BISHOP REDWOOD AT THE LOWER HUTT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4548, 18 October 1875, Page 3

BISHOP REDWOOD AT THE LOWER HUTT.

Yesterday the Reman Catholic Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Redwood, paid his first official •visit to the Lower Hutt. The Catholics made every preparation to ensure a hearty welcome being accorded, and the morning proving fine, overhead at any rate; the plans were successfully carried through. The Bishop arrived in his carriage shortly before 10 o'clock, accompanied by Mr; Ward, M.H.R., his brother-in-law, and was met on the road by a procession of children dressed gaily, and bearing banners, flags, flowers, &e., who conducted him to the church. At the gate a very handsome triumphal arch had been erected, and Dr. Kedwood (who wore the gorgeous vestments of his office) was met by a number of the gentlemen of the district, on behalf of whom Mr. P.. A. Buckley then, read the following address : __ - ■ " To his Lordship the Right Reverend Fbakcis Redwood, D.D., Roman Catholic Bishop of Wellington. " May it please your Lordship,—lt is with sincere pleasure that the Catholics of the Hutt meet here to-day to welcome your Lordship on this the occasion of your first official visit to the district. . . - " To us it is a matter for pleasant congratulation to know that after the long interval which elapsed between the death of our late lamented Bishop and the elevation of your Lordship to the episcopacy, the Holy See, guided by that Spirit which has promised never to-abandon the Church, has seen fit to send us a gentleman of such high attainments as you po3sess._ We look up to your Lordship as the model which we are to follow and the guide who i 3 to conduct us through the perils and dangers so constantly besetting us. " It is impossible for us, in a short address like the present, to dilate at any length" upon your Lordship's high qualities, which so eminently fit you for the performance of your holy office. We will content ourselves by saying that, although few in number, we yield to none in appreciation of your worth, and in adherence to a grand old Church which has battled through ages against storms of heresy and unbelief, and which we feel persuaded will ere long triumph over her enemies, and again restore to her venerable Head peace and happiness. "In conclusion, we pray that the Holy Spirit, which has ever guided the Church, may grant to your Lordship all the graces and blessings necessary to enable you to fulfil your onerous duties ; and allow us again to express our pleasure at seeing you here to-day in our midst." The Bishop said he was very much obliged for the address, and would take an opportunity of saying a few words in reply presently. The procession then moved on, and the Bishop entered the church, the choir chanting the " Benedictus." Having arrived in the sanctuary, The Bishop then came forward and said : My dear brethren—l beg first to return you my sincere thanks for the very kind address which has just been read to me. Of course I do not take as meant entirely for myself all these honors which you have been pleased to bestow upon me. This procession formedto meet me, these children dressed in gay attire, with joyous countenances, and with their flags fluttering in the breeze, and this festive air, certainly I do not accept as being directed simply to me, but I accept them as a token of respect for that faith which you have the honor to hold, and a token of respect for that sovereign pontiff and vicar of Jesus Christ who sends me amongst you, and I accept them as a tribute of love for the sacred person of Jesus Christ. The kind feelings you have expressed towards me personally I am very thankful for, though I fear you have very much exagerated any merit I may pretend to have ; but I may say that I hope we shall work together

with cood' will, and co-operate with one Sothe S r! so as' to promote the ends for which lam sent amongst you, and so as to contribute to the glory o£ ,, spread of the truth in this world. I £*nk you particularly for the expression of • feelings of devotion towards the Church m this her hour of trill The Catholic Church bow agoing through one of those phases m ber which have been common to her from the be ginning. From the very first moment she Sarted to teach the world the doctrine that mere human reason left to itself could ach:eve nogood-to teach a code of morals that was, foreign to human weakness and passions, she, has always had to fight against what is called the world, or, in other words a ™v«*^J.™ : wicked principles and wicked men. isfighting and struggling has always ended in our gamin! the victory; and as we have fought; and, conquered in the past eighteen centuries so we may hope to triumph over our enemies in the future. We know who wo are ™ know we have received the promise of God that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against us. The Church is now on her_ trial or rather the world is now on its trial It is not the Church, it is the world that is on its trial.; The Church has nothing to fear. Victory is surely hers, but it is not so with the world. It is ruin to those who do not accept her ; it is resurrection to those who do. She comes for the glory of many, and the eternal loss of many We are sure of triumph in the end, and we have to hasten this by our prayers. It is the duty of every man to contribute to the triumph of the Church, and the success of the orace of God in this world, and this he can do if he will merely carry out his duty according to the teachings of the Church. In conclusion of this address I again thank you for your kindness, and exhort you to take part in the struggles of the Church, and contribute to the achievement of the triumph. I give you the blessing of Jesus Christ, the blessing of the guardian angels sent by God to perfect your souls, the blessing of the angels who specially watch over this district and bless you and your interests and everything most dear to your hearts, and to these I add my own blessing. The Bishop then celebrated'Mass, assisted by Father Yarden, who acts as parish priest, and Father Chataigner, of Wellington ; the responses being sung by a choir composed of ladies and gentlemen from the Upper Hutt, in addition to the ordinary choir, under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly. The Bishop afterwards addressed the congregation, reverting to the subject of a pastoral fssued previously, in which he had pointed out that the chief want in the diocese was a large number of priests ; and as it was impossible to properly educate these priests in New Zealand, funds were required for the purpose either of sending Home young men. from New Zealand for their education, or of introducing priests from Europe. Everywhere he had visited he had obtained money for this purpose, and therefore he exhorted the people of the Hutt, who had long had the benefit of a priest, when other parts of the colony equally large and important had not, to contribute their share. They had shown devotion to their religion by erecting so tasteful a church, and he had nodoubt he would successfully appeal to their generosity in this matter, which was a higher object than the other, for what was the utility of a material Church if they had no one to teach the people ? Subsequently Dr. Kedwood delivered an elegant sermon from the words, ',' Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's ; and unto God the things that are God's." The collection, which was taken by the Bishop personally, amounted to £l6. The attendance at vespers was interfered with owing to rain coming on.