"THE FAR EAST."

New Zealand Tablet, 4 November 1920, Page 29

"THE FAR EAST."

We have received from the editor the first copy of. The Far East, published in Melbourne in aid of the , r . Irish Mission to China. It is full of; interest on many'■ v accounts, but . chiefly because of the information it gives concerning the magnificent and truly apostolic work , for the salvation of souls undertaken by a band of zealous and learned young Irish priests. In these days of low ideals , and material views, what a heartening and inspiring thing it is even to read of the Irish Mission to China. Ireland is regenerated socially and politically in ways that are marvellous. She has found ’her soul and though still in travail she is marching towards freedom. While this rebirth of a nation was going on, there was also felt over the land the quickening breath of that spirit of undying missionary zeal which in other days inspired Brendan and Malachy and Columbanus and Cataldus and sent them all across v Europe to preach Christ crucified. PeregrinarT'pro Christo to be pilgrims and wanderers for Christ—was the motto of the Irish saints of old. To-day it is

the motto.of the young priests who are going to China. They tell us that out there a vast field is white for the harvest, and that laborers are "few "and resources still inadequate for ri the task before- them. As once, in the far off years, the voice of the Irish haunted Patrick all over^Europe^and^ brought him; again ito the land of his early captivity, so »the- call of the Chinese I who are athirst- for religion has summoned those 1 sons of Patrick from ;i their ' quiet lives as professors in colleges/ or -as curates in green Irish valleys or beside the ,noble Irish rivers, and bade them also:go forth on their sublime peregrinari pro - Ghristo. We - cannot believe that the ' Catholics of New Zealand' will be blind to the sacrifice made by those priests; .we > cannot * believe that our people will not be stirred greatly by the spirit which ought to find a response in every Irish exile's heart—for every exile from Catholic Ireland is or ought to be a true apostle himself. Here, then, we introduce to readers of the ■Tablet, the first copy of the Far-Vast pub- 15 ,^,, 1n Melbourne (Far East Office, Cathedral Hall, Melbourne), urging them to subscribe to it and to help on the good work in that way at least