VISIT OF BISHOP REDWOOD.

Kumara Times, Issue 2945, 8 April 1886, Page 2

VISIT OF BISHOP REDWOOD.

Bishop Redwood, accompanied by Father Walshe, arrived by the tram last evening, at about half-past six o'clock. They were met on the platform by the Revs. Fathers Brown and Ahern (of Ross), and a number of gentlemen forming the reception committee. There was an array of carriages in waiting, and on his Lordship the Bishop taking his seat in one of them (Mr Mulvihill's). there was a cheer from the large assemblage outside the station of Catholics and others who had gone thither to witness his Lordship's arrival. When all were seated the whole party drove into town, and up Seddon and Third streets, to the Catholic Presbytery, where his Lordship will abide during his sojourn in Kumara.

At about half past seven o'clock in the evening the Catholic Brass Band discoursed musical welcome in the school grounds and opposite the Presbytery and St. Patrick's Church, at which hitter place a large congregation had assembled to unite, with the committee in presenting an address of * r "'come to his Lordship the Bishop. At eight o'clock the church bell indicated the near approach of the Bishop and at ten minutes past eight, his Lordship, (wearing his episcopal robes) preceded by Father Wal.-he, and followed by Fathers B'own and Ahearn, walked up the aisle of the church and to the altar. The church was artistically, profusely,and beautifully decorated with ferns and flowers (many of which at, this late season of the year might have been supposed to lv.ve gone out of exigence), yet such .•» o JVM „] ~,„) ~le aan t display we have ri"t before seen in Kumara,

His Lordship Bishop Redwood, assisted by the Prists, at once proceeded to the devotion of the Rosarv a series of fifteen prayers founded" on the chief mysteries of the incarnation and passion of our Lord, interspersed with repetitions of " Otw Father !" the "Hail Mary !" and (he . doxdogy. This part of the ceieruony over, three members of the reception committee (Messrs D. Human, J. Muivihill and M. Murphy) advanced to the communion rail, aucl the first-named read the following address:— Address of the Roman* Catholics of KuaiARA to his Lordship Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, Bishop of Wellington. May it please your LordshipMost gladly do we avail ourselves of your Lordship's pastoral visit to Kumara for the purpose of conferring the rloly Sacrament of Confirmation to give expression to the heartfelt sentiments of esteem, respect, aud veneration which we entertain for our beloved Bishop.

We greet your Lordship with a most cordial and hearty welcome, and assuie yon that we are not unmindful of the great works achieved during your episcopate, especially those performed since yoar hist visit to this district, namely the increase of priests and religious orders, the opening of churches for the due celebration of the Holy Mysterieß, and the founding of charitable institutions.

We offer our congratulations on the .successful opening of St. Patrick's College; but whilst you must have felt the greatest pleasure at its successful opening, we feel assured that your Lordship would be equally gratified to hear that the Catholic schools in the various districts you visit are in a flourishing condition. We rejoice to say that our school is doing well. Under the regular supervision of our zealous and venerated priests and the painstaking management of the new teachers, it, giving general satisfaction. We deem this a titling opportunity to record our solemn protest against that iniquitous system of misgovernmenfc which deprives the Eomun Catholics of New Zealand of their just share of the public revenue for the maintenance of their schools, and compels them to support a system of education which they cannot conscientiously accept.

We are well aware that your Lordship will be supplied with all details relative to parochial affairs, therefore we do not presume to touch on those matters; but we cannot allow the present opportunity to pass without recording our satisfaction of the maimer in which the spiritual wants of the parish are attended to, and of recording another fact, which will be as gratifying to yon Lordship to hear as it is pleasant <o ourselves to relate, namely, that the parish is free of debt.

We also desire to fender our warmest congratulations on the distinguished and prominent part you took in the recent Plenary Council at Sydney; and your Lordship will place us under an extra debt of gratitude if you will convey to our Holy Father our warm and dutiful thanks for the care he has manifested for our spiritual and tempo; al advancement in these colonies, l>y appointing for our rnler a prince of ihe church in the person of his Eminence Cardinal Moran.

Yonr Lordship's present visitation to Kuinara following so closely on your recent visit to the Chair of St. ■ Peter, we wish to join with all your faithful children throughout your extensive jurisdiction in congratulations on your safe return, and for the expression of loyalty to our Holy Bather on our behalf.

We beg once more to offer yon a most cordial welcome, praying diat vou may be long spared over this diocese ■ and we humbly request your Lordship to bestow upon us the Apostolic Benediction.

(Signed on behalf of the parishoners of KuiiKua) — Denis Hannan, Michael Murphy, Robert M'Glone, Michael Maloney, Jeremiah Gilbert, Benjamin Hamill. His Lordship Bishop Redwood, in. replying, said : My dear Brethren—lt give.. ;rn very g.eat pleasure indeed to receive such a kind address; I am very thankful indeed for your expressions of so cordial a welcome, after my long absence from you. I should have had pleasure iu visiting you again at a far earlier date, but I was called away to Rome, and I was happy to say mar.y praiseworthy things to the Holy Father concerning this part of my parish—of your generosity J,, building such a fine church and ,ch::..' in Kuma-a. Th; Holy Father was ple-sr-d much to knowthat the Catholic i-c .p'o h:id done so

much in maintaining their own schools. He considered the present educational system in New Zealand was a great injustice to Catholics; but it afforded him much pleasuie to seo that the Catholics were so well supporting their schools. The Holy Father was delighted to see that a Catholic College had been established in Wellington ; it was a great achievement for New Zealand that Catholics were now able to give their own children a perfect education—an education which would fit them for the great race of life. lam happy to hear of the excellent school you have in your midst in .Kumara. I often think of the time when I first visited you, and of the great activity you displayed generally in the speedy erection of your church, so that it was opened on the very day appointed ; how the forest trees where we now are were hewn down, whilst the song of the tni and kiwi by day and the mopoke in the evening were yet heard in the thick bush where this church is now built. You all recollect the address I then gave you on the occasion of the opening of this church. I always received a most hearty and enthusiastic welcome from you. The Holy Father has deputed me to give you his Blessing, and I shall give it to you next Sunday, and my own Blessing also. The Blessing will be just the same as if the Holy Father were here himself. He has requested all Bishops of Australasia to examine the past bisUny and into the future prospects of Catholicism in the colonies, and I hope in a few days to furnish you with this pastoral letter. I have learned since I came away that some 300 copies have come to Wellington ; and I have no doubt you will receive some here soon. [His Loidship then entered into an explanation of the laws of the church.] You have alluded very flatteringly to the work in this diocese ly the clergymen. "We are not proud of this ; we have only" done our duty ; and if we can congratulate ourselves, it, must be said that it is not due to any skill of the clergy, but due to the unity of the clergy and the people of the diocese. I will only ask you to go on in the good work : maintain your schools well, and honour at all times your clergy and Bishop. I am pleased to be here again to see your devotedness. I have come to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation next Sunday, and pray that those who may come to be confirmed may have strength and fortitude. I abso come to remind you of your observances during Lent, of the Paschal time. If Catholics do not attend to their Easter duties, there must be something wrong—there must be something very stony, very icy in their hearts. Catholics should extend their devotions as far as the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul ; but never relinquish them before Whitsuntide at very latest. I have again to thank yon for the kind and hearty welcome you and your Priests have given me. Like the rain which falleth from heaven, in one place in heavy showers in another but lightly, there were times when spiritual as well as temporal blessings were bestoweed. and so it is to this day with the ministers of the church ; and surely, in the time of Lent, and when the Bishops are among you must be considered a time of revival. I hope all parents will accompany their children to the confirmation on Sunday. I shall remember most affectionately the parish of Kumara and the trouble yon have been put to in beautifying this church for my reception. I have no words to express my high appreciation of the reception yon have given your Bishop. I hope Almighty God will give you his blessing. Next Sunday I shall give you the Blessing of the Holy Father and my own Blessing. The proceedings closed with the Bishop, assisted by the Priests, pronouncing the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.