LENTEN PASTORAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1898, Page 3

LENTEN PASTORAL.

The following Pastoral Letter has been issued by the Most Rev Dr. Verdon, Bishop of Dunedin, to the clergy and laity of the Diocese of Dunedin :—: — Dearly beloved brethren : As the time of Lent is approaching, it is my duty as your Pastor, to exhort you to enter on the holy season with proper dispositions, and prepare by lasting and prayer and other good works for the worthy celebration of the great Easter solemnity. Lent, so venerable for its antiquity, was observed by the early Christians with the greatest fervour. Imitating the example of our Divine Redeemer, Who fasted for 40 days, they were accustomed to fast rigorously and abstain from all flesh meat during the whole time of Lent. But we are living in a less fervent age, and our Holy Church, compassionating the weakness and infirmity of many of her children, or taking into account the circumstances in which they are placed, has mitigated the rigour of the laws relating to fasting and abstinence, and has thus relieved them from a burden which they could with difficulty bear. The spirit of the law, however, remains unchanged. Lent is still a tune of penance and mortification — a time of atonement for sin and reconciliation with God. Our Holy Church still exhorts her children to unite together in prayer and deeds of penance, to offer holy violence to heaven, and by humble supplication to draw down abundant graces on themselves and on the whole Church. If you, beloved brethren, cannot imitate the rigorous fasts of your fathers in the faith, you can at least deny yourselves many unnecessary luxuries, you can mortifiy your corrupt inclinations, you can resist your rebellious passions and keep them in subjection. If you cannot abstain, like the fervent Christians of old, from flesh meat during the whole time of Lent, you can at least abstain from the follies and dissipation of the world ; you can turn away your eyes lest they may see vanity ; you can close your ears against all dangerous and improper conversation ; you can resist every temptation to indulge in unlawful pleasures. Many shrink from the practice of penance and mortification aa if it were something above their strength. But remember, beloved brethren, that unless we practice penance and self-denial we shall not enter heaven. Penance is necessary for all who have sinned against God : " Unless you do penance," said the Lord, ''you shall all likewise perish " (Luke, xiii., 5). It is even necessary for all who would persevere in virtue. Without it we cannot be true followers of Christ — " If any man will come after Me." says the Lord, " let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me " (Matthew, xvi., 21)- All the saints were animated by a penitential spirit. St. Paul, the vessel of election chosen to bring the name of Christ before the great ones of the world, tells us, '• I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest, perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway " (I. Cor., xx., 27). Let us, then, beloved brethren, be guided by the teaching and example of Our Divine Lord and His Apostles. If we look back upon our past lives we shall find that there is much to repent of, much to atone for. During the holy season of Lent we shall have many opportunities of practising penance. We shall be encouraged to act with greater generosity if we unite our good works to the penitential w orks of the faithful spread over the wholo world. And in order that our hatred for sin maybe increased, let us meditate frequently on the sufferings of our Divine Lord. Devotion to the passion of Christ and attachment to sin cannot exist together in the same soul. Jesus was ''despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrow and acquainted with infirmity " (Isaias, liii.. 3). Shall we not turn to Him with loving confidence when we reflect that " He was wounded for our iniquities ; He was bruised for our sins ; the chastisement of our pence was upon Him ; and by His bruises we are healed " (Isaias, liii., .">).

To mortification we should join prayer aud alms deeds. Of ourselves we can do nothing. We are indeed so weak that the Apostle St. Paul tells us we are not " sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves " (11. Cor., iii , .">). But '• our sufficiency is from God," and aided by divine grace we can triumph over all difficulties. v I can do all things in Him Who strengthencth me" (I'hil., iv.. 115). In all temptations and trials, in suilVrings and afflictions, in all our wants we bhould "go with confidence to tbo throne of grace that we m;iy obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid" (Heb., iv., 1<»). We will pray with greater confidence if we reflect upon these consoling words of our Divine Lord : " Amen, amen I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto you have not asked anything in My name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be lull " (John, xvi., 2.V).

With prayer you should also unite the practice of good, useful reading. Bad literature is one of the greatest evils of our own times. The bad and immoral books that arc now scattered broadcast over the land are dangerous to all, but especially to the young. Parents, if you are mindful of your responsibilities you Avill ban'sh all such wretched literature from your houses. But at the fame time you must provide good, useful books for your children. It is our earnest desire to make such arrangements as will enable you to supply yourselves with good, useful, and interesting books at the lowest possible cost. Meanwhile the Nkw Zealand Tablet, which is published in Dunedin, will supply you with much useful and entertaining reading. When the Tabli:t was started nearly twenty-five years ago by your lato revered Bishop, he told you that he " had in view to supply good reading matter to all the Catholics of the Colony, and to defend Catholic principles and Catholic interests generally." It is not necessary that I should tell you, beloved brethren, what good work the Taulet has done in the past. Under the skilful management of the present able and earnest

editor, it is still faithfully and successfully carrying out the designs of its illustrious founder. The Tablet is now undoubtedly one of the best written and most useful religious papers in the colonies. It may be read with profit by young and old. It deserves your support, and I sincerely hope that it will be introduced into every home and read by every Catholic family in this diocese.

Beloved brethren, abound in works of piety and charity, and thus make up in some degree for the relaxation that has been introduced into the law of fasting and abstinence. The charity of the Catholics of this diocese has been abundantly proved during the past twenty-seven years. The churches and schools that have risen up during those years were erected at the cost of many sacrifices. The calls upon your resources have been numerous, but you have responded with the utmost, generosity to every appeal. Continue to give as you have given in the past and God will reward you abundantly. Let no ungenerous diffidence in the goodness of God cause you to falter in your good work. Teajh your children to give alms. Teach them to rely on the promise of Him who said, '•Give, and it shall be given to you" (Luke vi , 38). Bequeath to your children that generous spirit which you inherited from your ancestors. Encourage them in their early years to make pious offerings, in order that in after years they may not depart from the ways of their fathers. •' A young man, according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it " (Prov., xxii., 6). Repeat to your children that beautiful exhortation which the aged Tobias addressed to his pious son. "According to thy ability be merciful. If thou have much give abundantly ; if thou have little take care to bestow willingly a little, for thus thou storeth up to thyself a good reward for the day of necessity. For alms deliver from all sin, and from death, and will not suffer the soul to go into dark ness" (Tobias, iv., 8-11).

I will ask you, beloved brethren, to bestow your Lenten Alms his year principally upon the Orphanage at South Dunedin. The main building of the Orphanage — a substantial brick building 100 feet long and 30 feet wide — has been erected at a cost of £1.~>83. A laundry and other necessary adjuncts will bring the total cost to about £2000. As the Orphanage will not merely supply a local want, but is destined to afford relief to destitute children from every part of the diocese, we may reasonably expect that all the Catholics of the diocese will contribute towards it. During the past years you were unwilling to allow buildings erected for religious purposes to remain encumbered by heavy debt. Let our good Catholics now unite in endeavouring to clear off the debt incurred in the erection of the Orphanage, so that the devoted Sisters of Mercy, who have undertaken the charge of it, may commence their arduous work unhampered by any previous obligation. By contributing towards it you will help to rescue many poor innocent children from destruction. The prayer of the orphan will pierce the heavens ; it will reach even to the throne of God, and will plead for mercy on your behalf. In conclusion I again exhort yon, beloved brethren, to sanctify the Lent by self-denial, prayer, almsdecds and other good works. Recite the Hos.iry daily, melitate frequently on the Passion of Our Redeemer, and prepare to reo« ive your Divine Lord worthily during the Paschal time. We know not when we may bo summoned to render an account of our stewardship. Make good u^e, therefore, of the grace tint is now uhen to you. Oh. " recone not the grac ot Ood in vain.' '" Beheld, now is the acceptable tune ; behold, vow is the day ot S.ihaiion" (11. Cor., \i.. "J). " Thp grace of our Lord Jcmis Christ-, and tho chiriry of God, find the commnnii alion of the Holy (ihost h n with jou all" (11. Cor., xin , 13). »p MKJirAEL VEItMON, Bishop ot Duiudin. Dunedin, Feast of St. Agatha, 18'.)S.

The following re^ulatiors foe Lent are made in viruie of faculties granted by the Apostolic See :—: — 1. Flesh meat is allowed at dinner on all days in Lent, except Wednesdays and Fridays, the Saturday in Ember week (March .">) and the Monday in Holy week. 2. On Fasting days a little refection is allowed in the morning and a collation in the evening, at which (except on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday) butter cheese, and milk, in moderation, may be used. !5. Eggs may be used at dinner on all days except Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 1. Lard and dripping may be used as a condiment at dinner on all days except Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. .j. Fish and flesh meat cannot be used at the same meal during Lent. G. The kinds of food that are allowed at the chief meal to those who are bound to fast, are allowed at all meals to those who. though not bound to fast, are bound to abstain. 7. There is neither fast nor abstinence on Sundays in Lent. 8. St. Patrick's Day (Thursday. 1 7th March) does not come under the law of last and abstinence. 0. In virtue oi! faculties ghen us by the Apostolic Sco, we aulhoris > priests ho.\ ing c-are oi souls, and con fetors to urant to the faithful such iurther dispensations as may be deemed nice--s.iry according to the circumstances of each case. 10. Persons not twenty-one years old, as well as tho^e advanced m old age. iu id all taoi-e who are unable to fast on account ot sickiu -s or h.ird labour, etc., are exempted irom the general obligation ot tat. ting.

All who have arrived at the years of discretion are bound to go to Communion within Easter time, which in this diocese ootnciences on Ash Wednesday and ends on the octave of the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul.

A collection for the Summary Fund will be made on the first Sunday in Lent, where a priest officiate?, and in otheri churches as soon after as possible. The collection for the Pope will be made in each church on some Sunday before the end of September next, and lor the Aborigine aiil Holy Places on some convenient day.

The clergy are requesied to re id this pastoral from the several altars as soon as po-^ble. and to c u^e a crpy of it to be placed during Lent in a conspicuous pi cc in their respective churches.