EPISCOPAL VISITATION OF SOUTHLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 14 April 1921, Page 19

EPISCOPAL VISITATION OF SOUTHLAND

EIGHT REV. DR. WHYTE AT INVERCARGILL. (From our own correspondent.) His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Whyte arrived in Invercargill on Sunday to begin his first visitation of Southland Province. He examined the children of the schools on Friday afternoon. On Saturday he examined those who had left schooladults and converts —helping in their immediate preparation for Confirmation and assisting the local clergy up to 9.30 p.m. with confessions in the church. Sunday was a busy day for the Bishop, celebrating the eight o’clock Mass, addressing the people, and giving Communion to several hundreds —St. Mary’s, Invercargill, being remarkable for the large number of. its Sunday morning communicants. The Bishop preached at the 11 o’clock Mass and again at the evening devotions. Afterwards till 9.30 p.m. he heard confessions to afford the opportunity of a strange confessor to any desirous of it. The ceremony of Confirmation in the parish church was held after the 11 o’clock Mass. Children and others to the number of 186 received the Sacrament. In addressing the children on the nature of the Sacrament of Confirmation, on the graces received, and on the virtues expected of the confirmees the Bishop congratulated the children on the excellence of their training, on their knowledge of the catechism, and on their comprehension of Christian Doctrine. They were (he said) remarkably well taught—a credit to their parents, teachers, and clergy. Obviously much care is given to the Christian upbringing of the Catholic children of Invercargill. On Monday 26 children were confirmed in the little Church of St. Mary “Star of the Sea,” Bluff. On Monday evening a conversazione to welcome the Bishop on his first visit to Southland was held in Victoria Hall. The hall had been decorated and furnished by Mrs. R. Timpany, the Misses Baird, and their assistants. Armchairs, pots and vases of flowers, and small tables on patches of carpet gave the room a warm, homely appearance. When five or six items in the programme of songs and instrumental music had been rendered, Very Rev. Dean Burke welcomed and introduced the Bishop in a happy little speech which placed the parishioners and their guest in an atmosphere of friendly, homelike intimacy. He said he knew the Bishop did not like formal addresses or formal receptions he liked only a friendly talk with the people. Still as this was the occasion of his first episcopal visitation of Southland, he (the Dean) would call on Mr. Herbert Grace to read the people’s combined declaration of welcome, obedience, and loyalty to their new Bishop. Mr. Grace then came forward and read the following address; Address of the Catholic people of Invercargill to the Right Rev. Dr. Whyte on his visit to the Parish, April 4, 1921. Right Reverend and Dear Bishop, On the occasion of your first visit to this parish we consider it our duty to come together to meet you and offer you in common our most hearty welcome. The relationship between the Bishop and his flock is close and important. For many years to come you will watch our spiritual and moral welfare, correct those things in which we may be wanting, and rebuke the tepid and negligent. It will be our duty to look up to you reverentially, obey your commands, and show respect for your wishes. “He that heareth you,” said Our Lord to the Apostles, “heareth Me and he that despiseth you despiseth Me.” “Remember,” says St. Paul, “your prelates who have spoken to you the word of God whose faith follow . . . obey them and be subject to them for they watch as being to render an account of your souls, that they may do this with joy and not with grief.” Speaking of the Bishop St. Ignatius said 1800 years ago; “For whomsoever the Master of the house sends to His , own household we ought so to receive as we would Him that sent him.” This spirit of obedience, reverence, and adherence to the guidance of the Church authorities after nineteen centuries still lives in the Catholic Church, and as your acpuaintance with us goes on and deepens we hope you will find it sincere and genuine amongst ourselves. We have heard of your special interest in our children and in our Catholic schools. We are pleased thereat. Good children are the consolation of their parents, and the hope of their pastors—the joy of all who look forward to a flourishing church in this country in the future—a future in - which we hope that those who will fill our places will show the fidelity to the Faith of those who have gone before them.

We have been pleased indeed to hear your voice raised in defence of Ireland— mother land of so many of us. In this dark hour of her sorrow it is a duty for all her sons able to do so to raise their voices boldly in her favor. Go on, we pray you, exposing the propaganda of misrepresentation of which so many of the. newspapers of these countries are willing or unwitting instruments. . ■>! Glad to have seen you amongst us, gratified to be able to convey to your Lordship our sentiments of goodwill and loyalty, and thanking you for the visit, which we hope to' see often repeated in the coming years. We are your obedient children in Jesus Christ The Parishioners of Invercargill. The Bishop thanked the people for their words of welcome and their expressions of friendliness and loyalty. He knew that the people of this parish were well catechised and well instructed in their duties, practices,' and traditions of their religion, and that reverence , and loyalty to their pastors and Bishop were not, indeed, new or unknown to them. He was gratified to find them, above all things,. so interested in the Christian education of their children and filled with zeal in the cause of the Catholic schools— on which he spoke to them at great length yesterday and on which he would speak to them often in the future. True, he had raised his voice in the cause of Ireland. No Irishman should be ashamed or afraid to do so. (Applause.) Irishmen knew Ireland’s historv, and they knew of the truth and validity of her claims. They know of her present attitude and they are proud of it. (Applause.) They know of the falsehoods and blackguardly misrepresentations now circulated by the daily press in these countries against her, to blacken her name and to kill sympathy with her aspirations and claims. These lies he would repudiate with all his power. (Applause.) True our editors might care little for his words, but he cared just as little for theirs, and so both sides were even thus far. (Laughter.) All, anxious to know the true state of things prevailing now in Ireland, should read Irish papers and Catholic papers. The people of these parts should every week read the New Zealand Tablet. Then they should not be anywise misled; there they should find a ready, up-to-date answer to the maligners of that land whence they had got the Faith and most of any good that was in them. (Applause.) The Bishop declared himself pleased with all ho had seen so far of the people of Invercargill and of Southland. Tie would be happy to find himself often amongst them in the future. His office of Bishop would make that a duty; their friendliness and goodwill would make it a pleasure. (Applause.) , THE BISHOP AT WAIKIWI. His Lordship the Bishop on last Sunday week, administered confirmation in the Waikiwi Church and in one ol the suburbs. On Thursday ho administered confirmation in Rakahouka Catholic ' Church, 82 candidates being confirmed in the parish. After the ceremony at Rakahouka on Thursday a picnic was held in an adjoining paddock, and, favored by splendid weather, all present enjoyed themselves. In the evening a. conversazione to welcome the Bishop took place in the Waikiwi Public Hall, and gave him the opportunity of meeting all parishioners, A programme of music, vocal and instrumental, was rendered, and an address of welcome on behalf of the parishioners was read by Mr. Alex. 'Shand. In reply to the address the Bishop expressing his great pleasure at being amongst the people, congratulate! them upon the manifestations of energy _ and' progress that were visible in the churches of Waikiwi and Rakahouka, while he expressed the hope that he would often come to visit them. He hoped that he would always find such happy relations existing between pastor and people.