His Excellency the Apostolic Delegate

New Zealand Tablet, 1 December 1921, Page 22

His Excellency the Apostolic Delegate

Tour of the Archdiocese of Wellington His Excellency the Most Rev. Archbishop Cattaneo, Apostolic Delegate to Australasia, returned to Wellington from the South on last Saturday morning (writes our own correspondent under date November 24), and was the guest of his. Grace Archbishop Redwood. His Excellency celeJbrated the 7 o'clock Mass at the Basilica on Sunday, and afterwards left by motor car on a visit to the principal inland centres of the Archdiocese, accompanied by his Grace Archbishop O'Shea. The route northward was by way of the. Wairarapa, the towns visited being Carterton, Masterton, Eketahuna, Pahiatua, and Dannevirke, his

Excellency, and party spending the night at the latter town. On Monday visits were made to Takapau, Waipawa, Hastings, and Greenmeadows, where the night was spent. Leaving Greenmeadows ,on Tuesday at- 10 a.m.,. a short time was dpent at Napier, Palmerston North being reached at 5 p.m. Resuming the tour on Wednesday at 9.30 a.m., brief visits were made to Feilding and Marton, Wanganui being reached in the evening. His Excellency and party left Wanganui next morning, visiting en route to New Plymouth, Waverley, Patea, Hawera, Eltham, Stratford, and Inglewood. His Excellency left New Plymouth on Friday for Onehunga.

The Apostolic Delegate at Wanganui

(From our own correspondent.) Evyivva Sua Exceltenza II DeJegato Apostolico. Hia Excellency Most Reverend Archbishop Catta'neo has been, and we are left with happy memories of his short visit. " Arriving by motor on ..Wednesday afternoon, accom-

panied by his secretary (Rev. Dr. Farrelly), his Grace Archbishop O'Shea, Mgr. McKenna (Vicar General), and Rev. Father O'Connell, his Excellency was met on the outskirts by a goodly number of motor cars, and was escorted by them through the town. Members of the congregation having cars of their own turned out almost to a man, and- many others made up parties in hired cars for the occasion. They didn't come through the.town at funeral pace either, but briskly covered the length of the Avenue, down Dublin Street, along the River bank,, up Guyton Street and into the presbytery gates. Here, of course, the escorting cars ranged themselves alongside, or dispersed. The children had assembled in the school ground adjoining the presbytery, and after welcoming his Excellency with a fine waving of yellow and white .flags, settled themselves for the short interval before he could address them.

In a few minutes, during which all the available space in the grounds had been filled with grown-ups, the party re-appeared, and amid much cheering and more flagwaving, took their places at the front entrance of the "Villa Maria." The children sang'their songs of welcome; Master Arthur Cronin read and presented an address "fep his Excellency and little Miss Mary Morton presented a bouquet of beautiful white ' and yellow lotus-blooms. His Excellency addressed the people and particularly the children, gave us the Papal Benediction, gave the children two days'" holiday, was photographed with us, and, after the children had sung "God Defend New Zealand," retired. We hurried home to .get ready for the evening ceremony. • Most people were in church bright and early on Wednesday night, and by. starting time there were not many vacant sittings. As the organ pealed out the first notesof the "Ecce'Sacerdos Magnus" the congregation rose, and remained standing while our honored prelate was escorted through the church. to the sanctuary. Here he: vested. Rev. Fathers Ginisty, S.Mr; and. Venning, S.M., hemp;.

deacons of % honor at the throne, and, assisted by Rev. Fathers McGrath,„S.M., and Outtrim, S.M., proceeded with Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.- Benediction over, the Blessed Sacrament was removed from the tabernacle, and Rev. Father O'Connell officially welcomed the Delegate, and presented him with a little souvenir of Wanganuia photographic history of our church and schools here, -right away back to the first establishment in the early . fifties. His Excellency replied, and once more we received the Papal Benediction. Then we scurried up to the "Villa" for the civic reception, and, in the big schoolroom which had been transformed into a recep-tion-room, we lined up in twos and twos, for presentation. It was' a lengthy performance, but even when it was over,

his Excellency lingered among the people chatting.to them. I should have mentioned that the Hibernians acted as guard of honor at the church door and at the "Villa," and they came in for a special little word of commendation. Everything went off very easily and nicely, thanks in large measure to the very.good arrangements by Father O'Connell and the help given by the Sisters and the Brothers. This finished the ceremonies in town, and, as I said at the beginning, our memories of Archbishop Cattaneo are happy indeed. ... Early on Thursday morning, a visit was paid to the Sacred Heart Convent, St. John's Hill, and Mass was celebrated in the chapel by, his Excellency.* The great honor conferred on the community was appreciated in full by them, and everyone, Sisters and students, as well as the Catholics who live on the Hill, received Holy Communion at the hands of his Excellency. After Mass, the party, consisting of his Excellency, Archbishop O'Shea, Monsignor McK.enna, Dr. Farrelly, Fathers O'Connell, Outtrim, and Venning,. were entertained to breakfast at the convent, and then they adjourned to the hall for a very short entertainment. An address of welcome was recited by Miss Victorine Ruscoe, there were one or two musical items, the children sang once more "Pastor Bonus," and the whole thing was over in a brief quarter-hour or so. His Excellency spoke to the children, .and captivated their hearts as he did ours, gave them a holiday, said good-bye, and went his way. Followed an impromptu visit to Kai Iwi, where a gathering of local Maoris and -Europeans took place. His Excellency arrived at about 10 o'clock, and was welcomed by Rev. Father Ginisty, who interpreted the words of the Maoris. "Greetings to you, the shepherd of the flock," they said, and his. Excellency, much interested, made a

visit to the meeting house. This, by the way, has been transformed into a permanent chapel, and is no longer put to any other use. In replying, his Excellency asked Father convey to the Maoris his great appreciation of their welcome, and to tell them how he admired their action in- giving over the meeting-house for the exclusive purposes of devotion, in making it a place where Europeans and Maoris could receive, each in his own tongue, religious instruction. All received the Papal Blessing, and the little function, hurried as it was and necessarily stripped of all formality and display, was undoubtedly a joy to his Excellency and Kai Iwi. The party then took the road for Waverley, Patea, and the Taranaki trip generally..

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) November 25. St. Mary's (ladies) branch of the Hibernian Society will hold a social on December S, at the Alexandra Hall. The address from the Catholic Federation presented to his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate on the occasion of ' his first visit to Wellington was from the Diocesan Council, and not, as erroneously stated, from the Dominion Executive of the Federation. Rev. Father Gondringer, S.M., M.A., of St. Patrick's College, Wellington, who is going on an extended tour of the Continent and the United Kingdom, will leave New Zealand by the s.s. Ulimaroa, on December 9 en route for Sydney, where he will 'connect with the s.s. Omar. Rehearsals are progressing apace for what promises . to bo an exceedingly beautiful pageant in connection with the coronation of Miss Mary McEvedy, the small daughter of Dr. McEvedy, who was the successful queen candidate in the recent bazaar held in aid of the St. Mary's Church rebuilding fund. The coronation will be followed immediately by a plain and fancy-dress children's social and will be held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Tuesday evening, December 6. / Miss H. McMahon, a popular member of the St. Mary of the Angels' Choir for some years, was presented, on the eve of her marriage, with a handsome silver table centre, suitably engraved, by the members of the choir. Rev. Father Mahony made the presentation. The half-yearly meeting of the Wellington Diocesan Council of the Catholic Federation will be held at New Plymouth on Friday, February 10, and not in January as first proposed, owing to that time not being suitable.