Through tbe principal street of the city the magaificent proportions of the procession were (he theme of general comment. The streets were absolutely thronged upon each si 'c with citizens.
Entering the suburban town of Onehunga the bell of the Anglican Church was tolled as a mark of sympathy, and evoke 1 much favourable comment. When the hearse had reached the entrance to the Church of the Assumption tha coffia was born to the front of the altar and a procession formed. Bishop Grimes, vested in black cope and white mitre, headed tbe proa ssion of pries p, Fathers Parton and Annndolini (of Himiitoi), O. S. 8., deacon and sub-deacon, attended the Bishop. The service at the grave was conducted by his Lordship Bishop Grimes, and supported by the whole body of tbe priests around him, their rich and musical voices blending most harmoniously. Tne spacious and ornamental brick ohurch was thronged, yet so vast was the multitude that hardly one-tenth obtained admission. On the Gospel side of the Church, at the part of tbe mission cross, a slab was removed from ihe floor, where a vault was sunk, lined with brick and concrete floor, and here was laid for his long lasting rest the remains of the good, kindly, pious Right R v Bishop Luck-a noble prelate, indeed, was he.
Dr Grime?, walking to the aitar steps, than addressed a few words to the large crowd who managed to squeeze into the Cburch. He eaid that the last time he was in that Church he was accompanied by the late Bishop, who, on that occasion, spoke with pride of the beautiful Church they were assembled in, and who referred to it as a lasting monument of Monsignor Paul's zeal and devotion. He
around the vault, bis Lordship, supported by the clergy, recited in Litin and English the final prayers. The Rev Father Luck here sobbed over the tomb of his illustrious brother, and he moved to tears many around. As brothers they were of each other passionately fond.
This ended the ceremonial, but— not yet— more remains to be 'old, and this above all things portrays the Chriatian faith of him for whom all now unite in praying. For his people he lived, for his people he died. On Sunday evening at St Patrick's the Rev Father Maiden, by the recital of portions of the Bishop's will and testamen', added additional lustre to the memory of him. Father Madden pointed out that the fruits of the Bishjp's labours for the past thirteen years had been devoted ent-rely to the cause. The Cathedral had been freed of all debts, and the remainder of his earthly belongings has gone to benefit the diocese of Auckland. Even the Bishop's own brother received nothing but a chalice and there was not enough left to purchase a headstone to erect over the grave of the Bishop, who in his last testament had appealed to the clergy to erect a plain, simple cross over the grave to his memory. The late Bishop had carried oat the assurance he had given that he would leave the cathedral free of debt. This has been done out of his own private means at a cost of £900. The cathedral wa? therefore practically free. The presbytery, on which there was still a debt of £1600, wan not however, for Bishop Luck thought this should be the duty of the congregation. Even the late Bishop's vestments which had been presented to him by the Banedictine Order would be returned to that Order. Where is the heart that could not, on reading tbis dying testamen', be deeply moved ? Where is the community
said here for the repose of the soul of the late renerated prelate, who was in the fourteenth year of bis episcopate. When the sad news of his death reached this city the members of the loe*l Hibernian Society forwarded to Auckland a telegram of condolence, which was received and read by their Bishop, the Right Rev Dr Grimes.— R.l P.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 40, 31 January 1896, Page 27
Word Count
672Untitled New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIII, Issue 40, 31 January 1896, Page 27
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