DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 4 November 1920, Page 21

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

(Froth our own correspondent.) § ; ‘ ” i ; October 29. His Grace Archbishop Redwood, our venerable Metropolitan, arrived in Auckland on Saturday, ’October 23, by the Tainui from his visit to Europe. The Archbishop is accompanied by Rev. Father Southerner, S.M., who has just joined the New Zealand Province, and will labor in the Dominion.,_• He. has had most varied missionary experiences in the United States, Mexico, and as chaplain in the recent war'H' His Grace is hale and hearty, and although in his 82nd year, is in splendid form. His accounts of the beatification and canonisation ceremonies in Rome, tin • May - last, |are thrilling. His meeting with Archbishop Mannix in London, and the latest news from the “Front” I are most interesting. During his stay in Auckland his Grace was the guest of his Lordship ; Dr. tCleary at Ponsonby. The Archbishop left Wellington tby the express on Thursday, October 28. The reality of the Irish Mission to China was brought home to us this week by the presence in Auckland of the Very Rev. John Blowick, the SuperiorGeneral of the Mission, and Father R. Hayes, a young Australian priest who has volunteered for the China Mission. They are returning from a collecting tour in Australia, and are passengers by the Niagara to Vancouver. They intend spending several naon'hs in the United States in ' the interests of their Mission, whence they proceed to Rome and Ireland.. After' 12 months’ stay in the Old Country they will return to the Irish Vicariate in China to the co-laborers, some 16 young Irish priests who have already commenced their missionary work in the Hupeh province with Flan Yang as their headquarters. The missionaries ask the prayers and monetary assistance of our people, to whom they will , make a personal appeal at a later date. Meanwhile, they welcome . subscribers to the new periodical, The Far Fast, published in Melbourne. A time was, even in New Zealand j when great interest -was shown in the work of the Propagation of the Faith, and the Holy Childhood. “Let us hope that our people will accord great ; support to this revival; of a spirit that* characterised E Catholic Ireland when the forefathers of the present European nations'were savage in life and pagan in ; mind”. ' (vide Archbishop Del any). Our Irish priests,*- have received ; from the Holy - Father part of a district in which there is a population : of ; nearly 5,000,000, almost exclusively pagan. ; S V' A successful garden fete and sports’ meeting was held at Te Aroha, on Labor Day, in connection with the forthcoming Catholic Bazaar. The attendance included many excursionists from other centres. fAll the athletic events were keenly contested and thoroughly enjoyed by those present. | .. Very successful fetes were held in Otahuhu and Avondale, -last; week, \ in. aid of the local funds. |- The preparations for the Auckland Queen Carnival are now well under way . S The opening ; ceremony will be conducted 'on'Saturday next, November 6, byhis Lordship the Bishop. All six parishes have entered • most, heartily into the project. - dW ' Rev. Father Taylor mad© eloquent appeals at the Masses ■* and Vespers on last Sunday in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Ponsonby, in "aid of the parish funds. A very substantial sum was realised. .

HIBERNIAN WELCOME TO HIS. GRACE \ : ' ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD. / ■■ : His Grace Archbishop Redwood, S.M., arrived in Auckland, from Europe, on Saturday, 23rd inst., by; the Taihui. ” Fie was the guest of his Lordship the Right, Rev. Dr. Cleary 7 during' his stay in Auckland, The District Officers of the ‘ H.A.C.B. Society, Bros. P. Duffin, D.V.P., W. Kane, D.S,. M. J. Sheahan, D.T., and Bros. D. Flynn and F. J. O’Meara, P.D.P., waited upon his Grace at the Bishop’s house last Monday afternoon. Bishop Cleary introduced the deputation to Archbishop Redwood. Bro. Sheahan for the deputation, said; “Your Grace, on behalf of the Hibernians of New Zealand, we welcome you back to the Dominion. In spirit we travelled with you over the Pacific to the shores of the mighty Western Republic, where you met and conversed with the representatives of our race. Over the Atlantic to the Eternal City, where you participated in the beatification of - our martyred Archbishop, Oliver Plunket, and the spotless, heroic Maid of Orleans. We were gratified to note that the name of our Metropolitan was the first on the list of the protest made by the archbishops and bishops of Australasia against the unwarrantable indignity imposed by the British Government upon his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix. In this Dominion the Church has been, and is now, assailed by the forces of bigotry, against which your Grace’s colleagues in the Hierarchy' have offered strenuous opposition. Your Grace’s return is opportune. We therefore, from the depths of our hearts proffer you a cead mile faille.”

His Grace, in reply, said: "It is comforting to me to receive from the Hibernians so warm a welcome, and to hear expressed towards me such nice sentiments. As I passed through America I was everywhere hospitably received. In Washington, I met Eamon de Valera, with whom I was very much struck. He is a highly cultured gentleman, tall, fascinating, devoid of political traits, an interesting conversationalist, but above all, a most devout and pious Catholic. He is doing immense service to Ireland all over the United States, particularly in the Southern States, which hitherto have not been considered too favorable." He fearlessly and strenuously combats everywhere the antiIrish propaganda." - . In Rome, his Grace had a private audience with His Holiness the Pope, and this was carried on in the French language. His Holiness was deeply interested in the progress of the Church in New Zealand, and added that such news was to him as the roses, because unfortunately, he had of late received so much of the thorns. In the beatification of the great Irish Saint, and _ canonisation of i the great French Saint he was privileged to take part. They were indeed memorable spectacles. At the Irish College he was enthusiastically received, and indeed was invited by the rector to make it his home while in Rome. In London he was constantly with Dr. Mannix. From him he had heard the story of his removal from the Baltic to the cruiser Wyvern. To those responsible for it, it was a most discreditable proceeding. As the cockle-shell approached the cruiser the sea was very rough, so Dr. Mannix refused to climb the ladder hanging suspeulcd from the gunwale of the cruiser. A rope was therefore fastened round the Archbishop's waist, through which assistance he reached the deck of the Wvvern. Dr. Mannix and Dr. Redwood together attended one Sunday afternoon, in Hyde Park, one of the regular meetings conducted by the Catholic Evidence Association, whose mission it is" to expound the Church's teachings and* refute every slander directed at it. At the head of this splendid body, composed of lay people, male and female, is a nephew of Archbishop Redwood! It was not until the . close of the meeting that the distinguished Archbishop of Melbourne 'was recognised, and,then the two prelates -hastily withdrew. As they were about to enter : their motor-car, a determined lady

carrying a child, placed her back against the door of the motor and begged Dr. Mannix to bless her child.-Dr. Mannix complied, " andi the vast throng -which gathered round, cheered vociferously, amidst which the prelates drove away. In Dublin, an important meeting of the Australian Hierarchy was held, over which Archbishop Redwood presided. He stayed with Cardinal Logue, at Carlingford Bay. At Dundalk he} visited the House of the Marist Order. The Irish people suffer under very great trials and provocations, but they under their leaders, restrain themselves admirably. . Despite the array of force, the popular organisation, well directed, really carry on the government of the country. In France, at his old college, where 60 years ago he was a student, the "old boys" were gathered, amongst whom was the present Bishop of Toulouse, a former class-mate of Dr. Redwood's. At this function Archbishop Redwood presided and .was accorded a great reception. He was glad to be back in New Zealand, and briefly referred to the agitation proceeding here. He thanked the members of the deputation,, and its great Society for the welcome accorded him. The deputation then withdrew, the members of which congratulated themselves at the great privilege given to them of listening to his Grace's account of his travels in many lands and among people of all ranks.