Contributors to the “ Tablet ” A Notable Record

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 17, 3 May 1923, Page 15

Contributors to the “ Tablet ” A Notable Record

The Tablet has, during its half-century’s career, been fortunate in the number and personnel of the contributors to its pages. Foremost amongst these must be placed the name of his Grace the Most Rev. Francis Redwood, the venerable and revered Archbishop of Wellington, and Metropolitan ol the Ecclesiastical Province of New Zealand whose great intellect has, during many years, guided a acile pen over a range of subjects as widely extended as human thought and action. As far back as many of us can remember—as back numbers of the Tablet bear ample testimony this gifted and cultured writer’s contributions have adorned the pages of this paper. Even at the present tune although he has arrived at a very advanced lahlei readers are favored by the Archbishop at frequent intervals with brilliant and scholarly articles conducive to tne well-being of society, brimful of sage advice to the wage-earner, and always with that gentle touch of sympathy towards the toiler, the poor and oppressed, which may well have earned for him the title of, “friend of the biboring classes.” His steadfast adherence to the cause ol Ireland, through good and evil report, during the darkest days of her agony, has proved his love for the Island of Saints and Scholars. When, in her direst trials Ireland’s Inends were few and wavering, the illustrious Archbishop, by the spoken and written word, put heart and courage into her exiled children, and for this his name will ever be hold in fondest remembrance. Dr. Redwood’s utterances and writings in upholding and advocating every legitimate movement in the furtherance of Ireland’s claims for justice are, happily, on record. These will remain as a memorial to a wise and generous-hearted prelate when the era of Peace and progress, and of that freedom which Irishmen and Irishwomen at home and abroad so long sought and prayed for, will finally come to and enduringly remain with their beloved country. A prolific writer, too, was the late Bishop Grimes, whose numerous Pastorals on a very wide range of subjects when collected after his death made a bulky volume. These

and other articles, notices of travel, lectures, etc., he contributed to the Tablet during his lengthy episcopate. Another of the great Marist Order who filled many pages of the Tablet with his writings was the late Father Le Menant des Chesnais, whose contributions mainly covered the period during which Dr. Cleary (now Bishop of Auckland) held editorial control. Most of the foregoing writer’s contributions were delivered as lectures, (principally on controversial subjects, and were replies to non-Catholics who essayed attacks on Catholic doctrine. These included The Temuha Tournament (which subsequently formed the basis of Father Le Menant’s large and valuable volume, The Church and the World); ‘The Sects and the Church”; “Out of the Maze”; “The Church and Commerce, Industry, Sciences, and Art”; “Hell: An Historical Biblical Research,” etc. A contributor for many years was the late Mr. Michael Nolan, who, under the pen-name of “Rathkealensis,” wrote numerous articles on Irish national and topical subjects. He was a close friend of Mr. Perrin, and when the latter was editor of the Tablet, Mr. Nolan’s writings were always welcomed. In a letter to the present writer on the death in 1915 of Mr. Nolan, Mr. W. F. Dennehy, editor of the Irish Catholic, Dublin, wrote: “I learned with very deep regret about the death of my friend Mr. Michael Nolan. I call him “my friend,” because, although I had only two interviews with him during his brief visit to Ireland a few years ago, I formed a very high idea of his great practical ability, sound patriotism, and earnest Catholicity.” A notable Irishwoman, Rose Kavanagh (to whom a special article is devoted in this issue), was a valued contributor to the Tablet during the ’eighties, and her “Irish Letter,” more than anything else, kept the memory of the Green Isle fresh in the minds and hearts of her patriot sons and daughters abroad ; heartened them in the increasing struggle for just government, and kept them well informed regarding happenings in the Old Land during an interesting period of Ireland’s history. Past readers of the Tablet were also treated to many beautiful contributions from the pen of Dean Burke, of Invercargill. Writers of “Our Roman Letter” included Canon Conroy, Monsignor Hagan, and Very Rev. Father Roynane, 0.C.C., all eminent in the world of letters. Contributions from the pen of Rev. M. J. Watson (editor of the Messenger of the Sacred Heart) have also graced the Tablet columns. A fine series of articles on the “Early Church” were contributed within recent years by that cultured writer, the Rev. P. J. Sheehy, of Manly College, Sydney. Everyone has read with pleasure the splendid articles contributed from time to time by Monsignor Power, of Hawera, whose voice and pen are every ready to defend the cause of Faith and Fatherland. The late Monsignor Golden, latterly of Auckland, wrote many articles which found an honored • place, as did also some of his verse. Other able and gifted contributors are the Very Rev. James O’Neill (Waikiwi), and Mr. P. J. O’Regan, of Wellington, one of the Dominion’s foremost barristers, whose informative articles on Proportional Representation, and vigorous writings on other subjects have met with much appreciation. Tablet readers have been favored during recent years with writings of more than ordinary interest on Irish matters from the practised pen of Mr. Charles O’Leary. Always concise and to the point, Mr. O’Leary has proved himself to be among the Lest informed on many debatable phases of Ireland’s historypast and present. His communications from time to time have served a very useful purpose indeed. The establishment of Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, provided quite a mine of literary wealth which has been, in due course, directed to the pages of the Tablet. Among the contributors from this source were Rev. J. Liston (now Coadjutor-Bishop of Auckland), Rev. J. P. Delany, and Rev. E. Lynch, who supplied the matter for respective features which occupied prominent space during years gone by. Rev. C. Morkane, Rev. D. P. Buckley, Rev. C. Collins, and others of the past and 'present professorial staff of the college have also written more or less extensively for the Tablet pages, as have, too, Revs. T. Gilbert, S.M., B. Gondringer, S.M., W. J. Schaeffer, S.M., and others of St. Patrick’s College, Wellington. Some fine historical essays have been supplied by Rev.

M. Edge, of Te Awamutu, Auckland, whose telling criticisms have a value unsurpassed in this particular range of study. During the early days of the Great War Mr. Reginald Ward supplied some finely written articles descriptive thereof. An honored place in this summary must be given to Miss Eileen Duggan, whose poetry and prose has been such a distinct feature of the Tablet columns during recent years. Others whose poems have been received with much acceptance include Miss Angela Hastings, Mr. Harold Gallagher, and the late Mr. George Evatt, the latter (an invalid) devoting the declining years of his life to the composition of some strikingly beautiful poems of a spiritual nature. Mr. M. J. Sheahan, of Auckland, often -wrote on the Irish National question, as well as on other subjects, his contributions extending over a good many years; while the articles on gardening, supplied by Mr. J. Joyce, of Christchurch, have been of the greatest help to those for whom they are specially written and of much interest to the general reader. Former “own” correspondents who rendered good service to the Tablet included Mr. M. Nolan, Mr. M. J. Sheahan, Mrs. J. McNamara (nee Donnelly), Mr. J. W. Kennedy (afterwards sub-editor), Mr. P. J. Nolan, Mr. F. Milner, and others.