TO THE CLERGY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 19, 15 September 1898, Page 15

TO THE CLERGY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE.

The following Pastoral Letter on the subject of the forthcoming Council has been addressed by his Grace to the clergy of the archdiocese :—: —

St. Mary's Cathedral, Wellington, N.Z., September Bth, 1898.

Rev. Dear Father, In compliance with the often expressed desire of the Holy See, and after consulting the Right Rev. Bishopß of the province, I have officially convened the first Provincial Council f o the 21st of next January. It will be held at Wellington in the cathedral for the public sessions, and at St. Patrick's College for the general and private meetings, the first general meeting being fixed for three o'clock in the afternoon of that day at St. Patrick's College. The priests of each diocese who are called to the council with their respective bishops are (a) the theologian of the Archbishop and of each bishop ; (b) the representative of each diocese, elected by the clergy in diocesan synod, or general meeting of the diocesan clergy ; (c) the repiesentative of each religious Order in the Colony, At the council the priests will wear the ordinary church dress, viz : — Cassock and surplice ; the religious tbeir respective habit. The bishops, at the public sessions, will be vested in a red cope, and wear the plain white mitre. Prior to the Council, the Annual Retreat for the clergy of the archdiocese will begin on the 14th of next January, and will be followed by the Diocesan Synod, at which the representative of the clergy for the Provincial Council will be elected, and the Archbishop will have an opportunity to consult his clergy collectively, and to receive from them a statement of their views and suggestions concerning important matters to be afterwards submitted to the deliberations of the Council. And, as the Council requires the abundant grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit to ensure the wisdom and accomplishment of its decrees, I exhort you most earnestly to obtain that supernatural assistance by the united and fervent prayers of yourselves and your people, of the religious communities and devout Sodalites in your respective congregations, and especially of the young and innocent. Accordingly, from the time of the receipt of this letter till the close of the Council, you a~e directed to recite, for the intentions of the Retreat and Council, the Tollowing public special prayers at Mass and at the Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, viz : — the Prayer to the Holy Ghost, Dens gui corda, at Mass as the Imperata, and at Benediction after the Litany and Prayer of our Blessed Lady. Relying on your zealous co-operation in this momentous undertaking of the First Provincial Council, I remain, Rev. dear Father, Yours very faithfully in Christ, »£ FRANCIS REDWOOD, S.M., Apb of Wellington.

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