AKAROA

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 27, 2 July 1903, Page 15

AKAROA

On the occasion of the recent pastoral visitation of his Lordship Bishop Grimes to Akaroa he was presented with the following address from the Catholics of the district :— ' My Lord,— We, the Catholics of Akaroa and the Bays, beg to offer you, our beloved Bishop, a most hearty and respectlul welco.. c on this occasion of your pastoral visit to our district. VJe return thanks to God who has preserved you an health and strength since your last visit to us four years ago, thus enabling your Lordship to exercise your pastoral office with your accustomed zeal and energy. We have followed with interest, my Lord, your untiring efforts in encouraging the erection of suitable churches and schools in the missions under your jurisdiction, thereby providing for our chiLdren the blessing of Catholic education. But there is one work which of late has occupied your Lordship's time and attention in a particular manner — the work of erecting in your episcopal city a cathedral which will speak eloquently to future venerations of the self-sacri-fice and devotedness of their first Bishop, and of the faith and generosity of the Catholics of Canterbury and Westland. Most sincerely do we congratulate your Lot dship on the remarkable success which so far has crowned your eloquent appeals on behalf of this noble undertaking. We pray that God may grant you all the means necessary to carry to a successful issue what you have so zealously begun. As regards ourselves, we have to record our humble thankfulness for God's constant protection and mercy towards us during past years, which have been marked by exceptional prosperity. You will be pleased to notice, my Lord, that the zealous religious are now able to carry on, in a handsome, well-appointed schoolroom their holy work of instructing the young. For this we are indebted to Mr. Francois Narbey, whose generosity was heartily seconded by the entire Catholic body, as well as by many of our non-Catholic friends Jn conclusion, we pray that your Lordship's visit will be productive of much lasting good to the parish, and that your brief sojourn in our midst may be agreeable and beneficial to you. W> earnestly beg your pastoral blessing on our priest, our religious, ourselves, our children, and our homes.'

The address, which was read by Mr. F. Narbey, was a very handsome one, being the work of the Sisters of Mercy of the local convent.

On the following Sunday at the 11 o'clock Mass the Rev. Dr. Kennedy made an appeal on behalf of the Cathedral Building Fund, with the result that a sum of £56 was received and £10 more were promised. Before leaving Akaroa his Lordship expressed himself as well pleased with his reception, and delighted at the monetary assistance- given towards the Christchurcli Cathedral.