DEPARTURE OF BISHOP GRIMES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 3, 14 May 1897, Page 28

DEPARTURE OF BISHOP GRIMES.

We supplement our necessarily condensed report of the farewell conversazione last week by the following additional particulars from the LyttelUm Times report : —

Mr. J. R. Hayward read the following address from the Hibernian Society :: — •■ We, the officers and rr embers of No. S2, St. Patrick's branch of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, on the eve of your departure for the Eternal City, there to lay at the feet of the Supreme Pontiff, the illustrious Pope Leo XIII., the affairs of your diocese, beg to express to you our attachment, veneration and love. We are deeply imbued with feelings of gratitude and a deep sense of the earnest exertions you have given to our society, and we feel extremely thankful for the more than kind reference you have made to us in your last pastoral letter. We cannot forget that you have laboured amongst your flock, after the example of the Good Shepherd, diffusing the blessings and consolations of your pastoral care, mingling personally with your devoted flock. It would be superfluous to assure your Lordship that you have created in our hearts feelings of the deepest love and that the prospect of even a temporary separation excites in us sentiments of the greatest regret, no matter how it might be lessened by the hope we fondly entertain of shortly seeing you amongst us again. Be assured that we shall gladly unite in the fervent prayers which will be raised by your flock to the Eternal Throne of Grace for your temporal and eternal welfare. Wishing you a pleasant voyage and a speedy return to your diocese and respectfully asking you to obtain for us from the Holy Father his blessings upon ourselves and our society, which has already received his approbation, as well as that of his august predecessor, Pope Pius IX., of happy memory, we beg to remain your Lordship's obedient and devoted children in Christ. Signed on behalf of the St. Patrick's branch of the H.A.C.B. Society — J. R. Hayward president : J. Gresham vice-president ;J. R. Courtenay, treasurer ; P. Burke, past president ; D. Steinmetz, acting-secretary."

The address from the Catholics of Chrischurch had been beautifully engrossed and illuminated in the Convent of Notre Dame des Missions, Barbadoes street, and that from the Hibernians by Mr. Cook.

Miss Maud White presented a beautiful bouquet to his Lordship, who was heartily applauded on rising to reply. He said he had thought to leave Christchurch without any demonstration, but his friends of the laity had held otherwise, and he was more than gratified at the success of their efforts. He heartily thanked the members of the committee, the ladies and gentlemen who had taken part in the programme and all who had assisted. He returned hearty thanks for the beautiful addresses. It was true, as was said therein, that much had been done since the diocese of Christchurch had been formed, but, after God, the honour was due to his faithful, self-sacrificing, devoted priests and to their faithful flocks. They had given most generously out of their limited means of their subBtance. In less than ten years the Catholics of this dioce«e had given for churches, schools and charities prescribed by the Bishop no less than £120.457 (applause), which included £3<i.2<>!) l'.ts for the maintenance of schools, besides what had been given by the faithful and self-sacrificing religious — there were places where the latter had spent hundreds and thousands of pounds out of their own means. Surely a Bishop must be proud of such a flock, and he was very proud of both priests and people. When in the Eternal City and elsewhere, one of his first objects would be to obtain recruits to strengthen the number of his zealous and devoted priests. He would convey to the Holy Father the expression of their loyalty and attachment to him, and ask his fatherly and pontifical blessing for them. What he had said he would like the Hibernians to take as also applying to them. He wished all his people to avail themselves of so excellent a society. He would convey the expression of their attachment to the Holy Father, and would ask him to extend to the society the blessing bestowed upon it by his illustrious predecessor (applause).

In the musical programme, which was under the charge of Mr. H. Rossiter, Mrs. E T. Robinson sang, " When the heart is young." and " Bid me discourse." and was encored for the latter. Miss Moir sang "Al Ballo, " Miss Bryant "Whisper and I shall hear,"' Miss Lucy Ryan " Stars love the night" and " Oh, how delightful." and was encored for the latter. Miss A. Hayward " For all eternity," Mrs. .T. P. Kolly and Mr. C. Read sang the duet •• Maying," Mr. Read •' There is a flower," and Mr. Allan Young " Off to Philadelphia," and •' Father O'Flynn." Misses Funston and Robinson and Mr. Rossiter were the accompanists.

The Bishop concluded with a few appropriate words of thanks and farewell. The National Anthem was sung with orchestral accompaniment : and cheers for his FiOrdship closed the proceedings.

The Tim is of May <> gives the following account of the proceedings on the night of the Bishop's departure :—: —

The grounds of the Catholic prebbytery, Barbadoes street, were crowded at seven o'clock last night by those anxious to bay a parting word to the Right Itev. Dr. Grimes. The Bishop's house was prettily decorated with lights and mottoes expressive of wishes for his Lordship's safe and speedy return. A few minutes before his departure, Bishop Grimes appeared upon the balcony and addressed a few words of farewell to his people. After thanking them for their attendance in such large numbers, he expressed his warm feelings of gratitude to the citizens of Christchurch in general and to his own people in particular for the unvarying courtesy and kindness he had experienced during his ten years' sojourn among them. He specially thanked the committee who had made his valedictory meeting at the Art Gallery such a pronounced success. The Bishop left the presbytery amid hearty cheers and fervent wishes for hia safe return. At the railway station the scene was equally animated and the people were most enthusiastic. The railway platform was crowded and there was a constant stream to and from the Bishop's carriage of those anxious

for a last word. His Lordship appeared deeply moved, and the Rev. Fathers Cummings, Marnane, Galerne, Foley, Malone and Aubrey, who accompanied him, had plenty to do in speaking to those who were unable personally to say " Goodbye " to their Bishop. As the train slowly left the platform three ringing cheers were given for the Bishop, who was accompanied as far as Lyttelton by the clergy abovementioned, by about fifty of his parishioners and by many gentlemen belonging to other denominations. At Lyttelton there was again a large crowd on the wharf to bid farewell to Bishop Grimes ere he finally took his departure in the Tarawera.