Church of the Redemptorist Fathers, Wellington

New Zealand Tablet, 26 November 1908, Page 13

Church of the Redemptorist Fathers, Wellington

(By Telegraph fiom our own correspondent.)

November- 23

An important event in the annals of the Catholic community •oT Wellington, and indeed of the whole of the Dominion, took place yesterday, when the new Church of the Redemptorist Fathers at the top of Hawker street, Oriental Bay, was opened with solemn and fitting ceremony. At both the morning and the evening services the church was crowded. The impressive nature of the ceremonies throughout was considerably increased by the presence of.^many dignitaries of the Church. Among them were his Grace Archbishop Redwood, his Lordship Bishop Grimes (Chrislchurch), the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly (Thames), the Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay lOamaru), the Very Rev. Dean John McKenna (Masterton), the Very Rev. Dean James McKenna (New Plymouth), the Very Rev. Father Tigar (Auckland), the Very Rev. Father "Lane (Hutt), the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy (Wellington South), the Very Rev. Dean Carew (Greymouth), the Very Rev. Dean Regnault (Provincial of the Society of Mary), me Very Rev. Father O'Shea (Vicar-General), and the Very Rev. Father Keogh (Rector of St. Patrick's College). Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by his Lordship the Bishop of Christchurch, Very Rev. Dean Carew being assistant priest, Rev. Father Hickson deacon, Rev. Father Graham subdeacon, and Rev. Father Herbert master of ceremonies. The assistant priests at the throne were Very Rev. Dean Regnault and the Very Rev. Father O'Shea. There was a solemn procession from the monastery to the church before the Pontifical Mass and back again at its conclusion. The vestments worn by tlv: officiating priests were special gifts to the Redemptorist Fathers, and were made in France.

At the conclusion of the Mass his Grace the Archbishop of Wellington preached from the opening words of the Gospel of St. John, ' In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' During his discourse his Grace said that the church which they had just solemnly opened would not be a parish church but a public oratory. It would not be used for the baptism of infants or for the administration of the Sacraments of Confirmation or Matrimony, but it would be a place where confession would be heard, Benediction given, and above all where the sublime Sacrifice of the Mass would be celebrated day by day and year by year. It would be a public •oratory belonging to the Fathers of the Congregation of the .Most Holy Redeemer, which was founded by St. Alphonsus ILiguori during the eighteenth century in the Kingdom of Naples. The members had gone about preaching to the poor, and especially to the neglected ; they took vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity, and their rules were approved in 1749. The branch of the Order in Wellington had required a church in connection with their work, and now they had got it. It was, by the way, the first church in New Zealand to be dedicated to the honor of St. Gerard, one of the most famous and saintly of the lay Brothers of the Order. At the erection of the church he (the Archbishop) greatly rejoiced, for he felt that one of the greatest works he had ever accomplished during his long episcopate was the introduction and foundation of this religious Order in the archdiocese. He expressed his gratitude to Bishop Grimes for coming such a long way, and at such great inconvenience, and also to all the visiting "priests.

The Very Rev. Father Clune, C.SS.R., also thanked his Lordship Bishop Grimes and the visiting clergy. He said that to date he had received gifts for the church to the value of ;£2ioo", in addition to cash donations amounting to All

the windows of the church would be gifts, and all of stained glass, though owing to default on the part of the makers plain glass 1 ones "had had to be put in temporarily. The altar also was bat temporary, for a grand high altar of marble, with mosaic panels, had been given, and was- now on the way out. Many choice paintings, silver candelabra, alabaster vases, the gang, sanctuary lamps, and other furnishings were also gifts'.'

His Grace the Archbishop presided at the evening devotio'nsi The Very Rev. Dean John McKenna acted as deacon, Rev. Father Holley subdeacon, and Rev. Father Herbert master of ceremonies. The sermon was preached by his Lordship ,the Bishop of Christchurch, who based his discourse on Isaiah xii., 6 : ' Rejoice and praise, O thou habitation of Zion ; for great is He that is in the midst of thee, the holy One of Israel/ He' remarked that the visitors present had come together to show their appreciation of the noble efforts and work of the Redemptorist Fathers, and were gathered to rejoice with them on the occasion of the erection of their sacred edifice. On all occasions the Redemptorist Fathers had tried to spread abroad a devotion to the adorable Sacrament of the Altar, which well satisfied the yearnings and aspirations of human nature.

(Cihing' borne idea of its commanding position over Oriental Bay).

Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, given by his Grace the Archbishop, brought the evening service to a close. Both morning and evening the choir was composed of the Sisters of the Hill street convent and their pupils. The singing was a beautiful feature of the ceremonies.

About ninety of the invited guests were entertained at luncheon after the morning ceremonies by the Redemptorist Fathers. The Very Rev. Father Clune presided over the gathering. After the toast of ' The Pope and the King ' had been honored, Father Clune proposed 'The New Zealand Episcopate.' Of Archbishop Redwood he said that he was sure that all the Catholics, both priests and people, were united to him by the warmest of feelings. The Redemptorists had special reasons for thanking him, for he had introduced them into the archdiocese and encouraged their work in every way. For that and a!l his other kindnesses he thanked htm on behalf of the Order, and hoped he would long Le spared to rule over them. He was also very much indebted to his Lordship Bishop Grimes for coming so far to be present, and also for his long-continued kindness to the Redemptorists. The Archbishop and Bishop both responded to the toast, thanking Father Clune very heartily for his kind references, and expressing the hope that the Order would continue the good work it had so well begun. In proposing ' The

Visiting Clergy,' Father Clune said that the Redemptorists

wherever they had gone in New Zealand had met with the greatest kindness from the priests. He felt honored at seeing so many distinguished visitors present. _ The toast was responded to by the* Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay (Oamaru), the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly (Thames), -the Very Rev. Dean Carew (Greymouth), -and trie Very Rev. Father Tigar (Auckland). Other toasts honored were ' The clergy, secular and regular, of the Archdiocese of Wellington,' responded to by the Very Rev. Father O'Shea (Vicar-General) and the Very Rev. Dean Regnault (Provincial) for the Marist Fathers, and Very Rev. Father Lane (Hutt) and the Very Rev. Dean- McKenna (New Plymouth) for the secular clergy ; ' The- laity,' responded to by Messrs. M. Kennedy and W. Clifford ; ' The architect, contractors, and clerk of works,' responded to by Mr. Burke; 'The collectors*' responded to by Mr. E. J. Fitzgibbon ; .and 'The Redemptorist Fathers,' proposed by -the Very Rev. Father Keogh, and responded to by the Very Rev. Father Clune. During the luncheon it was announced that the morning collection and further donations received had brought the total contributions (in money and kind) up to