TOUR OF THE APOSTOLIC DELEGATE

New Zealand Tablet, 26 August 1920, Page 19

TOUR OF THE APOSTOLIC DELEGATE

NORTH-WEST AUSTRALIA AND JAVA. His Excellency the Most Rev. Dr. Bartholomew Cattaneo, Apostolic Delegate to Australia, has returned to Sydney after an extended tour of the vast Commonwealth of Australia, and during the week he graciously granted a representative of the Catholic Press (says that journal of August 12) some impressions of his travels. Since he left Sydney some months ago, his Excellency has covered over 11,000 miles. He lias visited all the principal cities of the Commonwealth. He has penetrated to the very outskirts of civilisation and studied and investigated the spiritual resources and circumstances of almost every remote centre of the great island continent. m. .^• ld -T, £t is a g lorious and most consoling message that his Excellency brings us after his long and fatiguing sojournmgs throughout the great spaces of Aus™a c i l rf?i- d i e . 6pl 7 impressed," he says, "with the wonderful Catholic fervor and zeal of the people of civilisation or in the lonely little hamlets buried in the bush I found the same fervor of faith, and the same oyalty and devotion to the Holy Father. It was indeed an edifying and consoling experience for me It was in the golden west that the official visitations of the distinguished prelate really commenced. Ireyiously he had visited, and been welcomed in a worthy and fitting manner, the principal towns and cities and rural districts of the eastern States. Now however, his Excellency was breaking new ground, as it were, and travelling over territory where scenes and experiences entirely different to those of other parts ot Australia,; are to be encountered..

The Goldfields. “The residents of the twin cities of the goldfields Kalgoorhe and Coolgardie— gave •me a very enthu-

siastic ; welcome, which touched me deeply," said, his Excellency. "'They had made great preparations for my welcome. They had arranged everything very beautifully, and every day that I spent there was a day of real enjoyment. '„'"'"' ' • "One of the events which impressed me most of all during my visit to the west was the general Communion held on 'Sunday, April 25, when 1200 men received the Blessed Eucharist in a body, and subsequently assembled in the courtyard of the Christian Brothers' College for the Communion Breakfast. ft was, indeed, a beautiful sight, and an event that I consider was the most important at which I assisted during my visit to Perth. "I paid a visit, too, to New Norcia, where I was much, interested in the work of the Benedictines It was here that I -first came personally -touch with the Australian aborigines. New Norcia and Geraldton. "From New Norcia I went to Geraldton, where I received another fine reception. I was very much impressed with their beautiful cathedral, which is still m course of completion, though, of course, it is now open for worship. When completed, it will be a very beautiful and imposing edifice indeed. From Geraldton I went to Carnarvon and Broome, the great centre ot the pearling industry. I remained there almost a month, and thus I was afforded an opportunity of earning first-hand the real life of Australia in localities far removed from the big centres of civilisation. ere, as elsewhere, I had many edifying experiences of the sound spiritual conditions prevailing. I found much to interest and enlighten me, too, in the great pearling industry for which this locality is famed It was all very interesting to me, indeed. "From Broome I travelled in the little mission steamer named Gerardo, 100 miles' north to Beadle Bay where there is an aboriginal mission conducted by the Pallottmi Fathers. It is a real Catholic mission, and I found myself living in a real Catholic atmosphere all the time I was there. "The native boys and girls were very intelligent and bright and readily imbibe the spiritual instruction imparted .to them. It was wonderful and inspiring to see the evidences of their faith and spiritual tervor. I remained a whole week among the native and every day we had every kind of religious ceremonies. °

Beagle Bay to Java. r a f Continuing, bis Excellency smilingly recalled the Jact that during his stay at this place he was afforded tonic 7 opportunity of studying aboriginal life and cusw n ii • 6 S r)T UatlVe corrorborees, wherein the blacks with their lithe, sinewy bodies painted in the most weird and fantastic fashion, executed their wild dances whilst chanting their strange war songs. His -.xcellency was a *ir tat ° r at foofc races, mule races, and exhibitions of boomerang and spear-throwing. From Beagle Bay his Excellency travelled to Java hm <<Wb P 6 - 810 " 8 ° f I that islaild are highly interest What impressed me mostly,” he said, “when going from Australia to Java is the fact that it is totally dMereiß in every respect to the island contiueut Its area is only one-fiftieth of that of Australia yet theie are 34 millions of inhabitants. Every inch of the land is cultivated. There you see the richest vegetation that is to be found anywhere in the world. crnZ e 18 not a V nch ? f land that is not covered with crops or vegetation of some kind or another They grow, especially, tea, rice, coffee, and tobacco In GWI f ound a g a that the work of the Catholic Not old is of a very fine and progressive character. Not only amongst the white colonists, but among the native Javanese people the Catholic religion is very progressive, s ■ J tion to h i“qn th pppertunity and joy to give Confirmation to 130 native converts. Intellectually, I found tunitv V of 7 intelligent. I took the opportunity of visiting their schools whilst I was in Java,

and , again, I-, s must repeat that I found them a very intelligent people. , " ? j ' yv | Jii 'W* The % Aboriginals. |■ t. ; '

“It was my intention to take steamer from Java to Brisbane and Sydney, . after visiting the Northern Territory and Port Darwin. To my keen disappointment, I discovered, however, that there was no steamer available, so I had to return by the same route as I had done. I had to make all haste, in order to be at Brisbane in time to meet the Prince, which I had previously arranged to do. j "I .have now seen every diocese of Australia except the Northern Territory, and it is a _great satisfaction to me to know that everywhere the Catholics are so strong in their faith, and so ready and generous in helping every Catholic movement.” In conclusion, his Excellency said he particularly desired to make known the importance and necessity of spiritual provision for the Australian aboriginals, of whom there -are a great many still in the Northern Territory, and other places in Australia. “There are between 70,000 and 100,000 blacks in the north of Australia,” his Excellency said, “and I wish to emphasise very strongly indeed the great need of doing something, for them spiritually. I am perfectly satisfied that they are sufficiently intelligent to become good Christians and good citizens. They can be made to understand very well the truths of religion. It has been demonstrated unmistakably that thev understand not only the substantial principles of religion, but also the real religious piety. Of course, they must be led by slow stages, .as it were. It must be borne in mind that the Australian aboriginals are by nature a nomadic race. For three or four thousand years, perhaps, they have been cut off from every kind of civilisation, and, naturally, it is at first more difficult to secure their conversion than other races. But I am satisfied that they are capable of being instructed, and there is no doubt whatever that the need is there.