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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 663, 10 December 1851, Page 3

On Sunday last the ceremony of the consecration of the Roman Catholic Church, recently erected at Thorndon, was performed by the Bishop attended by his Priests with all the imposing rites peculiar to that faith. The Church is situated on the rising ground immediately behind Thorndon Flat, and forms one of a collection of buildings devoted to the uses of the Roman Catholic faith, the other buildings being schools for children of both sexes, the Bishop’s residence, and a Nunnery. The Church, which is very substantially framed of timber, consists of a nave and aisles separated by arches, with a chancel containing the high altar. At the south-eastern angle of the building is a square tower covered with a temporary sloping roof, bnt which will ultimately be raised, we believe, to the height of sixty feet, and be surmounted by a spire of the height of thirty feet, the whole being niriety feet in height. The interior of the building also, which at present is roughly framed and lined with wood, will be plastered, with pillars and arches separating the nave from the aisles, the upper or clerestory pierced with windows, the chapels on either side the high altar enclosed with carved wooden tracery, and the whole buildipg lengthened towards the western end to the extent of twenty-five feet. The building is in the pointed style with a triple window at the eastern end, and is capable of containing six hundred persons. At the west end a temporary gallery has been placed in which is a small but well toned organ. A great number of persons were collected (v er y many from motives of curiosity and a desire to witness a ceremony new to them) on the nrrnsinn anri if is nnmnnforl f-Uof Ka. — W.—« — — j -w w-w VXZK*. Vkkvv* bUUV | tween six and seven hundred persons were within the building. Of the Acolytes five were Maories, one of whom bore the train of the Bishop, and towards the conclusion of the ceremony, a Maori hymn was sung by the natives, of whom, we understand, there were about eighty converts to the Roman Catholic Faith The consecration, including the celebration of mass, occupied rather more than four hours.