A NEW CONVENT AT WANGANUI

New Zealand Tablet, 18 May 1911, Page 897

A NEW CONVENT AT WANGANUI

BLESSING AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION A- v ' A STONE ■ 1 ~; — . - - (From our own correspondent.) , His Grace Archbishop Redwood, accompanied by the Rev. Father Holley, S.M. (the recently appointed parish priest ,of Wanganui) and the Rev. Father Hickson, S.M. (Wellington), arrived here on Saturday afternoon, May 6. On Sunday morning after the last Mass his Grace the Archbishop administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 175 candidates at St. Mary’s Church, there being a very large congregation. . The ceremony of laying the foundation stone < of the new’ convent, which will be one of the finest buildings in the North Island, was performed in the afternoon, his Grace; the Archbishop officiating. hTe weather was beautifully fine, and there was a very large attendance of the public, about 2000 being present. On the platform were the Archbishop, Rev. Fathers Holley, Hickson, Barra, Moloney, and Vibaud, Mr. J. T. Hogan, M.P., and his Worship the Mayor (Mr. C. E. Mackay). Apologies were received for the absence of Very Rev. Dean Regnault (Provincial of the Marist Order) and Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M*., V.G., Mr. RAW. Smith, M.P., and Mr. Sydney Johnston. The actual ceremony was very short, the tablet being simply lowered into position and»blessed by the Archbishop, who afterwards delivered an interesting address. The tablet bore the following inscription f —‘ A.M.D.G.—This stone was solemnly blessed and duly laid by his Grace the Most Rev. Francis Redwood, S.M., D.D., Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan, May 7, 1911. John L. Swan, M.R.S.A., architect, ’Wellington; builders: Campbell and Burke, Wellington.’ 'Archbishop Redwood said it w r as with great pleasure he was present to solemnly bless and truly lay the stone of this splendid building, which was being erected in honor of the Order of St. Joseph, the patron of this teaching Order. He expressed gratitude to the Mayor and the member for the district for their attendance. That day marked an era in the history of the Order of St. Joseph. Many old residents of Wanganui would remember the small beginning of the Order in Wanganui, and all would know their great work, which had progressed and grown from the acorn to the mighty tree, whose branches spread throughout all parts of the diocese. When these buildings were finished the Sisters would have a home to accommodate a large number of boarders, who would come from all parts of the diocese, as well as a place for the novices whom they would train for their sublime vocation. Speaking specially to the Catholics, but at the same time to the public generally," Archbishop Redwood said: 1 There is nothing so important as a good solid Christian education for the rising generation. No matter what else you give them, if that is missing there is a great gap in their education. The faculties that are to be developed are ignored, and the thing for which they were created by tho Supreme Being is lost. If this world were the only world it would seem that secular education would meet all requirements. But we are here only for a short time. Our home is in eternity, and we are to prepare ourselves for that eternity, and therefore must always have that last end in view in all we undertake. The object of people now seems to be to tear along at a mighty speed somewhere. But where? Going ahead somewhere is not progress. Is it progress if you are going in the wrong way? Is it progress if you are forgetting the end for which the Creator intended you? It is progress downhill. The Catholic Church knows that, and she will therefore always have complete education for her youth. They must be trained mentally, physically, and morally. They require, therefore, the great element of religion— a religion imparted in an atmosphere of religion, so that they breathe it in through every pore, they imbibe it and are saturated with it, so that they will be able to stem the influences that are tending against religion Catholic means universal. The Catholic Church wants to be Catholic in education. She wants all the faculties of the child developed harmoniously in order that there may grow’ the perfect man and woman.’ His Grace then concluded by remarking that the new convent Would be a magnificent building, which, standing on a hill, would be a landmark and an ornament to the countryside. _ :: Rev. Father Holley said that in order to give an idea of the magnitude of the building, and to remove some, erroneous impressions regarding the financing of this great undertaking, it would be interesting for the public to know that tho actual contract price was £17,613, which, with extras, would make £17,894. To that must be added the fees of the architect and clerk of works, bringing the price up to £18,894. Other charges, including £3OOO-for the site, brought the total to £22.000. The Church authorities had been able to borrow £19,000 from the Public Trustee, so that they were £3OOO short, without considering furnishing, laying out the grounds, etc. The interest amounted to £lB per week, or £990 a year. It therefore behoved all present who were in sympathy with the work to give according to their means or, at least, to promise what they thought they would in a reasonable time be able to pay.

.[The priests and a, number of gentlemen then made a, collection, with the result that a the handsome amount of £l5B was realised. : ~,-._ . 7,. ' After addresses by the Mayor and Mr. J. T. Hogan, M.P., his Grace thanked the people for their ; attendance, and the proceedings terminated. . 7 .-.,.;.■;; .^;.,:-;;- In the evening his Grace preached in St. Mary's Church to a crowded congregation on, the feast of the day, the 'Patronage of St. Joseph.'. Subsequently his Grace formally installed Rev. : Father Holley as the parish priest of Wanganui. ..--; .-,■■':■■: : ..;-,_,-. \. r: -~ -=',..■ "-.,.,«.!;. '.";• A very handsome donation of £IOOO has been made by Mr. Sydney Johnston, of Takapau, Hawke's Bay, to the local community of St. Joseph, towards the cost of the erection of the new convent. _, <- .