ST. JOSEPHS CONVENT.

Shannon News, 13 February 1923, Page 4

ST. JOSEPHS CONVENT.

NEW BUILDING OPENED.' ADDRESS BY ARCHBISHOP O’SHEA. Sunday was a red-letter day in the calendar of tftie Levin Catholic community, for it marked the consummation of their efforts to provide a worthy home for the Sisters of St. Joseph, who have been ministering to their needs in Levin for some years, and have been greatly handicapped by the circumscribed quarters at their disposal. Bright sunshine favoured the,event, and at three o’clock there was a large gathering of local Catholic families, as well as a number of townspeople of other denominations, at the new .Convent in Weraroa Road. The Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington, the Most Rev. Dr. 'O’Shea, performed the official opening. The proceedings opened with the blessing of the Convent by the Archbishop, assisted by the parish priest, Rev. Father' Fitzgibbon, a brief but solemn service taking place within the building in the presence of the Sisters whose home it will henceforth be. Subsequently the assemblage was addressed from . the portico by the clergy and the Mayor, who, with the Mayoress, were present at the invita- . tion of the committee. , The Rev. Father Fitzgibbon said the day marked, an epoch in .the life of the Catholic . community of Levin. It saw brought to fruition their wishes in regard to the comfort of their dear sisters labouring amongst them with no little • success. This was a new parish, three years old only, but already they had built a parish school and erected it free of debt. Their next objective had been the provision, of a suitable residence for the sisters, and they had now achieved that sire. The convent, as it now stood, would stand until those present had passed from this vale of tears, and it would be the joy and happiness of the Children of to-day to know in years to come that their fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers erected this beautiful edifice. Father Fitzgibbon disclaimed any personal credit lor the work. It was. the result of the co-operation of their workers, and who saw to-day the/ fruition of their unselfish labours for the comfort of

the .sisters. He wished to mention the Church Building Committee, whc gave him practically a free hand, Their heartfelt thanks were due tc a gentleman, who, when funds did not warrant starting the erection, gave him every confidence and hope to proceed with the building, and assured hiin that he need not worry on account of its completion if there was a debit balance then. Mr? Peters, -the builder, had given entire satisfaction, and carried out the instructions of the architect in such a way that the building reflected great credit on him. He also acknowledged the action of the Borough Council in giving a concession in installation of the gas service. The building had cost £IB6O, and £I4OO of that had been received, leaving a'debit of £460. in the not far distant future they hoped to have on the same site a church and presbytery,' and then tsey. would have a group of buildings unique in Australasia and , worthy of the town of Levin. The Convent was, those present would agree with him, an addition and asset to the many fine buildings of the town. Arclibishpp O’Shea said he desired to express the great, pleasure it gave i him to . come there and open such a fine and substantial convent. It was a sign not only of the advancement, made by the Catholic community, but of the progress also of the town and district, and a welcome addition. to the architecture of this fine.and prosperous town. It would contribute to ‘the welfare of the place and as such should be welcomed by all members

of tlie community, Protestant and Catholic alike. The Sisters Jhad been working in Levin for soihe time, and their new and more comfortable quarters would enable them to carry on their ministrations more easily and efficiently. The average man and woman outside the Church had hazy notions about convent life. A convent was really a home in which a number of women gathered of their own free will to live together and work, first for their own sanctification and salvation by practising the Christian virtues of poverty, chastity and obedience, and secondly, to devote themselves more completely to the service of their fellow creatures. If we looked back through the centuries that have elapsed since the Christian era, we would find that the greatest benefits the world enjoyed had been due to the religious orders. After the great Roman civilisation was destroyed and the barbarians overran Europe and set out to destroy evervthing that had been built up by that civilisation, it was the religious orders who went out into the barren places and made them habitable, leaching Ihe peasants the aids of hushaniliy, cultivation, iryigaticin, the raising of crops, and methods of mining and built foun-

dries. It was the monasteries also i that preserved the learning of the world. When ■ the Roman Empire went down, before the age of printing,, it ,was the monks who copied; .out the works of. antiquity and especially the Holy Scriptures, and beautifully embellished and illuminated them. But for them the great treasures of antiquity would liave been lost to the modem world. Mi the great universities that had existed any length of time owed their foundation -to the monks, and in those days they were hiade far riiore use of by the ordinary people than they ate toTiay. The religious orders' 'also establi&hbd the first faculties of-medicine. ‘The Archbishop mentioned the medical* school of Salerno; where for many 'years some - of the methods attributed to the discoveries of modem science ' have been known and - practiced; such as the treatment *of disease by rays of light. .

Coming to the modern < activities Of the religious orders, His Grace said the system of education the Catholic Church had in/this country was the 1 admiration of those who, while separated from them; still believed that Christian teaching should form apart of the education of their children. This work would be impossible were it not for the heroism, the generosity and the self-dehial of the, religion?, the nuns who, like the Sisters of St Joseph, devoted themselves to the teaching of the children. ’ Then there were hospitals, homes and orphanages staffed by the nuns, where the poor and. orphans could seek a woman’s tender care and a’ mother’s love. And ’generally the Sisters were to be found helping to make conditions. more tolerable .and lives more pleasant. Nowhere else would* they find such complete expression- of the Scriptural injunction to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself.” His Grace compared the conditions to-day with those under the Roman Empire—rottenness and iniquity in the .world, devotion, sanctity and selfsacrifice in the religious institutions; Referring to the, modem longing for the secret of perpetual youth, he said the Sisters in convents led happy and contented lives, and happiness and contentment tended to make them always bright and youthful. ' . Concluding, he said all must feel pleased at the addition' of the Convent to the architecture of this pretty town, and he had to'congratulate-one and all i on the work they were crowning' that day. He congratulated the pastor on his zeal, and entrgy, and also the architect, builder’ and workmen oh the result of their labours. It would be a more comfortable home for the .good Sisters and would . tend to make their work even more* effi-1

qient than it had been. After referring to the smallness of the debt on the 1 building, the Archbishop declared the new Convent open. The Mayor, Mr D. W. Matheson, thanked Father Fitzgibbon for his kind invitation to himself and the Mayoress to be present, and congratulated the Catholic community ;on the progressive spirit they were showing, xie commended their policy of endeavouring to open their institutions as free of debt as possible; ' One felt almost surprised to hear that on a building of the present dimensions there was such a small amount owing. He thanked Father Fitzgibbon for his kind reference to ,the Borough Council. The Borough Council knew no sect or creed—(Hear, hear)—however, and what concession had been given to the Convent was given to all church organisations. They knew that This was not going to be the only building on the present site. ‘‘We appreciate the progress that has been made,” said the Mayor, “and know that it is going to be for the benefit oi the* town in general.” His Worship concluded by wishing the Catholic community every success in their building scheme.

NEVV BUILDING DESCRIBED: The speeches over, the public were invited to inspect the Convent, and many comments were passed upon the excellence of the interior arrangement and finish. The building is planned with a large, airy seven-eu-bicled dormitory; infirmary, musicroom, parlour, community room, refectory, and kitchen quarters fitted with all conveniences for food storage, preparation and service. .. A chapel occupies the north-east wing of Idle building, and is tastefully panelled and furnished with pews in rimu.' Lead-lights have been. made, a feature of the windows and doors of the chapel. The building is constructed of Jocally-made hollow concrete blocks and roofed with New Zealand-made earthenware tiles. The walls are perfectly damp-proof, the interior surfaces plastered and treated to make a sanitary finish, and distempered in reposeful colours, The construction has resulted in a building that will reduce maintenance to a minimum. The -completed noet of • 'the concrete construction has been no more Than 1 the tendered prices for the building if erected with timber construction. [The

design is of simple character and carried out with conveniences and arrangements on the very latest prinples which make for economical working of the Convent. The building was designed and supervised by Mr Robin Hood, of Palmerston, and the contractors were Messrs Peters and Co., of Levin. AFTERNOON TEA. After the Convent had been inspected, those present were entertained at afternoon tea in the adjacent schoolroom, the ladies of the parish (under 1 the supervision of Mesdames Johnston and Gordon) having provided this pleasant finale to a ceremony that was followed with keen interest by all present, and gave , many the opportunity of congratulating the local Catholic community upon the tangible result of their efforts.