ; Benediction cf the Most Holy Sacrament be given, where possible, on both days ; the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and the • Te Deum ' recited or sung at Benedict iou or after Mass, according to the priest's convenience, And that the clergy exhort the faithful to go to Confession and Holy Communion on the Friday or following Sunday for the intentions of the Holy Father." His Grace the Archbishop has duly forwarded this congratulatory address to the Sovereign Pontiff in the name of the Catholic bishops, priests, and people of New Zealand. It remains with us to add that when it is not possible to cboose the 19tb, another Sunday in February may be chosen to solemnise our Holy Father's jubilee. We, moreover, give permission for exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament from noon till the evening devotions of the same day. In corap'iance with the wishes of our Holy Father the Pope, we publish at the close of this *hort Pastoral the Papal brief, together with the rulee, regulations, and indulgences of the universal association of Jthe Holy Family. The Bishop of Bishops, Pope Leo XIII., sayß :— " We have the firm hope that all those to whom is confided the care of the salvation of souls, particularly the bishops, will share our intentions and wishes in the establishment of this pious association, and help us by their concurrence to make it prosper. In fact those who know and deplore along with us the depravity aod corruption of Christian morals, the extinction of the spirit of religion and piety in families, the stirring up of unbridled cupidity of earthly possessions, will earnestly desire to apply opportune remedies to so many and such great evils." We earnestly exhort our beloved clergy to impress npon the souls oonfided to their charge the immense advantages of belonging to this and other uich pious associations or confraternities. We hereby appoint our Vicar-Qeneral V.ry Rev J. Cumminga, the diocesan director, the better— as oar Holy Father suggests— to promote the pious association among tbe faithful. In his report on tbe school examinations for tbe year ending 31st December, 1892, our dioceean inspector says : " I am heppy to certify that everywhere the standard has been considerably raised since last year. The Government syllabus has been taught in its entirety, and generally with such succee9 as to m >ke me confident that our Catholic schools are second to none, and need not be afraid of any inspection, from whatever quarter it may come." We are gratified to know that a pupil of the Broiber'u school in Ohristcburch has just won a scholarship in the excellent college of St Patrick, Wellington. Cuntinue, dearly beloved, the noble effjris you have so long made to give your dear children tbe priceless boon of a Ohiistian Catholic education. Men will admire ani revere you ; and, what is a million times more, God Himself will reward you for your sacrifi c, and ibis both in time and eternity. Tbe following are the Lenttn and other regulations. In virtue of faculties receifed from the Apostolic See :— Ist. Flesh meat is al.owed at the chief meal on all days, except Wednesdays and Fridays and Ember Saturday, which falls this year on the second Saturday ia Lent, and Monday in Holy Week. 2nd. The nse of draping and lard is permitted at dinner ou all days of fast and abstinance during Lent, and also throughput the

year, txcept on As^ Wednesday, the first Wednesday of Lent, and Wednesday and Friday in Holy Week. 3rd. WMte meat*— such as batter, milk, cheese, and eggs— are allowed on all days at dinner and collation, with the exception of Alh Wednesday and Good Friday. A little milk is always allowed in tea, coffee, or other beverages. 4th. For thoss wbo, though not bound to fast, are bound to abstain : The kinds of food which are allowed at their chi«f meal to those who are bonnd to fast, are allowed at all times to those who are not so bound. sth. Fish and fleih are not allowed at the same meal during Lent. • 6th. There is neither fast nor abstinence on the Buoday» in Lent, nor on the Feast of St Patrick, unless it falls on a Friday. 7th. All who have completed their twenty-first year are bound to fast and abstain, unless excused by the state of their health or tbe nature of their employment*, according to the regulations stated above ; and all who have arrived at the use of reason, though not bound to fast before the completion of their twenty-flrst year, are nevertheless bound to abstain from tbe use of flesh meat on tbe days appointed, unless exempted from a legitimate cause, of which tbe respective pastors are to be judges. Bth. All who have arrived at the years of discretion are bound to go to Communion within Easter time, which in this diocese commences on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Octave of the Feast of S. Peter and S. Paul. The following are the dates appointed for the various collections :—: — 1. For tbe Hoy Places in Palestine— on Good Friday, March 31 2. For the Seminary Fund— oo Whit Sunday, May 21. 3. For the Peter's Pence Fund-Funday within the Octave of the Feast of N£. Peter aud Paul, July 2nd. 4. For the Dicce-san Cjarities— on Bos iry Sunday, October Ist. 5. For the Aborigines— on the Sunday after the Feast of 8t Francis Xavier, December 3rd, Ist Sunday of Advent. Theße collections must be made on the appointed days, or tbe earliest occasion after wards, when the pric«ts visit other churches or chapels in their district. They will be good enough to seod the proceedi to as direcly without delay. We subjoin a detailed account of the ejections taken up in the various parishes of tbe dioce«e during I^9l :—

Givrpn at Christcourcti, on the ocUve daj of our Lady'« Purification, hn<t appointed to be read and afurwarJs placed in » conepicucin place in the cbuicuee and chapels of the diocese, f John Joseph Qbimes, S.M., Bishop of Chi istchnrcb.

Holy Places. Seminary. Peter Pence. Aborigines. Ch^rfu" Pro-Cathedral ..8 0o" fo 10 o" fi 15 o' «10 o" £10 i' it Mary's, Ch'ch. ..366 626 600 — in 1 7 ft Lceston .. 116 9 sls 0 32 3 24 9 a 148 KSSSr :: 3 _° ° Vl ° 0 ;ss •} • S; tt n ton ;: oil. 6°6 ° to 3 3 ll J o° B _° ° 061O 6 14 4 • rfmuka .. - 77 10 311 9 210 0 56 6 iman ! • - 417 6 617 9 6 0 0 13 14 6 Waimato .. - 60 0 710 0 60 0 90 0 leraldino .. 312 (. 417 6 410 0 42 0 60 0 Lyttelton .. 013 0 0 U 6 018 (i 10 0 110 0 'Vkaroa . . _ 0 10 0 _ o 15 0 110 Ku » mrft .2100 4100 3~fi "UO 800 Lto^' 110 "" 1 '" •? 0 ° .? S ° 476 480 911 6 flokitikii V. 316 0 ~7 111 775 C 312 0 16 2 0 • Ahauni .. — 1' 6 9 4 14 II 0 f> n Q n n

- Hector's donation, £60 ; total, £69.