RECEPTION OF BISHOP REDWOOD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2505, 31 March 1881, Page 2

RECEPTION OF BISHOP REDWOOD.

Bishop Redwood arrived from Dunedin this afternoon cn route to Christchurch. The opportunity was taken of inviting his Lordship to visit the Roman Catholic Church, where a number of of residents and the children attending the Catholic school assembled to welcome the Bishop on his return from his European tour. The gateway of the church was very prettily festooned with green leaves and boughs, and stretched “above was a banner bearing the word “ welcome.” The children were drawn up in line on either side of the space in front of the church, and with their red and blue hand banners presented a very pretty appearance.

The Rev. Father Chataigner read a short address of welcome to His Lordship outside the Church,congratulating him on his safe return home and expressing the pleasure all those present had in seeing him again. An adjournment was then made inside the Church when his lordship delivered the following address :—Dear friends and children, I assure you that your very hearty welcome has given me very great pleasure. I had not the slightest idea that such a wonderful reception was awaiting me. I thought that at the most I should be met at the station by your parish priest, but that you would receive me like this never entered my head. I regret that I cannot address you at any great length, on the present occasion, owing to my feeling greatly indisposed, but the kind manner in which you have met me to-day speaks well for your present, your past, and your future. You will be pleased to hear that I have seen the Holy Father, and when I spoke to him of being associated with the Order of the Sacred Heart he seemed so delighted, and said that it was a great and grand Order, so that you see my dear Timaru people you have not been forgotten; in my wanderings you have been continually in my thoughts and in conclusion may Almighty God shower down upon you all sorts of blessings spiritual as well ad temporal. The Bishop then bestowed the pontifical blessing upon those assembled, after which he said he was going to Christchurch early to-morrow morning, but would celebrate holy mass about 8 o’clock a.m.

The proceedings then terminated