ARCHBISHOP O’SHEA.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 June 1939, Page 2

ARCHBISHOP O’SHEA.

GREAT PUBLIC RECEPTION TRIBUTES BY PUBLIC MEN AND PRELAiES. WORK ABROAD REVIEWED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. . A public reception to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand. Most Rev Dr T. O’Shea, S.M.. who returned to Wellington on Satin day from his visit to Rome and a trip overseas lasting more than nine months, was held in the Wellington Town Hall last night. A distinguished gathering of prelates and public men paid tribute to the archbishop. The Town Hall was filled practically to capacity, and the archbishop was accorded a warm welcome home. The Mayor of Wellington, Mr Hislop, presided. Speeches were made by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage; the administrator of the archdiocese during Dr O’Shea’s absence, Rt Rev Monsignor T. F. Connolly, on behalf of the clergy; the Hon J. G. Cobbe, representing the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton; the Minister of Education, Mr Fraser, representing Wellington members of Parliament; Mr Perry, M.L.C.. representing the laity of the archdiocese; the Bishop of Christchurch, Rt Rev Dr M. J. Brodie; the Bishop of Auckland, Rt Rev Dr J. M. Liston. “I must confess that I am overwhelmed and somewhat embarrassed by this wonderful reception,” Archbishop O'Shea said, in replying to the reception given him. “During my ab- 4 sence of more than nine months, I saw many great gatherings and many ceremonies, but nothing I have seen or heard has touched me or moved me as this welcome you have given me here,” he said. Archbishop O’Shea thanked 'Mr Hislop, the Prime Minister, and the other speakers for their speeches of welcorife, and thanked Monsignor Connolly for the way in which he had administered the diocese during his absence.

The archbishop paid a tribute to the work of the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, Mr Jordan, who had secured for him the privilege of listening to the Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, speaking in the House of Commons, and later had secured an audience for him with Mr Chamberlain.

"The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the archbishop said, had pro--mised his support for the national eucharistic congress. He had approached the Scottish hierarchy to get them interested, with the result that the Scottish bishops would be represented by Archbishop MacDonald, one of the most prominent men in Scotland today. The English bishops had not yet chosen the prelate to represent them, but they would certainly send a representation, and so it would be for Ireland. A few days after his arrival in Rome, he had an audience with the late Pope in the Vatican, the greatest palace in the world. The Pope received him in his library, a very large room the windows of which faced the city. It was the second audience he had had with the late Pope, the fiTst being 17 years previously,'and he found his Holiness physically greatly changed. The Pope did not rise, because bodily he was very feeble and shrunken, but his mind and head were very clear. After the usual introductions, continued the archbishop, he explained his business and the Pope asked .several questions. His Holiness then said he would send a cardinal legate to attend the centennial congress in New Zealand and that he would write to the Catholics of New Zealand urging them to take part wholeheartedly in the congress. The Pope said he would take charge of the affair himself, which was an unusual honour. His visit to Ireland had also been a success, the archbishop said. One or more Irish bishops would be coming out to the congress. While in Ireland he had met Mr De Valera. Following the death of the late Pope, Archbishop O'Shea went to Rome again for the coronation of the new Pope. “I am only an ordinary individual after all,” the archbishop said. “I love New Zealand. I love dear old Wellington, and I have lived a great many of my, years here., I have always endeavoured to do my best for my fellow men. lam sure our congress will be a great success, and that the centennial will be a success.” ’