THE BISHOP OF AUCKLAND AT OTAHUHU.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 1, 3 May 1895, Page 19

THE BISHOP OF AUCKLAND AT OTAHUHU.

(From an occasional Correspondent ) On Low Sunday the little village of Ota'iuhi hid a visit from his Lordship the Right Rev Dr Lack, Bishop of the diocese, who came for the purpose of conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation on a number of candidates, girls and boys, who hal bceo. in preparation for this solemn event for two months previous. Another object cf the Bishop's visit was the establishment of tho association of the Children i,f Mary in the parish, For the children who took part in the day's ceremonial it will be a never-to-be-forgotten day in their young lives. la the morning the greater numb rof them had the supreme happiness of nceiving for the fhst time into ihe r you-.g hearts their God.

A liitle before 8 o'clock a.m. tha young commnnicanta filed into the church in processional order, the boya leading with lighted taper? and wearing white scarfs and gloves. The girls followed clad in puie white, erableina'ic of their purity and innocence. The Mass was celebrated by Father O'Hira, and it must have been a aubject of great happiness to him, to see so many of his children receiving at his hands, the Bread of Angels. After Mass the children adjourned to the convent schoolroom, where an ample breakfast had been provided by kind friends, and which waa done ample justice to by tha young peop'e. A feature of the morning's proceedings waa the music which was rendered during the Mass by the children's choir, tho hymns before aid after cjmmna oi being most devotional. Tho evtntof the day was the visit of hia Lords jip, and shortly after 10 o'clock vehicles began to arrive, while pedea'rians, some from great distances, gathered ioto the charch and surrounding grounds as the appoiuted hour drew near. The weather waa everything that could be desired, the sut shone with all its autumn glory, imparting a brightness to everything. Shortly before 11 o'clock the Biahop arrived, accompanied by his private secretary, Father Purton, O.K B. Immedif.toly a proce^Bion was formed, starting from the Convent sohool, in iha following order : — Firs', the aspirants of the Children of Mary, headed by their banner ; then the gills for confirmation, in white ; last, the boys, as in the morning, wth lighted tapera, As they slowly wended up the centre of the church, sirging an appropriate bjrnn, it wss a very impressive sigh 1 , aDd the revtrent demeanour of the children was a theme of admiration, ttu.t it being thj first time they took part in such a ceremony. 'Vhen they had taken thoir places Mass was begun, it being celebrated by Father O'llara, his Lordship presiding at his throne. At its conclupion the Bishop, robed in copa and mitre, with crozier in h -nd, ascended the altar, and addressed the large congregation on tho purport of hia visit. He dwelt strongly on the subject of education, on the duty of par n's to their children on that point. He spoke in very forcible term«, and aeked God's blobS'ng on those who did their duty to their children in giving them a Chnstiun education. lie pointed out, in strong terms, the results of an education devoid of the fear of God, and urged the pc pie to do tbeir duty by their children, liv I addressed thg candidates for confi -mi n in moving terms', expltining, in a clear, simple way, the nature and tffVct of the sacrament he was about to confer on them, and after exhorting them never to forget their obligations as Christiars and soldiers cf Chrisr, he proceeded to give them the sacrnment. At its conclus-u n, being divested I of cope a- d mitre, and resuming the me zetta, his Lordship conferred i the grten ribbon and medal on the twenty aspirants who knelt round I the altar nils for tl at purpose. He addressed a few piac'ical words

of advice and encouragement to the recipients, dwelling on tbe virtues they should practice, obedience and submission to parents, avoiding a love of dress, to be always neatly dressed, but to have no excessive love for it — to fit themselves for the path of life God had placed them in. He aiverted, in strong terms, to the advantages of a girl embracing domestic service in a good family, rather than serving in a crowded factory with all its surrounding dangers. In conclusion, he gave them his blessing. He did not forget to give the Sisters of Mercy a word of commendation on tbe appearance and order of the children. The children then left the church in the same order, his Loidehip coming to see the precession as it wended its way round to the pchoolroom. The children received each a memento of the day from the Bishop. He expressed great pleasure at their nice appearance and demeanour. Shortly afterwards his Lordship Btarted for Auckland. In the evening the children were present at Benediction, before which Father O'Hara gave a most impressive instruction to them, tolling them nevtr to forget the day. Daring Benediction the boys, with lighted tapers, knelt round the altar. This brought to a close for the children the happiest day of their lives. Some of them were overheard saying they wished it was only beginning.