PAPAL LEGATE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 January 1940, Page 8

PAPAL LEGATE

CIVIC RECEPTION A MEMORABLE GATHERING IN WELLINGTON.

THE CHALLENGE TO TTTE CHURCHES.

IBy Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day.

A civic reception that by the attendance. the warmth and enthusiasm of the welcome and the distinguished company, lakes its place among the memorable civic gatherings of Wellington was accorded the Papal Legale to the New Zealand National Eucharistic Congress, Archbishop Panieo. in the Town Hall last night. His Excellency was greeted with prolonged applause and. a noteworthy feature of the gathering was the great ovation that war. also accorded the Right Rev H. Si Barbe Holland. Bishop of Wellington, who represented the Church of England and other Christian Churches. Hundreds were unable to gain admission to the hall.

After an address of welcome by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr Hislop), Mr P. Fraser (Deputy Prime Minister) said that his Excellency was not a stranger. According to what he had said privately and publicly he was an agent for New Zealand and a friend for this country wherever he went. He assured his Excellency that the people of New Zealand were his friends, too. All would pay tribute to that great Christian, the late Archbishop Redwood. He could also say that no citizen was more loved by those who knew him than the head of the Catholic Church in New Zealand. Archbishop O’Shea. The same could be said of the various bishops and those in authority generally they were recognised not only as’ great Christians but as fine citizens. They all knew of the Pope’s work for peace; at present there were only two places in the world holding out hope of peace the White House. Washington, and the Vatican. Rome. His Excellency was welcome not only for his own merit but doubly so because of the work the Catholic Chui ch was doing in the interests of peace, freedom and international justice.

Spirit of Co-operation.

Archbishop O'Shea, as host of the congress, acknowledged the welcorne of the mayor, who, he said, always die the right thing invariably the right way. He appreciated the Government s efforts to make pleasant the stay of overseas visitors. He was delighted to see on the platform Bishop Holland, whose presence was evidence of the fine spirit of co-operation existing between the Catholics and the other religious bodies. This co-operation on all things on which they could co-oper-ate was an augury of the determination of all who believed in God to form a solid front against the anti-God forces. He was grateful to Bishop Holland, and in saying so. he was expressing the 'wishes of all Catholics in New Zealand. The World’s Only Hope. A distressing problem clown the ages had been that of the one and the muny, and that problem was pressing' on him that night, said Bishop Holland. Was he the one or was he the many? He could not rid himself of his individuality, but on this occasion he became the many because he was representing not only his own church but the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Congregational churches. Therefore he gave the Papal Legate an individual and a corporate welcome, recognising in him a most distinguished representative of the Holy See. There was a ringing challenge to the Christian churches to speak today with one voice, and what a ringing voice it would be if they did. Einstein had written that he had looked in vain to the universities, the great newspapers and writers to defend freedom, but the Church alone had stood squarely across the path of Hitler’s campaign of the suppression of truth. "The only hope in the world today," concluded Bishop Holland, “lies in the Church of Jesus Christ.’’

The Legate’s Reply. , “With the expression of my deepest sentiment and duo regard, 1 accept andthank you for this civic reception granted' to me in my honoured capacity as Papal Legate to the National Eucharistic Congress in this capital." said his Excellency. "As you all know, there should be standing in this place another, whose name is esteemed and venerated throughout your Empii e. He would have represented with more splendour the august person of the Holy Father at your centenary celebrations. But, with the intervention of the war the circumstances of our peaceful days, the duly appointed Papal Legate could not fulfil the honourable mission 'of the Sovereign Pontiff, and, at the mandate of his Holiness, I come to you in place of his Eminence Cardinal Hinsley, Archbishop of Westminster and Prince of Holy Church. I join you in your regret that the international situation now prevailing despoils you of the prestige of such a visit and deprives the great cardinal of the joy of beholding the manifestations of lively faith of the Catholic people of New Zealand, and of witnessing their unwavering fidelity to their gracious Majesties now ruling over England and the Dominions of the Empire. •■When his Grace’s decision was reached, whereby the Catholic people of Now Zealand would participate in the commemoration of this event of national importance, his aim was to turn, the eyes of the Catholic world upon New Zealand. The Archbishop made a special journey to his Holiness and besought the Pontiff to grant, the signal favour of an appointment of a Papal Legate to the National Congress. The Pontiff assented to the entreaty of his Grace, and arrangementswere made for the visit, of the renowned Cardinal Legato. The advent of his Eminence would have been attended by a distinguished gathering of prelates from overseas, and their presence would have added lustre to the great occasion. But it was not to be. Nevertheless. the disturbance of the original plan did not dishearten your resolute Archbishop and his loyal supporters. “The spirit with which his Grace took up the grand project is best reflected in his own words, following upon. the international crisis: All will realise that, even should it be necessary for us to curtail our celebrations in some respects, we still have the duty and the incentive to make the most we can of the occasion .... The existence of the present grave emergency could justly be regarded as an additional reason for the holding of such a united and public act of homage to (he world’s Redeemqr as our congress is planned to be.' That was the admirable decision of his Grace, which, quite

apart from his qualities an intrepid spiritual leader, marks him with the seal of excellent citizenship. So, with the State, the Church is joined in the celebration of this centenary, and invites a grateful people to thank Almighty God for the blessings bestowed upon this country during the past 100 years. One century has already gone, and another is dawning. While congratulating you upon the great deeds of the past era. I offer you my sincerest wishes for even greater achievements in the years that are to come. “Those desires are best expressed in the worlds which our illustrious Pontiff addressed to the Lithuanian Minister to the Holy See on the occasion of the presentation of his credentials: ’The State that, with noble outlook, recognises the liberty necessary for the propagation and practice of the doctrine of Christ prepares for itself, by this admirable means, reserves of spiritual strength upon which it can rely with all certainty when troubled and difficult times arrive. In all places where (he doctrines of Christ are allowed complete liberty in their teaching and practice the Christian sentiment will penetrate, not only the souls of the citizens, but also the many different activities of public life. And the more that Christian justice. Christian fraternity. and Christian charity animate and direct the individual and society, the more strongly is there established in the hearts of the nations and in their mutual relationship a spiritual atmosphere which renders possible, nay, even easy, the solution of many problems which today appear as being really insoluble.’ "The secret of the future strength of your young and noble nation rests in the fulfilment of those words of wisdom from the lips of the Sovereign Pontiff. Upon them rests the welfare of every Christian home in your fine Dominion, and the future happiness of the children who arc their adornment. Those sage words direct the way to the temporal progress of your country and its expected prosperity. That success will be assuredly attained if the. lofty ideals of a true Christian people be 'the corner stone on which man and society can find stability and salvation.’

“Aotearoa. may your wide horizon be illumined with the blessings of God.”

The congress choir, under Mr Maxwell Fernie. gave items.