CONFIRMATION AT ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5343, 13 May 1878, Page 2

CONFIRMATION AT ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL.

The sacrament of confirmation was adinistered yesterday morning by the Right Rev. Bishop Redwood at the Roman Catholic Cathedral. At half-past 7 o’clock, the hour at which Divine service commenced, the building was filled in every part. The Bishop was assisted by the Rev. Father McGuinness and the Rev. Father Kerrigan. After mass had been solemnised, about forty received communion for the first time, a special address having been first delivered to them. Then the candidates for confirmation were presented. There were in . all about 120, of whom forty were from the Te Aro parish, the remainder being from the Thorndon parish and the country. Among those who presented themselves, were several adults, some of whom had been in places where confirmation had not been administered, some had by neglect omitted to take this sacrament, and others were recent converts to the faith. The girls, were all dressed in white, with a blue sash, and wore muslin veils thrown over the head and reaching nearly to the ground. The greater number of the boys had a white silk sash, with a blue or green rosette.

His Lordship delivered a very eloquent address, in which he earnestly impressed upon those who were about to receive the sacrament the responsibilities they thereby took upon themselves. He dwelt upon the necessity of all members of the Church being confirmed, in order that they might be thereby encouraged to persevere in leading Christian lives. He then proceeded to point out the obstacles they would meet with in the world—obstacles which they would have to overcome if they led a life of faith and morality. Confirmation would assist them in overcoming those obstacles. His Lordship then showed very vividly the great dangers that beset their faith, and pointed to the necessity of faith in order that they might reach another and a better world. If a traveller was deprived of sight, or partially lost it, he would he in danger of falling over a precipice, or getting into other peril ; so faith was an eye or a light by which people were assisted to advance to the next life. If they were deprived of that light, all guides would vanish from them, and they would be lost. By faith they knew there was a place of punishment) a hell which they had to avoid ; through faith they believed there was a heaven, towards which their whole life should tend ; by faith they were led to fulfil their duties to God and to man, and to believe in the real presence of our Lord in the holy Eucharist. Faith was the great means by which they advanced on their way to Heaven and to the reward prepared for them in the next life. ,