Dedication of a Cathedral.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7737, 13 February 1905, Page 2

Dedication of a Cathedral.

(Per Press Association.) cnmsrcHUtCl., Feb. 12. I The ceremony ot the dedication of the new Roman Catholic Cathedral under the title of the Church of the Adoruble Sacrament look place this "* morning in mugnlucent weather, and in the presence pf a Irctuendou* gathei jug of tliu Culholte community. Many dignitaries, ecclo»iß«.ic«l gnd luj, uUcnded from ull pails of the Auslrulasiun colonics. Among tlu»e preset) I ut the service were Ilia Excellency the Uovernor, Lady Plunkel. uud suite, the Right Hon. H. J*. Scddon, Sir Joseph l\uid, hik Grace lir. Curr, Archbishop of Melbourne ; his Uruce, the Coadjutor, I»r. Kully, Archbishop of Sjdney ; the itight l>e.s. hi o "u,' Coricti, iMrthujj of Sale; Dr. Hevell, Hishop of Sandhurst; J)r. \crdoit, llishop of liuticdm ; Or. Leuihan, llishop of Auckbiwi; and tile Very Itcv. Mousignar. ilackay of North Utogo. Apologies were received from Cardinal Moran und the Cardinal Archbi.shop of .Baltimore, I'.S.A., the Very Hvv. IJeuu of the Australasian Kj)iscopule, the Bishop of Maitland, the Archbishop of Adelaide, and the Bishops of Itockhaiupton, Armidale, llobart, llathunit, .New i'ouierania, Saiuoa, Central Oceania, and inanj) others, aft well us a sheaf of private letters from other dignitaries. I Proceedings opened by a procession |of clergy to the cathudrul In full canonicals ;; and after solemn blessings* dedicatory service was conducted by his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne. At eleven o'clock Pontifical High Mass was sung by the Right Itcv. Dt. Corlett, llishop of Sale, Gounod's solemn and impressive ''Mcsse Solennelle" being chosen for the occasion. | The dedication sermon was preached by Dr. Kelly, Archbishop of Sydney, whilst the Very Kov. Father ICleary was assistant priest at the Mass, and the Very lfcvg. Fathers Keogh (Hector of St. Patrick's Collego, Wellington) and O'Donnell (of Ashburton) were deacon and subdeacon respectively. The Hcv. tethers U'Connell and Cooney were I Musters of the Ceremonies. The .Archbishop preached from 'Psalm 117 : "This is the Day which the lord hath made. Let us be glad ' tnd rejoice therein." He first rcfericd lo a letter of congratulation received by Bishop Uriiues from the Pope, and said that after the service that morning and in the evening he would take occasion to communicate to the faithful the benevolences so paternally grunted by his Holiness, The church, he suld. was being dedicated to the service of Uod, the salvation of man, and the peace and welfare of society ; uud the people gf < the colony and the Cutholics of the world , rejoiced on such an occasion. He referred to the prevailing sccptic- | rui of the ugc, but said thut centuries hud shown the truth and stability of the Christian faith. Man yearned lor happiness-, and tranquility, uud peace of soul; for the possession of perfect truth, and altsofute goodness—and this was the end • proposed for him by a Creator of infinite wisdom and perfection. No : materialistic doctrine satisuod. Man felt he had come from (Jod, und had , relations with Uod, und Uod had upi peared in the person of Christ—jter- ■ feci Cod and perfect Man—to be the , light of the world and Saviour of - mankind. • I itc dealt with the benefits of the - blessed Eucharist, which, he said, i was the foundation of all true hu- ■ utility. All sinned daily, and should > repent daily. Men must be contrite, - must confess the number of their - transgressions and make amendment - to those who had suffered ; and on ; those conditions they would receive es ' assurance of pardon from Uod. Wesson told them that Uod was the la- .- 'structor, and then through Christ > 'they accepted the Word of Uod as I infallibly true. That was the foundation of their religion, and though nations might cbungu, though political theories might come and go, the a Faith that was founded on the Word 1I of Uod would continue for over. In ' conclusion he urged upon all the need for further generosity in order that r the now cathedral might be handed , over to God free of any debt. 1 i The service was a long und fiuprc*- ! sive one, and it wifs a quarter to . two before it was concluded. The ™ . acoustic properties of the building • _. were found lo be excellent from all I points of view, and a large congregation could hour every word of the . service, even in the remotest corners [ jot the grand edifice. { | The musical arrangements were particularly good, a strong local choir having been reinforced by contingents from St. Joseph's, Dunedin, and from Wellington. The principal' soloists were Mrs Gower Burns and [Mrs Costello, of Dunedin, I The amount of the collection is not yet ascertained, but a sum of «847 | was taken in the sanctuary alone, > At the close of the service Bishop b J Grimes, addressing the congregation, ' said he could not express the one- - ] thousandth purt of what he felt. He 3 wished to thank the .Eternal Uod J especially for ;|tho untold happiness 1 tie had given them all in bringing , their beautiful temple tocontpletion. |He wished also to thank his devoted ' , clergy and his people, who had' been generous even unto- sacrifice in their ' efforts. This- indeed had been the ' keynote of all that hod been acfaiev--1 ed. 11 is thanks indeed were due to | one and all—to the Governor and-his ' illustrious Consort and suite, to the members of the Ministry who wore present, to the venerable prelates ' | who had come thousands of miles in • I recognition of their belief in the great _ .dogma. After service the visiting ccclesiaa- , jticul dignitaries, the Premier, and | Sir Joseph Ward were entertained at " dinner ut the Presbytery. It was ? in the afternoon before what the llishop described as the abomination [ !of after dinner speaking was reached. ,'i'he toast of the Church and State was proposed by llishop U rimes, who said that loyalty was a tenet of the I Catholic faith, and loyalty to Church [meant loyalty to State, lie spoke 'appreciatively of the gracious act ot ' the Governor in attending the serv- , ice, and referred to him asabroadminded man, who rcuvcled the broad mindedness of the earthly King ho represented. In proposing the toast ' of the Ministry, he .spoke of the great assistance that had been volunteered ' ■to him by Mr .Seddou during a pcri- ' |od of great anxiety, although at thq _ time the Premier himself was suffetv " t ing from severe physical distress. |Hih thanks were also due tu Sir Jo- '. scph Ward for much kind and unj ostentatious consideration and advice. The Premier atd Sir Joseph I Ward were replying late in the uftcr- ; ooon. I To-niffht the Most Itev. Dr. Carr, . 'Archbishop of Melbourne, will preach, . |und there will be a series of festival . services throughout the week.