'CATHOLIC MARRIAGES'

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 11 June 1908, Page 23

'CATHOLIC MARRIAGES'

FURTHER APPRECIATIONS

We have been favored with the following appreciative communication from the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, Bishop of Chris tchurch :— Bishop's House, Christchurch, June 2, 1908. 1 My dear Father Cleary, ~~ ' When tlie Anglican Master of Christ's College rushed into print to warn the world against the awful consequences flowing from the recent Papal, decree on Espousals and Matrimony, he little thought that his rash action would soon win forTiim the., gratitude of so many thousands, both among Catholics, Protestants, and JewsA ' However, I dare say that long before, this his Reverence' heartily repents of his rashness and wishes that he could have known and mastered -our - little penny catechism before presuming, even with the. aid ofmisquotations, to dogmatise about the teachings of our holy faith. His ill-advised action was truly a " felix culpa " since it has brought about your admirable pamphlet on ""Catholic Marriages." 'With your .well known 'lucidity and incisive logic, you have set out a splendid array of scriptural, theological, and legal arguments, with a host of historical facts which, even, without the least comment, should carry conviction to every unbiassed reader. In showing the- wisdom of. the Church in dealing with the great question of Marriage, you have most ably and exhaustively treated of the mission and authority of that divinely appointed and" infallible organ of truth.' ' Allow me to- congratulate and thank yqu for your masterly defence of Marriage, which- we, with every*fcrue Catholic, have always been taught to revere as "a great Sacrament in Christ and in His Church." Altogether, .your pamphlet should prove a welcome addition to . the ecclesiastical literature of Jew • and gentile. Above all it. should have ,an honored place in the homes "of every Catholic family.' - " . • ' I hope' that in" a future edition you will see your way to add a qhapter^ori Banns^and the Nuptial Mass, with the immediate preparation necessary for the worthy reception of this great 1 Sacrament. , ' ' Believe l me, ' ' My- dear Father Cleary, ' Yours faithfully in Christ, . * JOHN JOSEPH GRIMES, S.M., 1 Bishop. of x Christchurch.'

The Right Rev. Dr. Gallagher, Bishop of Goulburn writes as follows :— Bishop's House, Goulburn, , Dear Father Clcary, Will ydu be so good as to ask your Manager to forward me 60 copies of your work on . ' The New Disciplinary Law of Marriage.' lam anxious to have it if possible for the- 17th inst., when we have a meeting of the clergy for the ' Month's Mind ' of the late Father Carroll. No better result of our Conference could be than to have /it spread throughout the diocese. Let me congratulate you sincerely on having given^ us almost instructive arid readable and usefuL work: It -is just what we wanted, for ourselves the clergy, and for our* people.. No one could plead invincible ignorance ' on almost any point however difficult, as an excuse for going wrongi on the new Law of Marriage, after carefully reading your book. I am beginning with 60 copies, but trust that this" is only a beginning of a vast circulation through the whole diocese. With genuine thanks for the "good work you have done in giving us this work, I am, dear Father Cleary, Yours sincerely, . "" * JOHN GALLAGHER _, _„ n Bishop of Goulburn. Rev. Father Cleary, Editor ' The Tablet,' Dunedin, N.Z.