NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 44, 1 March 1895, Page 15

NEW CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Cfaranaki Herald, February 18.) It was indeed a memorable day od Sunday for the Catholics of New Plymouth, for never before had there been such a larga and representative p.saamblage as waß present at the consecration of tbe uew 8t Joseph's Caurch. Tho buiidirg, wh.ch is remarkably imposing us a specimen of architectural pk: 11, has been erected from designs by Mr P. G. Smrb, of this town. It is in the Early English Gjthic style of architecture, and built cf wo.'d, on a cut stone foundation. The nave is 60 feet by 30 feet, wi.b walls 20 feet high, stayed with buttresses and roofed with an open Goihic-framed rib princiuJ roof, diagonally sheeted and covered with g*lvameed corrugated iron. There is a neat, roomy porch on tha front elevation, with two doable doors, and dressed stona steps permitting of easy and comfortable exit. The aanc vary, at the end of the Dave, for the High Altar, ia 20 feet by 20 fett with a Urged^cp-moulded arch, supported on heavy turned columns, and on each si le are the small chapels of the same design. The vestries, one on each sido of the sanctuary, are 14 feet by 12 feet, placed in the angles, giving a uniform appearance neatly breaking up the outline of the plan. The building was erected under the superintendence of Mr P. G. Smith, architect, New Plymouth. Sunday was a most exquisite day. The sky was clear, and the eun shone brightly during tho whole of the day. Everything was in favour of tbe auspicious event. A special train from Hawera, which stopped at intermediate Btations, arrived at 10 45 a. m , which brought up not only the choir from the Hawera Catholic Church, but about a hundred and thirty of the members of that denomination. Others came by the train, which is said to have brought to Mew Plymouth 250 settlers from Hawera and intermediate sta'ions. The permanent seating in the church could not accommodate all the congregation, and a good deal of improvised se-itiug had, therefore, to be provided. At 11.15 a.m. the ceremony of consecrating the church waa commenced by his Grace Archbishop Redwood, assisted by the Rev Father Mulvihill (Hnwera), tho Rev Father McKenna and the Rev Father Cognet (New Plymouth), and altar boys walking in procession from the Sanctuary to the main entrance of the buiMing, where the ceremony of blessing the new edifies was commenced. The procession then passed around the outside, and on entering the church again prayers were said. After that the interior was bleased, his Grace sprinkling the walls of the building with holy water. The procession then passed into the Sacristy. On the return of the clergy his Grace was robed m full canonicals, and tock hi 3 "eat to tlia left of the altar, looking from the congregation. The ordinary service of the Mass was then proceeded with. Just before the "Credo," his Grace Archbishop Redwood preached. He prefaced his sermon by saying it was only a few months since the beautiful church that they wera consecrating that day had been deditated to God on the occasion of the ceremony of laying and blessing the foundation stone. He was going to preach to them that day about God, and the obligations they owed their Creator, whose creatures they and be were. It was hia intention to base fcis remarks on the words, " I am Thy servant ; give me understanding that I may know Thy Commandments." He said his remarks were addreasci to thosa who hd assumed believed thero was a Ood. His Grace then proceeded to demonstrate what was the nature of the services they should render to The Creator to whom they owed all they possessed. They mv t believe in Tne Creator. Anyone who denied there was a < reator went against all teaching, Btultified himself, went against his conscen.^e, and against the common sense of those around him. It was no use talking to wuch a man. On the other hand if they believe lid the Creator, whic^ they must neceesaiily do, then they must obey all His divine commands and injunctions. Archbishop Redwood then showed the power of the commands of God, which was unlimited and unfettered, and then proceeded to point out that His love was extended to all. ani waa not confined to any particular one of Gjd's cre-uures. The preacher gave Beveral striking comparisons, illustrating his remarks on the power and beneficence of God, and exhor ed his hearers to obey tbe Commandments. His Grace concluded a powerful and reasoning Bermon by congratulating the people of New Plymouth on the erec- 1 tion and possession of such a beautiful church as they were in, which waa a credit to the architect who designed it, to the builders, to the priest who arranged the interior, and to the ptople who so liberally subscribed. A collection waa then made, and a substantial sum was subscribed. The music was in the hands of the Hawera choir, under the conductorship of Mr Joseph Higham, assieted by an orchestra consisting principally of membera of Mr Garry's orchestra. Tha respective parts were as follows : — 9opr<mop, Mesiiames Fiynn, Wnit'akpr, an! Miss Knight. Altos, Misses K. and N. Flynn, aud Edwards. Tenors Messrs J. Gilman, Bachelor, Golhnp, and Hall. Basses, Messrs J. Basse! 1, E. Walton (of Auckland), nnd J. Hicham Orchestra : Organ, Miss A. Flyna ; first violin, Mr R. Cottier ; second violin, Mr Booth ; double bass, Mr l\ Hughes ; first clarionet, Mr 8. Cottier ; second clarionet Mr Fred Newell ; first trump t, Mr E. Tate (Hawera) ; second trumpet, Mr F. Hornnnn (Hawera). The music rendered in the morning was Haydn's No 1 Mass. Of all that great author's masajs i he No 1 is the most sublime, the choruses being quite as gre.it and missive a=i those of the composer's Creation. The " Kyne " opens with a grand solemn adagio in which the trumpets furm an important feature, where it is a change to 3-4 cime in which the fugato makes its appearance. The respective parts took up well the fugue theme. After the sermon came the " Credo," a weighty Hllegro chores. Tbt next movement ia the " Et lacarnatus," one of Haydn's most bsaatiful, hearenly compositions. It is in the form of an alto solo, then repeated with soprano an! alto in duet; ilia same theme is again repeated in trio, Ist ani 2nd soprano and alto, The so o parts

were sustained by Mtsiames Flynn and Whittaker, and Miss N. Flyon. The clarionet s >los in this passage were a beautiful feature, and Messrs S. Cottier and Fred Newell did them full justice, and the pizz c^to accompaniment of the strings was moat effjeive. The " Unj?ihxuß " changes to them:nor, and isasjli trio for touor and first and second bass, the respective parts being taken by Mr Oilman, RU98 1 !', and Walton. Tbe next passages, the •' Xt Reßurrexit" and "Bt Vitam " are again two heavy and brilliant choruses. At this part ot the airvice is sung the Offertory, the piece rendered being a 4 Tan'um Ergo," a duat for soprano and alto in allegretto 3-4 time, composed by the organist, Mus Fiynn. It is a most melodious and devoional csmposition, and doea the young lady composer the highest honour and credit. It wa^ very appropriate in its position in the service. The duet waa sang by Mrs Flynn and Miss Nellie Flynn Tne " Saictus 1 Sanctus 1 Sanctus I " (" Holy 1 Holy 1 Hjly ! ") opans with a full solemn alasio chorus, which breaks into an allegro fugato. The "Agnus Dei" is a solemn adagio chorus, which is followed by the " Dona Nobia," the last chorue, which bringa the Mass to a most brilliant completion. The voice parts were well sustained throughout. The orchestra was a great factor in the music • The instrumentation is a most difficult one, and requires first-class artists to perform and an able and talented conductor to lead them, and the way chey attended to their respective parts proves them all to be artists. Thia concluded the morning service. There waa another large congregation at the Vesptrs service, when Archbishop Redwood delivered a sermon on how to keep the Cjmmandmnnts, which was a sequel to the sermon in the morning. B ;fore proceeding to deliver the sermon, His Giace, on behalf of himself and the Rev Father McKenna, the priest of the parish, heartily thanked the Hawera choir and the orchestra for the valuable servic -a they had rendered that day. His Grace then proceeded to show that the Commandments could only ba kept by conscientious and constant prayer, and, in an impressive address, he exhorted hia hearers to always caltivate praying. Mothers and fathers, he added, should always act a good example in this respect to their children like Jesus Christ bad set theiexample to the Apostles. The musical portion of the services consisted of the Vesper psalms; the Magnificat (Webb), a sparkling chorus interspersed by aolns, which were taken by Mrs Wbittaker, Miss N. Flynn, and Mr Oilman ; Zingarelli's Laudate, tenor solo and chorus, the soloist being Mr Gilman ; Offertory, Aye Maria (Cherubim), Mips Cirrie Knight, eoloist ; B^n-'dieti >n, O Si'utaris (Steinforth), the trio bsing taken by Misse* X aad N. Flynn, and Messrs Bichelor and Higham ; Litany, solos and chorua (Higham), the sjlois^s being Mesdames Wnittaker nni Flynn, and Mr Oilman; TaatumErgo (Lambalotte), and Hallelujah chorua completed the musical service.

Th« Hawera choir and visitors from other centres left the Bam* eight by the 9 o'clock Bpecial train.