THIRD AUSTRALASIAN CATHOLIC CONGRESS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume 27, Issue 21, 27 May 1909, Page 810

THIRD AUSTRALASIAN CATHOLIC CONGRESS

TO BE HELD IN SYDNEY IN SEPTEMBER, 1909 The following circular has been issued: — In September, 1900, the First Australasian Catholic Congress was held in Sydney, and coincided with the celebration of the Centenary of the Catholic Church in Australia, and also with the consecration of the completed portion of St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney There can' be no doubt that the congress added greatly to the eclat of these great festivals, while on the other hand the religious celebrations contributed not a little to its complete success. Many valuable and learned papers were read and discussed during its sessions, and these were afterwards collected m a Memorial Volume, which constitutes a permanent record of the good work accomplished. • At the close of the congiess it was resolved that others should be held in the chief cities of Australia at intervals of about four years. In 1904 the second congress was .held in Melbourne. It resembled, in many of its principal features, the earlier one of Sydney, and achieved a like glorious success. Prominent men, both in Church and State, contributed to the discussions, and the public, within and without our Church, were enabled to gain a better understanding of the Catholic . standpoint in relation to the great truths of Christianity, as well as in relation to education and the other burning social question^ of the hour. In accordance with the resolution adopted at the Melbourne Congress, the third Australasian Catholic Congress has been convened, and will be held in Sydney in the last week of September next,* and it is hoped it will even excel its predecessors in the zeal of its members and the ability and learning of the papers to be submitted for discussion. It has been decided to group the subjects to be dealt with under eight headings, as follows: — I. Catholic Apolo-' getics; 11. Education: Theory and Practice; 111. Social Questions; IV. -Religious History and Missions; V. Charitable Organisations; VI. Ethnology and Statistics; VII. So ence and Art; VIII. Catholic Literature and Newspapers. Papers have already been promised by many leaders « f Catholic thought in Europe and America, as well as in Australia, and it is hoped to add still further to the list. Few better means can be devised for promulgating the truths of our holy religion, and for diffusing a sound knowledge of the teaching of the Church on the many complex problems of modern civilisation. The secretaries will be glad to be placed in communication with those who may desire to illustrate matters of Catholic interest in the above or kindred subjects. Papers intended for the congress, as far as possible, should be placed in the hands of the secretaries for submission to his Eminence the Cardinal not later than August 31. The opening of the congress will be signalised by the ceremony of the laying of the first stone of the portion of St. Mary's Cathedral yet to be built before the Mother Church of Australia will stand in all its completed beauty as the greatest monument to the glory of God, and the intercession of His Holy Mother, in the Australian Commonwealth. . It has been erected on the site where the first foundations of the Church were laid in this southern continent — foundations which for many a long year were destined to be cemented with the tears and sanctified by the toil of heroic men, exiles for religion, and confessors of the Faith. Grand and stately is the edifice of Holy Church, which now casts its shadow throughout the length and breadth of this fair land; but it must never be forgotten that it is on these foundations that the whole sacred structure may be said to rest. This third congress will also mark the opening of St. Columba's Missionary College at-Springwood, on the Blue Mountains. By happy coincidence it will commemorate the Silver Jubilee of bis Eminence Cardinal Moran's first arrival in Australia.

The congress will extend over -a week, and there will be three sessions on each day, at which papers will be read

and discussed. The reading of each paper is calculated to occupy not more than twenty minutes, and each author is requested to furnish a short prdcis for press publication. The papers will subsequently be published in extenso in the Memorial Volume. Every effort will be made to. provide for the due reception of members, and the Catholic ladies of the archdiocese will be invited to organise entertainments, such as a reception to the visiting prelates and members, a grand concert, and an exhibition of the work of the children of our Catholic schoolsr Application will be made to the Railway Commissioners of the various States, and to the principal steamship companies, and hotels, for the same liberal concessions to members of congress which were made to them on previous occasions, and excursions at tourist rates to tho principal places of interest in and around Sydney will be arranged if desired. ' In short, everything that is possible will be done to provide for the comfort and convenience of visitors who will be entered on the roll of the congress. The condition of membership is ~the payment of an entrance fee of half a guinea, or of one guinea for a member and two ladies. Cards of membership will be issued, entitling the holders to admission to all the sessions of the congress, as well as to such entertainments as may be organised on their behalf, and in addition each member will receive a copy of the Memorial Volume containing the proceedings of the congress and the papers contributed. In order to take the necessary preparatory steps for holding the congress, his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop proposes to call together at an early date the leading clergy and laity, and to form an executive committee, of which his Eminence will act as president, and the Archbishops and Bishops of Australasia as vice-presidents. The Right Reverend Monsignor O'Brien, D.D., Rector of St. John's College within the University of Sydney, and the Honorable Thomas Hughes, M.L.C., have been appointed hon. secretaries, to whom all inquiries and correspondence may be addressed and the Right Reverend Monsignor O'Haran, D.D., and Mr. T. J. Dalton, K.C.S.G., have been appointed hon. treasurers. It is earnestly hoped that all who have at heart the interests of the Catholic Faith will place their services at the disposal of his Eminence the Cardinal-Archbishop, and do all in their power to make the third Australasian Catholic Congress a pronounced success. * PATRICK FRANCIS CARDINAL MORAN, Archbishop of Sydney, President. Denis F. O'Haran and Thomas J. Dalton, Hon. Treasurers. James J. O'Brien and Thomas Hughes, Hon. Secretaries. St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, May 12, 1909.