DOMINICAN CONVENT, MILTON

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 16, 16 January 1891, Page 31

DOMINICAN CONVENT, MILTON

A Dominican Convent was opened at Milton, on Sunday by the Most Bey. Dr. Mor.n. Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by the Bishop in St. Mary's Church, the Rev. Father O'Neill, pastor of the district act ng as deaoon, and the Rev. Father O'Donnell as sub-deacon His lordship, as reported for ihe Dunedin Star, addressed the congregation, which was a crowded one as, follows :— in mS 9 con « ra I: ulttte 1 d fch e Pe j PI« most heartily on the establishment in Milton of a branch cf .ha Duaed.n Convent of Saint Dominic JJ h «y . had • lread y P'O«ded a site and a small house. A beginning' had thus been made, but as the house «aa not sufficient for all their purposes he hope! to see a be-ter structure. Toe nuns had come to give their children a r ; al education, not a half education-not mere EfSTfTAii education that would develop all their powers of mind and body, that would develop all their religious instincts and moral principles, and an education that would prepare them for their several avocations hereafter in life. They were aware that the education provided at the public expense was not sufficient for them It was not an education at all. Education meant development of both powers of the body and mind ; that was the meaning of the rndnn^TT ¥"% '» ° ther Be ° Be "™ iUogioaf thl now r IZ' tbe °,? holio ° harch was deßiroua ° f developing waTtrß rll v, 5V? Uld be.satisfidwith nothing less, beeausa shf aTtn ?r I? Jod escab.ished by Him to teach men to develop Snhii. religious qualities. Now, the education at the cl^X^Tf WM üßefulu Beful ? Dly for Borne thia K» bere °b earth. The fl«t t ?w o ay " *? eeD thd ?ißtr? iBtre *»ani abettor of education from X£S i*7\ Her primary object was fir,t to prepare man for the eternal life hereafter, to be den,«nsof the city of God in the kingdom !.t Hii ' I ?**, the P " mary aDd eßß ential duty. But she cultia! hJ I . £ rff ßl^, t0 that dufcv - Ia all Gantries and ages she had labo.red to provide a thorough education for her chil dren. No muter how poor the district was, no matter how few the children tn lit J^f fty « tb ,, Vaci £ c - Bbc never ceaßed to erert herself i£n«SJ™ ' 6 < Dr t MorM O kQ ew that English literature •bounded in misrepresentations of tbe objects and principles to ht°, Sfn ,° 1C - ° b K rCb '- *° tbin * was more commOQ than * n b n a ™, P f P h 1D »- the VgDoraßceV gDoraßce Ba y iD 8 * Q »t the Church was "SJ^ edn « tlo . n - Vo * "7 "an who had common sense and Wv ?« oS T V f tlO wu Waß plam tbat that waß ntte rly fa^e and conohifLw ,J aC nY When J y ° l U what had been done by the ™? ar« <f S C 5 arC «r and thoße out Bide the Church th e contrast was Catho^./h • w «« tl "> men who made such sacrifices as tbe wiSrt ™i enemies of education ? Was there to be found one who nni?hn 6 r . lflC üMu M that even P° or Catholics made? Those left th»t Hi? ? rC^ left SSir? ir ° hildren t0 be edQcated by others J tbey X th * 71° th - e pabllc at Ur * c aod cast tbe B tone at Catholics, who were performing their duties l.ke men. From time to time ungodly men, immoral men, self-indulgent men, had worked for a°d th« mm P C n .FT? 1 ° Dl / tO r °, baQd plunder the Ohurch . aa d these w«re the men that turned round and pointed the finger, saying • '■ These men are the opponents of education." It was calculated to rouse the indignation of any honest mind. Notwithstanding all , he wrong? I?Z,Zr^ by tbeß e vQ J^t and tyrannical men, These plundered -i. h P vlBu 18 ° f ' be P atrinQ ony of the Caurch-notwith-ceased^nntwiThT^H tbey h , ad k infllct « d «P°n them, Catholic, never tenor of Si,T w« >l Dg ftf th ' 8 ' t0 pDIBUe tbeir courße ' the even tenor of twir way. Now for many years those belonging <o the congregation, aided by their good priests, has done nobly according to childr.°n PP^ r r leß> 7 beybad Paidfor theeducat.on of .heir own It hSS fh * Bi 1684 ?PPo»tion andsaenfioes for many years. I-™? £*l I * KBireKK Bire K° f lheU paßtor t0 raißQ tbe Bcbojl a higher level, and it had been his greatest desire, a Ba B it had also b,en his (Dr. woufri St i° TID t , heif Dlldßt a COnvent in which children extent rJ?S rt tI educaUon - That desire had been, to a certain ?«ledn^ ton °Th r f t°K lbS P^ PP ° 3e ° f gi7[ae t0 their chlldien a h?i Irf £ T v ,6y, 6y W ° uld receive them C^e Sisters) well, he fml th h' X f,°P ed lb S C W ° Uld QOt *» one Catholic child absent from the Bchool in Wilton. He was sure they would second the eff Jr ts of the good nuns and priests. Their parish priest would call upoo £*,£ L°h IT peca^ ar y assistance. He reasonably expect*! them to do what they could under the circumstances; it was for the benefit of themselves and their children. He believed .hat it was a good thing for tnem as a congregation, as well as for the community in wh eh they lived that this convent was established. It would be an example of true Christian life and piety. They (the Milton com- %* mt l\ had aided other communities. In turn they would receive »>a. Catholics in other districts were not unmindful of help received This was a Benous undertaking, but nothing was impossible with faith, ana they had faith to rely on the blessing of Almighty God He would n>t forget a cup of cold water given in His Dame. He would bless their efforts to promote His honour and glory for the good of His children. He (Dr. Moran) trusted, without the least hesitation, in God s divine blessing. Though things might now appear impossible, nothing was impossible with God, who could raise up from very stones children unto Abraham. The most unlikely things came to pass when God had been trusted in, for His mercy knew no bounds. He believed that before many years had lapsed that convent would be a great success and universal blessing to Milton. At the conclusion of the Bishop's address a collection was made "•resulting m the very creditable sum of £140. A procession was then formed, consisting of some 300 people, including the school children —and the Bishop with the clergy pres-nt, proceeded to tbe convent where the ceremony of blessing the building was performed by him. Afterwards, Benediction of the Most Holy Sacrament too*: place m the chorch — a crowded congregation beine again preeent Tbe number of the Dominican community at Milton is at present limited to four— that number of nuns being considered Buffloient for the present need. The good nuns, however, will no doubt here, aa elsowbero, bu themselves tbe means of increasing the

calls on them, so that>i addition to taeir number must before very long be made. We are happy in congratulating them on their new foundation -where, we trmt, as we confidently believe, that the unfailing ar.d marked succs* that has eveivwhere attended on their aevoted labours for tho good of religion and in the interests of education and culture awaits them. Tae psopie of Milton also are to be congratulated on the auspicious event.