LENTEN PASTORAL FOR 1875.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 93, 6 February 1875, Page 9

LENTEN PASTORAL FOR 1875.

Patrick, bt tbs Gbacs of God and Favob of the Holt Sim; Bishop of Dunbdik. to ths cxxbqt amd laitt of said dlocisi, hxai/th in thx lobs AND BINIDICTION. Deablt Belovxd Bbkthben,— The Holy Season of Lent begins this year on the 10th February, Ash Wednesday, and ends on 28th March, Easter Sunday. At the end of this Pastoral you will find a schedule of the regulations for the fast and abstinence of this penitential time, which we have made in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy See, and after duly considering the circumstances of this Diocese. On previous occasions we called your attention to the allimportant question of education, and urged on you the necessity- of providing Catholic schools for Catholic children. It is consoling and encouraging to be able to bear witness to the docility and zeal with which you have responded to this call. Although comparatively few and poor, you have established and maintained many excellent schools for both sexes at your own sole expense. But though much has been done, the work, it may with truth be said, has only commenced. Nothing like adequate provision for even the most elementary education of our children has yet been made. Renewed exertions, therefore, will be demanded of all; and the faithful of this diocese will have to prepare themselves for .great sacrifices, in order to hand down to their children the faith once delivered to the saints, and without which "it is impossible to pleas* God."— Heb. xi. v. 6. You must trust in God and your own exertions alone ; from the Governments — Provincial and General — you can expect nothing. The Governments refuse us all aid. So far as we are concerned, all Government schools in this 010(5686 are Godless and hostile to the Catholic church. Catholics cannot frequent them without exposing themselves to grievous dangers to their faith and morals. Of these schools, therefore, Catholics cannot avail themselves except in cases of very great necessity, and when — such necessity being supposed — every possible precaution is taken to ward off all dangers to faith and morals. Parents and guardians should bear in mind that they are responsible for the children under their charge, and often reflect on these words of the Apostle : "He that neglects his own, particularly those of his own household, has lost the faith, and has become worse than an infidel ;" and again on these words of our Divine Master : " What will it avail a man to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul ?" We, therefore, most earnestly exhort all to exert themselvea to establish and maintain efficient Catholic schools wherever it is possible to do so ; and we call upon the clergy — who, indeed, hare not been wanting in this matter — to exert themselves with the greatest zeal and perseverance in the great cause of Catholic education. Nothing but such an education can save the rising generation from the baneful influence of the infidel systems of education so characteristic of this century and so fashionable in this Colony. Our Holy Father is still a prisoner in the Vatican, and dependent on the alms of the faithful for the means of carrying on the Government of the Church. It is our duty to aid him in every way in our power. Whilst, therefere, we supplicate the Throne of Mercy in his behalf, let us be generous in our alms on next Good Friday. For we ordain that on this day — the Anniversary of the Crucifixion of our Divine Redeemer— a collection be made for His Holiness in all the missions of this Diocese. The amount thus collected is to be forwarded to us as soon as possible for transmission to Borne. You are aware that not only in Italy, where the work of the spoliation and plunder still progresses, but also in other lands— a* in Germany and Switzerland— Catholics are subjected to a fierce persecution on account of their faith. Our enemies in these countries have determined to uproot the Catholic faith, and utterly destroy the Catholic Church. For this purpose they have banished Catholic bishops and priests, closed Catholic schools, forbidden the education of priests, intruded suspended and immoral ecclesiastics in defiance of the sacred canons and the indignant remonstrance of the faithful, and seized on Catholic property Nothing, almost, that wicked legislation and tyrannous administration can do has been left undone to| break up the Ministry of the Church and impede her action. Those who endure such terrible wrongs are our brethren, members with us of the one universal fold— -the mystic body of Christ. Let us give them our sympathy, and at least the aid of our fervent and persevering prayers. During this holy season pray for the conversion of tinners and unbelievers, pray that all may come to the knowledge of the truth, " that there may be one fold and one shepherd" (John z t. 16). Pray also for our Holy Father, and the liberty and independence of the Church ; ana that a merciful Providence maj send

ub a sufficient number of good priests, and enable us to provide a Christian education for our children. /m, " Th ? Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." (Thesa., last verse.) J Given at Dunedin, Feast of St. Agnes, 1875. The following are the regulations for Lent, which we make in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy See :— Ist. We grant permission for the use of Flesh Meat at dinner only, on all Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and also on all Saturdays, except one, that is the second Saturday during Lent. 2nd. Lard and dripping may be used after the manner of butter, at dinner, on all days of fast and abstinence during Lent, and also throughout the year, with the exception of the first and last Wednesdays of Lent, and Q-ood Friday. Brd. White Meats — such as butter, milk, cheese and eggs, are allowed on all days at dinner, with the exception of Ash Wednesday and the Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week, on which three days the ancient discipline of the Church is to be observed in all its rigor. 4th. Fish and Flesh are not allowed at the same meal during Lent. There is neither fast nor abstinence on Sundays in Lent. All who have completed their 21st year are bound to fast and abstain— unless excused by the state of their health or the nature of their employments — according to the regulations stated above ; and all who have arrived at the use of reason, though not bound to fast before the completion of their 21st year, are nevertheless bound to abstain from the use of flesh meat on the days appointed — unless exempted for a legitimate cause, of which the respective Pastors are to be the judges. Subject to the above regulations, every day, except Sunday in Lent, is a day of fast and abstinence. All who have arrived at the years of discretion are bound to go to communion within Easter time, which in this Diocese commences on the fiwt Sunday in Lent and ends on the Octave of the Feast of Bts. Peter and Paul.

The clergy are requested" to read this Pastoral from the several altars as «oon as possible, and to cause a copy of it to be placed, during Lent) in a conspicuous place in their respective churches and chapels.