THE ORDER OF THE SACRED HEART

New Zealand Tablet, 29 June 1911, Page 1204

THE ORDER OF THE SACRED HEART

Ph- * OPENING OF A NEW CONVENT AT AUCKLAND : \ (By Telegraph from our own correspondent.) I July 26. The opening of the splendid new Convent of the Sacred Heart Order at Remuera took place yesterday afternoon in splendid weather. At 3 o'clock crowds assembled from all. parts of the city and suburbs. His Grace the Archbishop of Wellington arrived on Saturday morning to 'perform the opening ceremony. At the appointed hour the Archbishop, Bishop Cleary, and Father Holbrook arrived in the Bishop's '"-'motor. Amongst those present at the ceremony were Messrs. C. J. Parr (Mayor of Auckland), (Prickitt (American Consul)". Kettle, S.M., Professor Seagor, Hons. Beehan and Tole, Mr. Mulgan (Chief Inspector, of Schools), and many representative citizens, Rev. Fathers Mahoney, Buckley. Curran, and Ormond. Tho Garrison Band stationed on the lawn enlivened proceedings with 'delightful music. . - The first speaker was his Grace, Archbishop Redwood, who preferred to the great work in which the Order was engaged in all parts of the world. As Bishop of Wellington he had been instrumental in bringing the Order to New Zealand. The first house was established at Timaru, which, by the way, 'was the pioneer house of the Order in Australasia. Subsequently another house was opened ill Wellington. lie referred to the high educational acquirements of the members of the Order, and to their great success in : the training of womanhood in many lands. Quite recently the Order was driven • out of France, and their property in that country confiscated. Twenty-five houses. were suppressed at that time, and he mentioned that this-institution was the twenty-fifth which the Order had established outside France since it was suppressed there. He then declared the convent opened, an announcement which was greeted with applause. His Lordship Bishop Cleary said that there were three. fundamental ideas at the root of the Catholic training of young ..women, for the responsibilities of life in the world. The first' was 'that the '-.private and public welfare of the individual depended on the.formation and training of the mind; the second was that domestic life should be constituted on a sacred foundation and ruled by holy laws; the.-..third, was that the more deeply virtue penetrates the home the happier will be the domestic and,public life of the nation. The Catholic ideal was the Sacred Home of Nazareth-,'and of. the three essential'constituents' of the family, the most profound and far reaching in its consequence is that exercised by woman. Upon" her depended the complexion of national life and character, and that is why Catholics look upon the school as holy ground—as an ; . ante-chamber through which childhood passed on its way the throne room of God. Thirty-four years ago the New Zealand Government excluded religion from the schools, overlooking the fact that it was the most precious gem. Whatever followed, Catholics would go on along the hard and thorny path of sacrifice, training"their young ones in the way of God, on a firm and everlasting "rock? and what to-day they sowed in sorrow and sacrifice they would rear* to-morrow in happiness,and joy. ... s-.". The Mayor-(Mr. C. J; Parr) said it was a matter for congratulation to the people of Auckland, and Remuera in particular, that these beautiful acres were to be devoted to such a noted mirpose rather .than to . come into .the hands of jerry-builders and speculators.''The building was one of the handsomest in Auckland—in fact it compared favorably with their own Town Hall. (Laughter and applause.) Too much stress could not be laid on the impor-

tance of training the girls in all: womanly virtues, and, if the college succeeded in doing this, and he thought it would do it, in a? satisfactory and successful manner, it would be doing a service not only to the Catholics of Auckland, but to the : whole community. Once upon a time a little fancy work, a little French, and a little learning were all that were required of the mothers of the nation, and he. was not sure that the old order was better than the present-day system of university degrees and diplomas. He rejoiced, as a citizen of Auckland, to know that the benign influence of the Sisters was going to be part and parcel of the community. Mr. Mulgan next 'spoke, and gave an interesting account of the great work accomplished by teachers, and expressed his pleasure at the erection of such a fine edifice and congratulated not only the Catholic community but the general community upon the advent of the great teaching Order of the Sacred Heart. Hon. J. A. Tole said the present age was a terrible one, and the cry for haste and speed reached as far as the educational system. : : . He believed in a good solid education producing a womanhood able to face the ordeals of life. The Catholic motto was, ' Give us the heart and soul of the child, and you can have the rest.' The heart of the child must be educated as well as the mind, and the Catholic idea was to make the man more manly and the woman more womanly, and all more Godly. It was an age of rush and progressive action, and the best facilities "were placed in the hands of youth, and youth had an obligation to give back to the State something in return. •" Mr. W. E. Hackett next made an eloquent appeal on behalf of the Sisters, who had spent thirty thousand pounds in their midst, and had not asked for a pennv piece. Oh such an occasion it would be unworthy of them if they did not contribute something towards furnishing this splendid institution. The Sacred Heart Sisters were a welcome addition to their teaching Orders, and it behoved tho public of Auckland to mark their advent in a manner practical as well as appreciative. .':' Hon. W. Beehan, M.L.C., on behalf of the Sisters, thanked tho prelates, the Mayor. Messrs. Mulgan, Tole, and Hackett, all others, and the Garrison Band for their presence. A sum of just under £9O was collected. J.v;' Style . and Dimensions.' '■■■. : '.'.-■ A very handsome structure is the new convent. U stands at the foot of Victoria Avenue, Remuera, and looks out across the beautiful prospect of Hobson Bay and the Waitemata to Rangitoto and beyond. Both in its distant surroundings and in its immediate environment it is greatly favored, for the twenty odd acres of land in which it stands have been finely laid out in gardens, orchard, and farm, and the general view, harborwards, would be hard to surpass anywhere in Auckland. The building itself is of brick, plastered, and with a roof of riles, and its exterior is very pleasing. It is four storeys in height. Oil the lowest floor, which being just below .is classified as a basement, are the kitchens and dining-room, the former being, with, the sculleries, floored with arkilite. On this floor are a. room to be used. as a laboratory, classrooms for the youngest pupils, and several practice rooms for music students. The first floor is composed almost completely of schoolrooms, most of them of large size, and all very finely lit. One large room will be used as a library. Two of the others can be. .thrown into oho by folding up the partition, thus providing a hall: 81 feet long, ', with a stage at one end. The second floor is occupied with large dormitories, in which the girls have comfortable little cubicles, and the topmost one is as yet clear of occupation, but will provide sleeping accommodation for many more. The interior of the building is finished in white in Keene's cement, the woodwork being of selected figured rimu. Very complete and satisfactory arrangements are provided.