Diocese of Dunedin.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 26, 23 October 1896, Page 28

Diocese of Dunedin.

PALMERSTON. VISIT OF MOST UKV. DU. VJJKDON. The P/ilm/ iwtnn tnui Wnihouaiti Thin \ gives the following account of Dr. Verdon's first visit to the Palmerston district : — Dr. Verdon. the newly-appo nted Catholic Bishop of Danedin, on arriving- from Dunedin by the ~> 20 p m. train was met at the railway station by the Rev. Father O'Donnell. the priest of the parish, and several prominent Catholics, and was driven to the Presbytery, where he was the guest of Father O'Donnell. At 7.30 pm. the Bishop conducte I divine service in St. Michael's Church — wheh has a very comfortable and pleasant interior, and which is quite a credit to the members of the Church — and delivered a very eloquent and impressive address, in which he pointed out man's duty to his God, the gratitude he owed to the Supreme Being for the many favours he received at His hands, and the blessings he enjoyed. These claimed his first consideration —the love and reverence of his Maker, through the Lord Jesus Christ — but it was also necessary as a good Catholic and Christian that he should " love his neighbour as himself," and "do unto others as he would they should do unto him,"' and in this respect conform to the Divine edict. He also referred to the great responsibility that devolved upon parents in their moral and religious obligations. At the close of his address Father O'Donnell said the Catholics throughout the parish, of which Palmerston was the recognised centre, desired to tender hiß Lordship something more than mere words of welcome on that the occasion of his first visit. The district was so very large that many who would have likt d to be present to take part in the presentation — that of an address of welcome to his Lordship — had been unable to do so. The leading members of the Church in the different localities had, however, attached their signatures to the address in token of their warm approval and desire to join in giving expression to the sentiments conveyed in it. He then called upon Mr. H. O'Neill, who read the address as follows : — " To the Right Rev. M. Verdon D D , Lord Bishop of Dunedin. May it please your Lordship, — We, the Catholic people of this part of your diocese, approach you to-day in order to show our joy and gratitude at finding you amongst us, to <rive you a most cordial welcome on this occasion of your first visit to l'almerston, and to give expression to those sentiments of respect, veneration and love which we entertain for our Bishop. Owing to the very large district embracing our parish, the sparseness of the Catholic population, and the want of facility in travel, all of us could not meet in one place at the same time to offer you our greetings. But though scattered widely apart we are all united in mind and heart to do honour to him sent to us by the Holy See to be our spiritual ruler. The words of this address are only the expression of what is indelibly inscribed 'in the fl'shy tables' of the hearts of all your people in this parish. We are sure that in your Lordship we have one who is in every sense of the expression a worthy successor to Dr. Moran. Be assured that with the same cheerfulness with which we obeyed him we will always obey you. In avowing ourselves above all and before all obedient children of the Catholic Church, we know that among other things we arc promising your Lordship to exert our ourselves might and main in the endeavour to impart to our children a sound kno ledge of the Christian Doctrine. To make good this promise, we are resolved to do in the future as we have done in the past. We are resolved to second by every means in our power the efforts of our zealous and beloved pastor to give religious instruction to our little ones. With much pleasure already have we seen that you have determined to implant and cherish in the hearts of our people the spirit of patriotism. In this. Loo, we bey to assure you of our co-operation. While we yield to none in our love for the homes of our fathers, and while we shall always with jealous care cherish tho traditions of the land of our ancestors, we will always stand "shoulder to shoulder' with our fellow-uituens in the struggle to advance beautiful young New Zealand to the status of a great nation. It shall be one of our constant aims to imbue the minds of the rising generation — our sons and daughters— with an ever-increasing love of this land of their birth, until they come to believe with the poet, ' Their first best country ever is at home.' In conclusion, we beg your Lordship's blessing, and we pruy our Heavenly Father to give you every grace and blessing necessary for your responsible, laborious and exalted state. Signed on behalf of the parishioners Hugh O Xeill. Patrick Collins, Martin Power. Palmerston ; Michael Joyce, Neal Culling. Thomas (J. Dainty Hampden ; Francis I'helo.n, Daniel O Harilon, James Hartstonsje, Macraes; Edward O'Connell, P. Kenney, J P., P. Ryan, Hyde; V\ illiam Moynahan, Michael O'Brien, Middleinarch."' The address was printed on white satin in the shape of a heart, encircled by a floral border, beautifully hand-painted, the stand and frame being highly polisned Ne.w Zealand wood. The address was artistically designed and elaborately got up. and reflected very great credit on Father O'Donnell and the Misses Horan who took a prominent part in connection with it. His Lordship said he thanked them warmly for the beautiful address presented to him, and for the hearty and kind welcome extended to him on his first visit to Palmerston, which was extremely gratifying and which he regarded as an assurance of the same respect and loyal obedience to him as had been shown to his late lamented and illustrious predecessor, Bishop Moran. It had afforded him very great pleasure to visit Palmerston, and he regretted that he had had on a previous occasion to disappoint them. llfs Lordship expressed his regret that the necessity had arisen to cause tho removal of their pastor Irom amongst them, where he, laboured so energetically and successfully, and had endeared himself to all of them ; but it was a satisfaction to him to have been able to visit the district before their pastor departed. He reminded them that it was necessary that changes should be made, however

much congregations might regret them, and that priests wej-f like soldiers and must obey the orders of their superiors. So with himself who, he explained, was on his way to Rome when the news was cabled to him that his Holiness the Pope had appointed him Bishop of the important diocese of Dunedin. He at once obeyed the command and turned back, and so it was with the priesthood whose wish and desire was to advance the best interests of the Church, and to tender advice and instruction to prepare their people for their heavenly home. The sentiments in the address he had listened to with very great pleasure, and heard with great saisfaction the debire expressed to impart religious instruction to their children— a matter of the very greatest importance. He was also pleased to learn that some ladies connected with the Church were already engaged in this excellent work, and expressed the opinion that secular and religious education should go hand in hand. Any other system of education he was opposed to, and when the population was numerous enough, as in Dunedin, they had estaDhshed Catholic schools, but where the number of children was small they of course, were unable to do so. While cherishing the traditions of their forefathers and loyalty to the land of their birth ho was pleased to learn they were prepared to work " shoulder to shoulder " with their fellow-citizens to make young New Zealand the land of their adoj tion, a great, happy and prosperous country' His Lordship in conclusion again thanked them for their beautiful a idress, and the expressions of loyalty to the Catholic faith it contained, and hoped in a short time to be amongst them again.

INVERCARGILL.

(From our own correspondent.) „, „ , October 16, 1896. Ihe \ cry Rev. Dean Burke preached in St. Mary's on last Sunday. In the morning he preached on the devotion 'of the Rosary and »-aye a vivid account of its institution, and of the manner in which, by its use, the Turks were overthrown at a time when they threatened to overrun Europe. It was the action of the Pope that saved Europe, though, as the rev. preacher naively remarked, " the Popes get very little credit for it." In the evening he preached on the spiritual effects of the Redemption, and showed how great was the contrast between the mere natural man when left to himself as evidenced by the sensual civilisation of Rome, and man when brought under the influences of Christianity. The weather lately with us has been all that could be desired. The farmers have got their crops in the ground, and we are tempted to cry out with the poet of the Georjrics : "0 fortunatos nimium ajrncolas ! " A spell of warm weather would send the grass welJ ahead, and yive promise ot an early and abundant harvest. Yet again has merciless death visited our community, and gathered in his withering grasp one more of the loved ones. On Sunday last Mrs. Hishon quietly breathed her last, atter a painful illness borne with heroic patience, and consoled by the last Sacraments. The amiable qualities of the deceased lady had endeared her to a wide circle of triends. and no higher tribute can be spoken of her than this • That she was most highly appreciated by those who knew her most intimately. She had gathered round her in the early days ot Invercarjfill a number ot tnends whose respect tor her ever increased as years went by. and she died surrounded by her devoted tamily. and her triends w hose constant and unwearied care contributed greatly to soothe the last awtul journey. Now " Atter htes fitful lever she sleeps well." and it deep and sincere sympathy can be of any comfort to the bereaved family in their sad los.s, they certainly will not want for consolation. Rcquu teat in pace.