UPPER RICCARTON.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18366, 27 April 1925, Page 15

UPPER RICCARTON.

NEW CHURCH OPENED. t Yesterday rooming a new schooleliurch, adjoining Villa Maria Convent, was opened by his Lordship Bishop Brodie, assisted by the Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy, of Hokitika, and the J,tev. Father T. Hanrahan, priest-in-eharge of the Riccarton parish. The ceremony of the blessing v,as performed immediately before the celebration of Holy Mass. The Rev. Father Hanrahan extended a "welcome to his Lordship the Bishop, and expressed his appreciation thatthe parish has now a church where Mass could be celebrated and in which the Bishop would have an opportunity oi addressing tho people. . He spoke ot tho advantages the parish haxi in tlio_ generous benefactors who had given so liberally and 'had relieved the parishioners, in a great measure, of the anxietv thev had regarding debts that would liavo had to be incurred in the establishment of a new parish, rattier Hanrahan expressed his deep appreciation of the generous gift of Sir George Clifford in that he had practically jpven sufficient money to complete tho hmldinfC in which thev "wero asseTnblcci. Otfier generous benefactors, the Misses Hen!ev° had given an acre of ground For the benefit of the parish and tho value of this land was approximately £IOOO. which might be used for another church buildinc. If not used for that purpose it coukl probably be sold and the proceeds devoted to tho liquidation of debts that would have to be incurred in connexion with tho buildings of the parish. Father Hanrahan expressed his gratitude to the parishioners generally for the response they had made to his appeal for assistance and for' the encouragement he had received enabling him to hone that within a. short time the priest's readence would be free from debt. . Bishop Brodie. in acknowledging the ■welcome extended to him, endorse,} tn»' grateful aporeciation of the generous gifts of Sir George Clifford and tho Misses Henlev. The public inauguration of «he new parisli gave every reason for hoping that Riccarton would

, soon bo a prosperous district, and thao tho necessary buildings for parish equipment would eoon be erected. His Lordship again explained the reasons for the multiplication of church buildings in. the city and suburbs of Chnstehureh; it was in accordance with the programme of extension which would provide facilities ior attendance at Ho'.y Mass. Throughout the world it was now the acknowledged experience of all Bishops that the suburban development of large cities created, such difficulties for attendance at Mass that numbers of people could not walk the distances between their residences anil 1 the closest chuifrh. Recently several Bishops in England had issued pastorals to this effect and taken steps to erect temporary church . structures, buildings which mav be simple in themselves but which would serve the purpose of providing facilities for hearing Mass until such time as permanent structures could be built. The school-church at Riccarton is the fourth opened in the suburbs of Christchurch within the last two months. a"d this advance is certainly very gratifying to all and an evidence of the interest the people are taking iu the work of the Church. His Lordshio preached a sermon on the gospel of the day—narrative of the parable of the Good Shepherd and pointed out that the progress of the parish of Riccarton was tho result of the zealous labours of their new pastor and the unbounded confidence the people had in him. His Lordship conclude'.'! by dedicating the church to the sacred purpose for which was erected and invoking God's blessing 011 the priest and people of the parish.