HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP CARR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 27 July 1899, Page 19

HIS GRACE ARCHBISHOP CARR.

SPLENDID RECEPTION IN MELBOURNE.

His Grace Archbishop Carr, who arrived in Melbourne on Saturday, July 15, was accorded a most enthusiastic reception. His Grace travelled by express from Goulburn to Seymour, and a special train ran up there in the morning to welcome him, the majority availing themselves of the opportunity being the bishops and priests of the oolony, private friends of the Archbishop, as well as the heads of tne various Orders and Confraternities.

At Spencer street station, when the train arrived, the Archbishop wa« welcomed by the prints and leading Catholics of Melbourne, the children connected with the Catholic schools, and a number of Catholic societies in regalia. All marched in procession up Collins street, the whole route b«ing thickly lined with people. His Grace, who rode in a carriage drawn hy a handsomr par of greys, was r- p-aiedly and loudly cheered. The proc*-sxi n took over half an hour to p ss a given point, and in numbers is said to outdo any previoug effort of the kind. Just outside St. Patrick's Cathedral a great triumphal arch had been erected, and as the Archbishop p ssed beneath this into the Cathedral a great demonstration of welcome was made. It was late in the afternoon before the Cathedral was reached, and here addresses of welcome were presented by the various bodies.

Fully 6000 tickets of admission to St. Patrick's had been issued, and were all used. When the Archbiabop and clergy arrived the place was crowded, the vast majority of those present being ladies. The procession of clergy preceding his Grace was headed by the Bishop of Graf ton, the Bishop of Ballarat, and the Bishop of Bendigo. The Very Rev. Dean Hegarty presented an address on behalf of the clergy. It was beautifully illuminated and richly bound in morocco.

Archbishop Carr, in returning thanks, remarked on the cordial relations that had always existed between himself and the priente. Wherever he had travelled he had spoken in terms of praise of the priests of Melbourne and Australia generally. He would, he s*id, speak later on to them on the proposed change iv the Sta*e system of education. Leaving the sanctuary the Archbishop ascended the pulpit and addressed the large congregation, and thanked them for the spontaniety and cordiality of the welcome. T >king into consideration the cathedrals of the newer lands there certainly was not one that he had seen which surpassed in beauty and proportion, and in magnificenoe, St. Patrick's, Melbourne. He also spoke of his interview with his Holiness the Pope, and his lively interest in all concerning the churches in Australia, and conveyed to the people the Benediction of his Holiness.

When the Archbishop emerged from the sacristy and entered the Cathedral grounds a most affecting scene took place. As he walked along he was surrounded by a crowd of men and women, who kissed hie hands in welcome, and one father, with a child in his arms, knelt before him and invoked his blessing. When the priests would have kept back the people, the Archbishop exclaimed : ' They Are all right ; and lam glad to see them all.'

A pnblio reception in honour of his Grace was to take place in the Exhibition Building on the Tuesday evening following his arrival.