DR. MORAN IN LAWRENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 167, 20 April 1871, Page 5

DR. MORAN IN LAWRENCE.

The arrival in Lawrence of the Right Rev. Dr. Moran on Wednesday, the 12th inst., will be long remembered by the Catholics of the district as an event in the history of the Church. This visit to Lawrence was made during a pastoral tour his Lordship has been making of the province, and the hearty manner in which he was received by his people here must have given him great satisfaction. His Lordship was driven in a carriage by Mr. George Langley from Tokomairiro to Waitahuna, where he was met by Father Ecuyer and a large company on horseback and iv vehicles of various descriptions. On arriving at Father Ecuyer's residence the cavalcade halted, and the Bishop passed between two rows of young girls, who strewed flowers before him, and entered the house where he received several of our leading citizens. After a short interval his Lordship proceeded to the Chapel, where a large audience awaited him. A short service being ended, the following address on behalf of all the Catholic children was read to his Lordship, in a clear and distinct manner, by Miss Sarah Mooney, which drew forth the well merited encomiums not only of his Lordship, (who was deeply moved) but the entire congregation : — " May it please your Lordship,

" We, the Catholic children of Tuapeka, desire, in common with our parents, guardians and friends, to bid you a very hearty welcome to this part of your Lordship's diocese.

"We rejoice to see here to-day in our midst, the most of us indeed for the first time, a distinguished Prelate of the one Holy C .tholic and Apostolic Church, whom we shall ever look up to with the most vn 1 )- uncled confidence and affection, knov ing, as we have been taught, that the Bishops of the one true Church are our faithful spiritual shepherds, who will evvr watch with the most zealous care thv'r sheep and lambs, particularly the little lambs of the flock.

" We have been told that your Lordship has many difficulties to encounter in this new diocese, and that you need the co-operation of all good children of holy choice. We truly sympathise with your Lordship, and since we cannot give of this world's substance, we will fervently pray that God may bless and assist you, and that His Blessed Virgin Mother may shield and protect you.

" Wishing, my Lord, that Almighty God may bless, comfort and assist yon, we humbly ask your Lordship's benediction."

After a hymn had been sung by the children, Mi*. B. M'Swiney, on beholf of the laity, read the following address, to A'hich the right reverend gentlemen replied in suitable terms :- — " To the Right Rev. Dr. Moran, Roman

Catholic Lord ] lishop of Diniedm.

"My Lord, — We, the Catholic inhabitants of Tuapeka District, beg to tender to your Lordship the expression of our sincere and earnest gratutations on the happy termination of your voyage from Kuropf to ilt.s ilifiant Luid and, your s ifo arrival at the scene of j r our future labour.

uWe beg to offer your Lordship a hearty welcome, and pray that Almighty God may bless you with health of mind and body, and ultimately crown with success your efforts for the spiritual welfare of the flock committed to your paternal care.

" We feel most happy to learn that in anticipation of our spiritual and educationalreqnirements yon have brought with you a zealous priest, the pioneer of other fellow labourers in the Lord's vineyard, whom we may hope will arrive in due course, and a band of holy and gifted nuns, whom we know will prove an inestimable blessing to the diocese ; a substantial proof indeed of the zeal with which you are animated for the spiritual and temporal interests of our children.

" With you, my Lord, the clergy, and those good sisters to guide and instruct us and our children, we may lookforward, with God's blessing, to a brilliant future for our Church in the new diocese of Dunedin.

" We beg to assure you of our earnest desire to co-operate with your Lordship to the utmost of our ability, and of our firm resolve to be amenable to your spiritual authority, and to contribute as liberally as our humble means may permit towards carrying out the various objects enumerated in your Lordship's eloquent pastoral letter recently read to us by our respected pastor.

" We may here, my Lord, in conclusion, give humble expression of our thankfulness to Almighty God for the great blessing we have enjoyed in this district in possessing an excellent, holy, and zealous pastor in th person of the Rev. Father Ecuyer, under whose able administration during the comparatively short time he has been among us, the affairs of this part of your Lordship's diocese have been faithfully attended to.

" Again wishing you, my Lord, a most hearty welcome, we beg your Lordship's blessing.

" Signed on behalf of the Catholic laity, " B. M'Swinby, Chairman, ) Reception "J. Donovan, Secretary, ) Committee

On Friday his Lordship proceedecHo "Waipori, where he was presented with the following address :—: — " Address of the Catholics of Waipori to the Right Rev. Dr. Moran, Catholic Bishop of Dunedin.

"My Lord, — We, the Catholic residents of Wa'ipori and surrounding districts, in common with the members of our holy religion throughout the diocese, beg to offer your Lordship a most sincere and hearty welcome.

" We rejoice indeed to see here to-day, we believe for the first, time, a distinguished Prelate "of the Holy Catholic Clrarch, under whose care and guidance we hope our holy religion will take deep root in this as well as every other part of your Lordship'-a diocese.

' "We respectfully beg to assure you of our sincere and earnest desire to contribute as liberally as our means may permit towards carrying out the various good works alluded to in your Lordship's pastoral letter, which has been racently read for our information by the Rev. Father Ecuyer.

" We feel most happy, my Lord, to possess a Catholic Chapel in this township, humble, indeed, as you will observe, yet which we hope will suit the requirements of the district for some time to come

"We may here, my Lord, beg to tender our sincere thanks to members of other denominations, who have liberally contributed towards the erection of our Church — a happy proof that in this district, at least, we enjoy the respect and esteem of our dissenting brethren, with whom we live on terms of Christian Brotherhood.

"We now, in conclusion, my Lord, embrace this opportunity of giving expression to our gratitude to God for the blessing we have enjoyed since the Rev. Father Ecuyer became our visiting pastor, under whose exemplary guidance and care we have received innnmerable blessings. ("Signed on behalf of the Reception Committee.) "T. Gormly. " P. M'Ledowney." His Lordship implied in a suitable manner.

Owing to a pressure upon our space, we are unable to give in this issue a full report of the proceedings at Waipori.

The Bishop returned from a visit to the Teviot on Tuesday evening, and left Lawrence for Dunedin next morning.