CONSECRATION OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, INVERCARGILL.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 63, 25 October 1864, Page 2

CONSECRATION OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, INVERCARGILL.

The recently erected church in Clyde-street, for the use of the Roman Catholic congregation, was 1 consecrated on Sabbatli' last by the Bight Rev. 'Dr. Viard, Bishop of Wellington. * He; was I ssisted by the Vicar- U-eneral, the. Very "Rev. ,T. J. P. jO'Rciliy. and the Rev. JFather Martin.- \ ■ " ■■''■"■ 'it.l^aif-past;'"l6 i o > clock; 4 th6-boar''apypinte^ for :he opening, " jthe edifice was. 'filled in" every part, -nth a' large :a?nd rbsp'eVj&bfeiaudience, comprising' . n'any of |tlie^ members' of /the other cliurches in town. ',"'"• '; '. ' ''.'.' r '■„-. . ••'.' ■■■'■.-'. i "... •' The Bishop; ' "'attired in his : robes;;; then I approached- t'lic altar and. .'delivered ' the') 'openings .Vctdress. He complimented live Romari' Catholics of Inver.cdrgill bri the^perseverance ' tlieyj. li;d^[ |' tlis"-"-'* played iihderdilficiiltie^ rectibh of a place of worship; and' said thiit beingfully: acquamte^ l witli their love to llie'cliui'fh'; : ho had come amongst^liein'io confirm and strengthen thcrtn in- theiv holy work;' ! He' concluded his very "earliest aud' impressive address by recomniendiag : thcm ever to seek after: they •'Peace. of God," wliicli only could ens nre happi- : ness in thislii'e ond also ' in'tliat which is to. conio. The address Uio Bishop^ preceded by*. ; ; ii-oly tos Ijcai'iiig'ihe ciWsimd 1 tapers,. xiow marched | -utsido iho building, followed by the clergy and a mnibor of the hearers. , Having assumed hia .>ilre and crozier, he turned to Ilio ci-oss, vepeabng tlic pi'ayer " Prevent, we beseech Thee, O Lord." The anthem " Asperses me Domine" \

'■was then intoned, after which, came the 50th. psalm, '^Miserere mci Dens." during -which the ceremony of proceeding round the building, and sprinkling the walls with holy water, was performed. On re-entering the church the Litany of ,the Saints was- chanted at ; the altar.by the Bishop •aScTtHe Bei.\Eathev MarHn. The^Asperges "was 'aftei-wavds i taken up by the choir and rendered "witEVery fine efiect."' High mass 7 was then celebrated j.the:Bishop assuming ; ttoaf appropriate robes, and_.the _"_Kyrie-Eleis6n '1. Being-Bung-by the „ choisr - viitp.^- much-- skill- and-, tasted of;*. execution, -This^finishedV' the Bishop "with the mass/a'ftefrwhichltKe Yerylßev. J. J. P. O'Reilly, V.Gh, preached^ discourse from the seventh chap. oj^St. John's gpspelj Ver. I^l0 v to whiphLthe audieiice listened with' d&vouta^hiaonyThe " ; Gredo ' ' was then 1 performed/ after'which the " Benedictus," was likewise-taicehup andvery efficiently delivered by the choir;~ At this,;stag'e the Vicar-General took the opporvihankiiig all those who ;&d contributed ]to wavds tlie\ erection of Jh'e ichiirch. jV. He desired 'ioi mention pavticitlarly;iiie. ; name ;^of: Mr? Davies, who, .although, belonging to another church, had given most liberally towards the erection of the building, and he i woul:l likewise desh'e to mention amongst their "own members the name, of Mr. •MurrayJ to whom they; wei'e much^iitdebted for his persevei^ace and exei'tioris in theiycaiuse. , Confirmation, was now administered to nine or 1 r The altav oii tiiis occasioii was ado^ed-wilb. beautiful vases of wallflowers, and tapers as usual wei'e but^ogdimrig the whole service? :i ; -The. building? (of which;rw[e);gayeia sketch some tinie-.ago)..is. very, chaste, and even unique in its inferior appearance^ and : is' seated for about 250 pei'sons. The^sanctuajy, _which is approached "tlirbugE aTlmiidsome dividing rail, presents a very neat appearance.^ iThValtar is of the Doric style, with fluted coluinus-in front, and a dome at the baclr, -before and behiiidwJiich are crbsses. The fwliole is painted; white and- gold; which presents au agTeeable, : and- ricli . contrast to the dark ultramarine background of the sanctuary!; r - - - Mx\ Livingstone. presided !at the harmonium, and performed .the: beautiful 'music -selected ; for the -occasion -veiy ably-ahdwith.fihe effectI c .The choir, too, were very, effective in ;their. rendering of them. The pai-ts^seleojted.wererprincipally from Mozart's Firßt Ma^s iivO.' ' '"."1 = : - At halt-past -six o'clock, the church was again filled with a respectable audience,; to hear vespers. A discourse was delivered by the Vicar-General.