ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD'S VISIT TO TARANAKI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 15, 13 April 1899, Page 24

ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD'S VISIT TO TARANAKI.

(From a correspondent.) BLESSING THE NEW CONVENT AT STRATFOUD. His Grace Ai'chbishop Redwool has made a short visit to T.iranaki. but he has accomplished, in a few days, much which will biing God's blessing on the district. He arrived fiom Wellington at Stratford on Friday, March 24. On Saturday morning, at eleven o'clock, Mass was celebrated in the Stratford church by the llev. Father Power, of Haw^ra, and the choir, under the able conductorship of Professor Hughes, sang Winter's Mass in a devotional and finished Jianner. At the conclusion of the Mass hi*> Grace preached, taking for his subject the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin. Mary. At the conclusion of the seraion he referred to the building of the Convent, and congiatulated the congregation on the way they had responded to the calls of the Church. He hoped i many children would be sent to the convent school to be properly trained by the good Sisters, in whose charge it would be placed, and that God would prosper them and give their work His blessing. A procession, led by the children of the school, was then formed, which proceeded to the convent buildings After the children followed his Grace the Archbishop, the Vi-iy Rev. Dean McKenna, the Rev. Father Power, and the members of the congregation. After the convent had been bles&ed the procession returned to the church. During the procession the children san» suitable hymns, of which his Grace spoke in the highest terms, saying ' the sweetness and freshness of the tones had a charming elLctin the open air." Previous to Benediction, Mr. W. G. Mai one precentcd his Grace, on behalf of the Catholics of Stratford, with an address of welcome, congratulating him on his episcopal siiver jubilee The address also referred to the growth of the Church in the district, and suggested that a re-ident priest be sent to Stratford. In reply his Grace said he was deeply touch* d by the kindly feeling expressed in the address, lie referred to the good work which was done in the convent school, and hr ped it would be a channel of gracs to both the children and the people. They could not, he said, do too much for Catholic education, and he was greatly pleased with what they had already done in Stratford. With regard to a resident priest, their desire was a very proper and commendable one, and their request should be acceded to so soon as he was in a position to do so. if they would exercise a little more patience they might u.epend upon him not to forget them, and he hoped soon to send b cem a priest whom they would learn to love, and who would help them still further in their good work. At half-past seven on Sunday morning his Grace celebrated Mass, the church being crowded. He was afterwards driven to Inglewood, arriving there shortly after 10 a.m. LAYING THE I'OUNDATION-STONE Or INGLEWOOD NEW CHURCH. Two Masses were celebrated in the Inglewood church on Palm Sunday by the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, his Grace being present at the latter one, when he addressed the congregation. He said he was pleased to be present that day amongst them ; especially in connection with the ceremony to be performed later on — the laying of the foundation-stone of their new church. They had reason to be proud of the first church they erected in Inglewood, and still prouder of ■ the one they were then assembled in ; but even that church was found too small for their requirements, so it had become necessary

to build one of much larger dimensions. His G-race then referred to some of the spiritual advantages they would enjoy in worshipping in the bnilding about to be constructed. He said their meeting together in it would enlighten their intellects, strengthen their wills, and sanctify their souls. Christ did not come into the world to teach men scientific truth ; men could find that truth for tb^nselves. It was not political truth He came to teach them, and nothing was said by Him as to the form of Government they were to follow ; whether it should be democratic, aristocratic, or autocratic. Christ came to teach religion and eternal truth. Those truths, he said, would continue to be taught in the church about to erected. In that building their children would be baptised and taught their catechism ; young men and women would be confirmed, and marriages would be celebrated there; there also would be given the sacraments by those who were appointed to teach to the people the truths of the Church. Christ had blessed the congregation, and He would bless them in their new church where they would have greater opportunities for sanctifying their souls. Having such a suitable building to worship in was a great privilege, and to the erection of it they should contribute as liberally as possible, in return for Christ's blessing to them. The people of the district, in the past, had made a good name for themselves by their liberality, and he felt sure those present would respond heartily to the appeal he was making to them. He did not ask them to give more than they could afford, but to give according to their means, and they would reap the reward that God would give them. The Very Rev. Dean McKenna then said a few words to the congregation, urging them to give liberally to the building of the new church, adding that his Grace had headed the list with a donation of £5. The Rev. Dean then went amongst the congregation, when he received subscriptions and promises amounting to about £. 100. The ceremony of laying the stone was then proceeded with. At the conclusion of the ceremony his Grace thanked those assembled for the handsome manner in which they had subscribed towards the fund for the building of the new church, at the opening of which he hoped to be present, when be trusted they would subscribe as generou-ly as they had done on the present occasion. After partaking of refreshments at the residence of Mr. J. H. Row, his Grace and Dean McKenna drove to New Plymouth, accompanied by a large party iroii that town, who had driven out to assist at the intt resting ceremony. The new church, which will bu in the Gothic style of architecture, will measure Gift, x 28ft., including a sanctuary, -\v ith porch 12ft. x 12(t.. and two vestries. The height of the main building will be 17 t-et,t -et, and the pitch of the roof about the same height. About half the money required for the construction of the church has been already subscribed.

AUCHIiIMrO." REDWOOD IN NEAV PLYMOUTH

The party from Inglewood arrived in New Plymouth late in the afternoon, his Grace being the truest of the Very K*v. Dean .McKenna. At Vespers, the Archbishop was present in St. Joseph's Church, and when the service wvs over he was presented with an address from the congregation. It was read by Mr. J. H. Parker. Archbishop Redwood, in his reply, thanked the Catholics of Xew Plymouth for their kind address. The portion referring to his epi-enpal jubilee touched him very much indeed, and he could only express hid gratitude for the feeling- manner in which the matter had been referred to. Looking back upon the long period of 23 years of his episcopal responsibility, he thanked Almighty God for the blessings bestowed upon him during that time. From a rough calculation, and he thought he was under the mark, he had said over !>OOO Masses. What responsibility, and what grace/ If one Mass was so efficacious, what must such a large number be? In their address they congratulated hiui upon the progress made in his diocese — the extension and multiplication of the parishes ; the erection and enlargement of the chinches, convents, and schools — but he thought this was due, less to his zeal than to the zeal and devotedness of their clergy. They had no better example of this than in the work done by the venerated priest whom they had in their midbt, who well deserved the title which he (his Grace) had bestowed upon him. They all must feel joy at his being exalted, and joy would be felt throughout New Zealand at his elevation and that ot many other good and devout priests. It was also due to the congregation to say that much of the progress that had been made in this part of his diocese was due to them, for without their aid and generosity rioihing could have been done. It was with their money that schools and churches were built ; and their money came from their generosity ; and their generosity came irom their faith. He might not live to tee it. but others would — that during the next quarter of the century their young Church in New Zealand would progress far beyond what it had done during the last five and twenty years. He could only thank them again for their kind address. His Grace then gave the crowded congregation his episcopal blesssing. The Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was then given by the Archbishop, assisted by the Very Rev. Dean M'Kenna and the Rev. Father Johnston.