CONSECRATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AT PAHAUTANUI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5353, 24 May 1878, Page 6

CONSECRATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AT PAHAUTANUI.

Ob Sunday, April 28th, the interesting and impressive ceremony of the consecration of the new Homan Catholic Church at Pahautanui, by the Eight Keverend Bishop Eedwood, took place. The building although not a large or imposing structure, is nevertheless a very neat and appropriate one, arid reflects much credit on the architect and contractor, Mr. Turnbull and Mr. Biaclde. It is situated on a gentle eminence about three quarters of a mile from the bridge crossing the Pahautanui Creek, on the main Poxtou road, and from the ground surrounding the church a most charming prospect is obtained of land and water, cultivated farms and primitive bush, such as can hardly be surpassed amongst the many beautiful landscapes which may be found within a day’s ride or drive from Wellington. This new church is built to accommodate about one hundred persons, and on Sunday its seat holding power was taxed to the uttermost, there being more than that number present. A considerable section of the residents in the immediate locality—Protestant and Koman Catholic alike —wended their way in vehicles, on horseback, and bn foot, to the scene of action, and there were several, visitors from town, whose numbers would probably have been larger had not the weather looked threatening in the early morning. Nothwithstanding the unfavorable aspect of the clouds, however, as the morning dawned, the sun soon afterwards shone brightly, and not a drop of rain fell from after six o’clock. A' more enjoyable day for a trip into the country could not be imagined. Amongst the visitors from town were Messrs. Buckley, (solicitor), Jackson, (Government surveyor), Turnbull, (architect), and J. Macdonald. Several who were expected from Wellington did not put in an appearance, owing probably to the threatening aspect of the weather in the early morning. This new church, as we have said, will comfortably accomodate 100 persons ; its length is 38 feet by 18, and its height about 15 feet. There are five windows on each side of the building, and two on either side of the front entrance, above which is a belfry with a small bell, hardly large enough to enable its tones to be heard at any considerable distance, but this defect can, no doubt, be easily rectified at a future time. The interior is not yet lined, but when this part of the work is done it will add very much to the internal appearance of the building. The cost of the work has been about £2OO, of which amount £l5O has been subscribed, and there is a debt of £SO or thereabouts, which no doubt will soon be cleared off. Punctually at 11 o’clock the ceremony of consecration began, the following address to the Bishop being presented immediately before the commencement of the service ; “To the Eight Eeverend P. Eedwood, Bishop of Wellington. May it please Your Lordship,— My Lord, with most sincere pleasure, and a depth of gratitude which we feel more than we can express, we, the Catholics of Pahautanui and Porirua, meet here today to give your Lordship a hearty welcome. We have been long waiting for an opportunity to hail the presence of your Lordship in our midst; but being few, and very much scattered, we had no fit place of worship wherein to

meet together and receive your Lordship. By very great exertions, and the help of kind friends, to whom we express our sincere gratitude, here now stands the building which we ask your Lordship to dedicate to the glory of God, under the title of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Deign, therefore, to bless it with the rites of our Holy Church, and deign also to call down the blessing of Heaven upon us, your children, and upon ail who have given us their generous assistance.” [Here follow the signatures.] , The Bishop expressed his thanks for the cordial welcome given to him, and congratulated the congregation on the accomplishment of a great event; for the Catholic Church did regard the consecration of a new place of worship as a great event, and cause for, thankfulness and rejoicing. He thanked all who had contributed to the work, and invoked the Divine blessing upon them all. He briefly explained the ceremonies which were to be gone through, and their meaning,

and then proceeded with the consecration. Walking round tho exterior of the church, accompanied by the Kev. Father Yardin and a number of children, the girls dressed in white : and the boys in black, the Bishop blessed it, carrying a sprig of hyssop, and the Psalm “Thou hast sprinkled me,” &c., being chanted. The interior of the building was then perambulated, sprinkled with holy water, and blessed. The altar having been prepared, the congregation entered;' and in a few momenta every available seat waa taken ,by a most attentive and devout congregation. The service of the mass was then proceeded with, and a moat eloquent and practical sermon was delivered by the Eishop, a sermon the leading points of which Christiana of all denominations must acknowledge as sound and worthy of the deepest consideration. Has Lordship took for his text the following words from St. John “Behold the Lamb of God: Behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world.” This he said was the great mission of Jesus Christ, and of the Catholic Church. . For this our Saviour, who was God and man, had immolated himself, and after, a life of suffering had died an ignominious death on the cross. But people must not think that because the Saviour had done this they were to; do nothing themselves. They must repent of their sins, do penance for them, and above all strive not to commit them ' again; otherwise all the atonement made by Christ and all the Church could do for them would be of no avail. They must sincerely and truly repent, not in words Only, but by deeds, before they could, obtain remission of their sins. They must pray earnestly and sincerely for forgiveness, and : when forgiven must- keep out of sin. It was the mission of Christ and the Church to enable them to do this, and he could have taken no more appropriate words than the text he had chosen from St. John to illustrate the doctrine. ;He was not there to-day to “make a show.” The Catholic church did not desire at any time to “ make a show." Some men of the world said Catholics were fond of making a show and parade, so as, to make an impression on the minds of the people, but this was not the fact. The Catholic Church did make an impression in the world because she was a queen—a great and mighty power—and made herself felt on that account. Her religion was given once and for all, and was the same yesterday, today, and for ever. Her object was to bring souls to God, and she would rather be the means of preventing one grievous sin being committed in New Zealand than that the colony should be crowned with all material prosperity. All the wealth and worldly prosperity of the land were as nothing in her eyes compared to the prevention of one single grievous sin. Jesus Christ did not come into the world to tell men how to be rich in money or high in the world’s esteem, but how to bo saved. That was' His mission, and that was the work of His Church. All sins were not of the same kind-some were venial, that is, easily pardoned, and did not necessarily alienate God’s. friendship ; but mortal sin, unless truly repented of and forgiveness obtained for, would blast a man’s soul everlastingly. To steal a trifle from a rich man, although wrong and, culpable, was not such a

great sin as to rob the widow and orphan, and to speak hastily in an uncharitable way o£ a neighbor was not so bad as ' seeking to destroy his reputation by calumny. Mortal r sin—daring acts of rebellion against God, placed man in a rank with the beasts of the held; indeed lower, for those animals did obey' their master. The Bishop then referred to the breaking of the leading commandments as mortal sins, and pointed out the wickedness and odious ingratitude displayed by man, for whom God had done so much, and whose benefit we all more or less enjoyed. We were hard upon Judas, who sold his master for 30 pieces of silver, but we ought to be hard upon ourselves. Did not men sell themselves, and their souls perhaps sometimes, for less than 30 pieces of silver ; aye, even for a miserable glass of liquor. Those who committed mortal sins were Deicides, murderers of Godin their hearts, and, as St. Paul said, by their acts “ crucified again the son of God.”Ought not Christians therefore to detest sin, and avoid the fearful punishment which awaited impenitent and unforgiven sinners? Some people contended that there was no hell, but the doctrine of_ an eternal hell—a place of everlasting torment with material fire—was both consonant with reason and was expressly laid down in Holy Scripture ; but even if material fire were absent, there was the hell of remorse. We had our Saviour’s own words that there would be a day of judgment, when he would pronounce the sentence to the unrepentant and unforgiven, “Depart from ms ye cursed into everlasting fire,” whilst to the justified he wouldsay,’’ “Gome ye blessed,” &e. The words were clear and spoken in umuistakeable language, and he earnestly exhorted all his hearers to ponder those things in their hearts, ' and ' earnestly to seek God’s forgiveness in the way pointed out in his Holy Word and in the doctrines of the Church. God was ready to forgive sin if man would only repent. He was good and gracious to Mary Magdalene. He forgave Peter after his denial of him, and made him the head of his Church, and all who sincerely did penance—not talked' about it, but really did it—repented of their sins, and resolved by God’s grace never to commit them ' again,, he would by no means cast out. Salvation was open to all, it they would only seek it, -; and, he earnestly trusted that, all who'heart him thatday , would be amongst the number who should be cleansed from their sins and 'receive Divine grace. In conclusion’he would say a few words in reference to the opening of this new church. Heheartilyrejoiced at thecompletion of the work, which was a great event, and matter for congratulation and thankfulness. Here in this building they would Hear God's word read and preached, aud would learn that the supreme object of the existence of God’s Church and its ordinances was to enable them to avoid sin. He thanked all those who had contributed by subscriptions or otherwise to its accomplishment. He would remind them that there was a small debt on the building, and hoped that at the coUectioa at the

close of the service they would each and all, contribute something, according to the means and ability with which Diving Providence had blessed them. What was given to the erection of a church was given to God himsel f. He invoked the Divine blessing on all present —upon themselves, their families, their homes, their undertakings, and all that was dear to them, and prayed that all good might attend’ s them in time and eternity. - . After the conclusion of the sermon and the mass, the sacrament of confirmation was administered to one candidate—the youthful daughter of a settler-in the locality; none others presenting themselves. - W. During the mass, the Kev. Father Yardiu read a list of subsciptious in aid of the building of this church, by which it appeared that £l5O had been subscribed, and there was a debt of about £SO. The collection at the close of the service realised £lB. The church was very prettily decorated with flowers, ferns, and evergreens, and the scene was a most pleasing and impressive one, the remembrance of which will no doubt be long present in the memories of those who witnessed it. In the afternoon the Dishop, the visitors from Wellington, and others were entertainedat dinner at Hillen’s Hotel, where a most substantial and excellent repast was set before the guests which did credit to the resources of the establishment. Ample justice was done to the good things provided, and had time allowed it was intended, we believe, that a few speeches appropriate to the occasion should have been made;,but most of those present had to leave early in the afternoon, and therefore nothing of the kind was attempted. The visitors from town seemed much pleased with the trip and gratified at the hospitality shown to them by the settlers of the pleasant and thriving district of Pahautanni.