ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' SCHOOLS IN DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 133, 19 November 1875, Page 13

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' SCHOOLS IN DUNEDIN.

(From the ' Otago Guardian.') A ttjblic meeting of the Catholics of Dunedin -was held in St. Joseph's Schoolroom on Monday night, for the purpose of devising means to make the necessary arrangements for the reception of the Christian Brothers, who are expected to arrive in Dunedin about the end of the present year. There was a large attendance, including the Right Rev. Dr. Moran and the Rev. Fathers Crowley and O'Leary. His Lobdship presided, and said that no doubt they were all very well aware of the object of the meeting. When Father Coleman went Home last year he received instructions to make arrangements with the Superior of the Christian Brothers to obtain some of them to teach the Catholic schools of the diocese, and to bring them out with him if they were to spare. The Superior-General promised that he would send out four in the course of two years. That period had now elaj)sed, and he had kept his word. They were under a great obligation to him for having done so, for almost all the dioceses in the Australian Colonies, as well as those in New f Zealand, had been making applications for the Brothers for years. They had, therefore, every reason to congratulate themselves ujion having had their turn served so soon. Early this year, as soon as he had purchased the house in liattray-street from Mr. Ramsay, he wrote to the Superior-General, stating that he now liad the house, and asked when, and on what terms, he would be prepared to send out the Brothers whom be had promised. He wished to have the terms clearly stated, so that theie should be no misunderstanding hereafter. He received an answer through the Superior-General of the Victorian Province, who had received a letter from the Superior-General at Home requesting him to come over to Dunedin to make the necessary arrangements. The Superior-General of Victoria arrived here a lew uV;s a^o, and had come over to tell him that the Brothers were alreau v iipon the sea, and would arrive in Melbourne about Christmas. He (the Bishop) on behalf and in the name of the diocese, undertook the required obligations for the reception of the Christian- Ei others, and it would now depend upon the people themselves whether or not they would be here immediately after the commencement of the new year. The terms were these : The diocese shall provide a residence for them, and furnish it plainly, but with nothing which was not necessary Then he was to undertake to pay their passage to the Colony, and also provide them with a reasonable oiitfit. Then they were to provide them with sufficiently furni&hed schoolrooms. All this ho liad undertaken to do. "When the Superior-General saw that the building for the residence of the Brothers was a wooden one, he said that diocese should undertake at some future time to provide a permanent residence, but that it would do very well at present. What they had now to do was to pay their passage-money, and to furnish their house, and build two school-hills. He told the SuperiorGenera] of Victoria that the attendance was at present 150, and he replied that, trom their experience elsewhere, he considered that it would be nece&sary to provide accommodation for 200 children. In accordance with the Christian Brothers' mode of teaching, this would render it necessary to build two school-halls, each 40ft. by 30ft. He was a little puzzled as to how to make arrangements for building proper schools, as he did not like to expend money on the erection of anything of a perishable character. Now that they were about to have the Christian Brothers they might look upon their schools as permanently established. He had no doubt but he would get the means to enable him to erect these two school-halls, but they should form a part of a respectable; building, which could be finished in accordance with their means and wants in the time to come. He was alraid of erecting a heavy building where the gully used to be, but still, engineering skill might be able to remove any difficulty which may exist in this respect. At all events, the present school-building could be removed there, and the new one erected on its site. They should not, however, place these buildings too close to each other, as at some future time a cathedral would be erected on the same ground, and it would be necessary to so arrange the buildings that the group should not be spoiled. The great difficulty, however, was to get the money, and he hoped that they would not think him unreasonable enough to ask them to give at present all the money which would be required ; he knew that it would be impossible for them to do so. What he wished them to do was to arrange some plan whereby they would, in the course of time, be able to raise the funds required. If they adopted that course he would undertake to find a sum of money / necessary to give those good Brothers a start which they must get. Indeed, they would not conic unless they were put in possession of the appliances necessary for making the schools under their care succcsstul. He wanted, immediately, ,£OOO to pay their passages and to furnish their house, and, also, what would be sufficient" to build two school-halls. He proposed that they should contribute a lump sum to meet the most pressing liabilities at once. What further funds would be required might be raised by means of weekly, monthly, or yearly instalments. He did not think this mode of proceeding would be productive of any inconvenience to the congregation. His Lordship then reforred to the successful operation of this mode of obtaining funds for the erection of churches in Ireland and ekewhere. They were aware that nothing would be of more advantage than to have their children educated by the Christian Broth orb, because they imparted the best secular education which could be given, and under the greatest security. Their discipline was admirable, and they taught those under their care to observe the nicest manners, and make them thorough Christians. They imparted a mercantile and English education which could not bo surpassed. The pupils of the Christian Brothers everywhere took the lead. He then referred to the beneficial influence which woiild be exercised upon the children, and the

studious tendency which -would be created in them on their seeing men laboring day after day for no other object than that of doing good. This, he said, would be a most powerful sermon. When their -work would be accomplished, he ivould then earnestly exhort them to erect a church, as the present one was too small. But it was much more pleasing to God to raise up the living Church, and give to their children a good education, which would fit them for the life to come, than to exhaust their resources in the erection of a material church. As they could only do one thing at & time, he * had tried to accommodate the congregation by having three masses' said on each Simday. They had already a good school for their girls, and it would now be the same in regard to their boys. In a. few years they would have boys reared up able and willing 1 to aid in the building of a church worthy of their religion and their faith, Let them, then, do what they could to give the Christian Brothers a fair start in their midst, and provide them with sufficient schools, and they would work out their own destiny. He then mentioned that he had last year received a letter from Bonie urging him tg establish a seminary here, but he had been unable to do anything 1 " in the matter, as he had no place available for it, or a spare priest to teach it. The Superior-General of Victoria had, however, under the circumstances, and seeing that the object in view was education, consented that the Christian Brothers here might receive boarders. They imparted an excellent English education, including mathematics. The only branch which they did not teach waa classics. As their residence was near his, he could supply this deficiency by appointing a priest as professor of Latin and Greek for such as wished to learn these languages. He would then have a seminary under the best auspices, which was the thing of all others he desired most. Mr. F. Mebnan said that after the clear explanation given by the Bishop, the least they could do was to try and assist him as fax as they could. They were under a deep debt of gratitude to him for liis exertions in the cause of education here. As a, father of & family, he would do all he could, and would now move that a sub-scription-list be opened. Mr. Motlan seconded the motion, which was put and carried. Mr. J. Connor proposed, and Mr. P. Meenan seconded — "That a committee be appointed to solicit subscriptions, and that the gentlemen so appointed ask the members of the congregation willing to subscribe to give their names and the amount of their sub» ecriptions at St. Joseph's next Sunday, and on the following Sundays if necessary.'" Carried unanimously. A committee having been appointed, a vote of thanks to the Bishop for presiding concluded the proceedings.