The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1908. CARDINAL MORAN VISIT

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7, 20 February 1908, Page 21

The New Zealand Tablet THURSD AY, FEBRUARY 20, 1908. CARDINAL MORAN VISIT

fOR Catholics and non-Catholics 'alike in New • Zealand, the interest -that attaches to Cardinal Moran's visit to ', Auckland; is • of far more than merely local- ox; provincial in- ■ terest. For the distinguished- churchman belongs not to- Sydney -alone, hut has- been for over a quarter of 'a' century a commanding figure throughout the length and breadth of all the far-extending regions that are collectively known as Australasia. Nor is he known merely, as an ecclesiastic, but as a .patriot and scholar. Without once entangling himself in the bonds of mere party allegiance, he" has ever taken an active, broad-minded, and patriotic interest in public affairs. He lifted, for instance, the cause of Federation to a higher plane ; he took a conspicuous part in the State comrr emorations of 1888 and in tiie celebrations connected with the establishment of the Australian Commonwealth ; he made noble and highly-appreciated efforts as peacemaker during \ ,the great, maritime strike of 1890 ; and generally, ever. since his. advent in New South Wales, he has been, so to speak, a part of the public life of Australasia. From the moment that he landed in the capital of the Mother State, he became, in his .own words, 'an Australian among Australians '„ ' Outside the pale of religion ', added he, ' I know of no subject relating to our ■ social and our national welfare in which it is not witMn my power to work with the same energy and the same devotion of heart and feeling as. any other man in Australia '. * - To the Catholic, u as a Catholic^ the chief- interest 4n the .distinguished . Prince of the Church naturally centres in bis position, and his fame as "an ecclesiastic arid, scholar. While yet in the bloom- of early manhood, his patient and toilsome researches among tKe treasures of the Vatican and other libraries, the British State Paper Office, the archives of the mother-houses of the various religious Orders in the Eternal City, and' the moss-grown ruins of green Eire of the Streams, enabled him to give to the world a score of learned volumes that are still l standard works upon the early and the post-Reformation periods of * the ecclesiastical history of his native land. His early love of historical research is with him still. Some of its results may be seen in his monumental ' History of the Catholic Church in Australasia ' ; and- other paths of investigation pursued by him will, it is understood, play an important part in the process of canonisation of the Yen. Oliver Plurtkett, the martyred Archbishop of Armagh. As a Prelate, 1 we may say of him, in the words of a biographer, that, during his career in Australia, ' one finds every year

marfced by some majestic ceremony, some picturesque pageant, by the , inauguration or completion of some important work. The episcopate of his Eminence may be described as a series of historical pictures traced upon a field which will retain" its colors fresh and vivid for ever '. ' The monumental pomp of age Is with tMs goodly personage '. With the burden of eight and seventy years resting upon his shoulders with a lightness that is far from comrron, his Eminence has still, we trust, before him years and energy to crown his career with other great' achievements for ' knowledge, freedom,, and truth in Christ,' and thus (in the words of Arthur Henry Hallam) to v fill ' With worthy thought and deed The measure of his -high desire \ We bid his Eminence a cordial oead mile failte to New Zealand.