PASTORAL OF HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 18, 30 January 1891, Page 27

PASTORAL OF HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF WELLINGTON.

Francis, bt the Grace or God and Favour of the Apostolic See, Archbishop op Wellington and Metropolitan. TO THE CLERGT AND FAITHFUL OF IHE SAID aBCHDIOCESK, health and benediction in the lord. Dearly Beloted Brethren and Dear Children in Jesus Christ, — The holy season of Lent begins tais y«ar on the 11th of February (Ash Wednesday), and ends on the 29tb of March (Easter Sunday). You will spend it in a worthy aod salutary manner, if obeying as good dutiful children the laws of the Church with regard to fasting and abstinence, you also prepare yourselves by increased devotion, penance, and alms deeds for the reception of the Sacraments which she commands you to approach within the Pascal time. The recent phaee3 of the labour conflict which held such prominence throughout the world, and particularly in Great Britain and her colonies, induce us to address to our flock, and especially to the labouring classes which ao largely compose it, some friendly words of instruction »nd advice. We nave lately witnessed with much pain and anxiety the Australasian strike, which, considering the number of men and of different trades involved, is the largest and most important on record. The issue was clear and distinct : Shall freemen— that is, non-unionists — be employed or not 1 The unionists were defeated all along the line, aod their programme put back for an indefinite time. There are, however, many signs still showing how strained are the relations between labour and capital, aad how strong is the call for a fair and candid consideration of the question by all who have any influence. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that the satisfactory adjustment of the relations between the employers and the employed transcends in importance any merely political question . In the first piace, dearly beloved Brethren, it behoves you to have a solid, manly, and enlightened conviction of the dignity of labour. The honest, industrious man ought to be, and, we hope, is generally honoured among ug, because he is an indispensable factor in the colony's greatness, whether he work with bis hands or with his brains. He is a potent public benefactor— the bee in the social hive. He rearp the cities, digs the mines, builds the ships, constructs the engines, lays the railroads, drives the commerce of the sea. Wherefore the nation that honors and upholds labour is promoting its own lasting welfare and daily rewarding merit. For, there can be no doubt that contented, cheerful, happy labourers are a strong safe* guard of the State, whereas an ill-paid, discontented proletariat are a constant disgrace and menace to society. But the dignity of labour is still more conspicuous if viewed in the light of Christian Revelation. Is it possible to put before the mind of a Christian any thought more likely to solace bis toil, ease his yoke, and lighten bis burden, than the remembrance of the heavenly halo of honor and sanctity which Jesus Christ, the Divine Founder of Christianity, has Bhed round all honest labour even of the most menial description? When Christ came into the world He found mannal labour branded generally with the itigma of degradation and relegated to slaves. He stood before mankind as the reputed son of a poor carpenter, and spent by far the longest part of His earthly life in a hard-working mechanic's shop. Men said of Him, "19 not this the carpenter's son?" (Matt, vi.) O, what a blessing »nd joy He conferred upon the human race by this stupendous ennoblement and sanctification of labour ! The highest type of humanity, the God Incirn»te, spent His boyhood and early manhood in lowly manual labour— thus imparting eternal dignity to the labour - irqr g classes. But labour baa its rights as well as its dignity— the right to organise, to form societies for mutual protection and benefit, the right to fair and just iemuneration for its services, nay, further, the ritjht to kind and considerate treatment. One of the most striking features of our day is the almost universil tendency towards organisation in every sphere of trade and business. Everywhere yon see networks of trusts, companies, and partnerships ; for union is strength, and collective effom can achieve marvels far beyond the power of individual exertions. When capital thus combines, why should not labor also combine ? Incident abuses are no valid arguments against combinations of capital. Besides, such organisations are an excellent school of self-government, an effectual bar to the formation of dangerous societies, the bane of governments in many lands ; the/ let in the wholesome daylight of public scrutiny upon the deliberations of the members, while they afford the masses an opportunity for showing their intel i^ence and honesty, and for acquiring that sense of responsibility which is one of the surest safeguards for order and peace. But these rights of the employed absolutely exclude any invasion of the rights of the employers. There ought never to be conflict between labour and capital, because the public good requires ih? co-operaiion of both. To sow discord between the employer and the employed is a crime against social order. To promote their friendly relations is a priceless boon to the community. Again, the labourer is " worthy of his hire." So Christ taught and reason dictites. But more is required to secure perfect harmony between the employer and the employed, namely, kindliness humanity, considerate treatment, the constant application of this golden rule of the Go6pel : " Whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do ye also to them." (Matt, vii., 12.) O how the daily remembrance oE this maxim would quicken our sympathies with the miner, the factory hand, and the domestic servant I How blind we often are to our greatest, because our most rational, comfort and happiness 1 Is our hoarded wealth only to look at or count ? Is not its purest enjoyment derived from using it for the solace and happiness of our fellow-creatures ? No doubt many employers in this regard are deserving of all praise, and, perhaps, no where more so than in this colony. The majority of them are, we are proud to say, just, fair dealing, and benevolent men. If lamentable excep. tions taere be, and, for the honour of New Zealand, we hope they are few, our duty obliges us to raise our warning and indignant

voice against their oppression and cruelty. It is chiefly in their corporate capacity that men are apt to oppress their fellowmen. and hence in more lands than one we b hold tbe saddening spectacle of monopoly, callous to sympathy, and deaf to the cries of distress. Large dividends are their aim, heedless of justice and charity. They are the juggernauts of society, crushing rutb'esslv every obitacle in their way. Intolerant of rivalry they drive all competing industries from the market, grinding down their operatives to starvation wages, stifling every legitimate protest by unscrupulous intimidation. Often exclusively holding the stores of ■npply, they charge exorbitant prices even for the necessaries of life, running up bills with the workmen unable to pay from their scanty wages, and reducing the hapless toilers to forced insolvency and the consequent total dependency on the mercy or rather mercilessneM, of their taskmasters. Well did Bt. James the Apostle paint such tyrants long ago in the everlasting colours of bis inspired page • 11 Go to now ye rich men ; weep and howl for your miseries which shall come upon you . . . you have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days. Behold the hire of the labourers which by fraud hath been kept back by you, crieth, and the cry ot them hath entered into the ears of the God of Sabbath.'" (James ▼ ) It is a hopeful sign, however, that many of these crying abuses •re being removed by wise legislation. Bnt if labour organisations have their nndoubtei rights and claim the redress of their real grievances, they have also their duties and sacred obligations to fulfil, and ibeir many dangers to avoid Becaus* their members are more numerous, less homogeneous more varied in character, temperament, culture, and nationality' more unwieldly and difficult to manage, they are more liab'e to fall to pieces than the combinations of capitalists. It behoves them, consequently, to us 3 the utmost caution in tbe choice of their leaders, and the preservation of their members from the mischievous control of designing demagogujs. Their leaders ought to be men of conspicuous and well-tried skill, firmness, and lact— honest unselfish thoroughly devoted to the best interesis of the employed while scrupulously respecting tbe rights of employers. Workmen of New Zealand, beware of your leaders, and, taught by woeful experience beware especially <f blindly followiug them like uireasoning sheep' For, "if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit " Beware, also, whom you admit into the rank and file of your societies lest you bring reproach on the whole body, and excite the distrust of the community. Beware, above all, of ihe turbulent preachers of the gospel of anarchy and socialism. Let such revolutionists have their way, aod ere long despo ism will crush le?iiimate authority nnchecked licence run riot.anJ g«unt poverty stalk through the land' Set yourstlves unflinchingly agaiast boycot'ing and intimidation' because such unhallowed practices assail the liberty of the purchaser and the rights if the seller, invade the rights of labour and tbe lawful privileges of commerce. "Live and let Jive," is the wise maxim, consonant alike wit. the law of trade and with Christian chaiity. Nor r eed we, as a rule, warn you against strikes which, as experience shows, aie a very questionable remeiy for the redress of labour's giieva.ces, because ihey paralyse indus ry, disturb public order and p^ace, fonunt the worst passions, and often inflict more injury on the labourer and his family by his enforced idleness and other inconveniences than he suffered from the grievance which motived the strike. Strikes cause great lot-ses to employers but as statistics show, far greater to the employed. We now conclude with a few affectionate words of friendly exhortation dictated eolely by our desire for your temporal and spiritual welfare. We take them verbatim from the writings of Cardinal Gibbons, one of tbe most enlightens 1, tine ere, and devo'ed friends of the labouring classes in our century. The circumstances prevailing in the United States are bo similar to our own, that th^te words a'e peculiarly applicable to the sons of toil in New Zjalmij : "1. Cultivate a sprit of industiy, without which all tha appliances of oiganised labour are unavailing. Activity is the law of all iutell. ctual an.i animal hfe. The more you live in conformity witb that law. the happier you will be. An active life, like the purling rivulet, is an unfailing source of gladness, health, ana em'eatment, while an indolent lite like the stagnant pol, breeds discontent ditease, and cleat i>. No man enj iya with a keener relish the night's repose and the Sund iy an 1 noli lay rest tn m the son of toil. A life of patient industry is sure to be blessed with a competence if it is not crowuel with an abundant remuoera'ion. Tne great majority of our leading men are indebted for ineir fortunes to their untiring indusiry . Take an active, personal, conscientious interest in the husme-s w f your employer ; be as much conceroe I about its prosperity as it it w> re your own. And are not your employer's affairs in a measure )our own? For. your wage* come from the profits of tbe concern, and «he more you contribute to us success, tbe better he can affjrd to compeu-ate you for your services. He will be impelle i by an enlig ,t ?ued self-interest, as well as by a's>nse of justice, t > requite you for your services with a generous hand. 2. Fostsr habits of economy an<l seif-denial. No matter how modest your income may be, always live unierir. You will thus protect your liberty and business integrity, and guard yourselves from the slavery and humiliation of debt, which h too often the precursor and tbe incen'ive to commercial dishonour. Most of the alleged wa-its of m%nkin i a-e pLrely artificial, and contribute little or nothing to the sum o« human happiness, Hather do they add to the sum of human misery ; for, whu are our earthly desires but so tsgoy links in our chain of bondage / 3. While heneetly striving to better your condition be content witb your station in lite, and do not yield io an inordinate desire of abandoning your present occupa ion tor what is popularly regarded as a moreaitracuve avocition. R -member that while tbe learned pref. ssion are over-crowded, there is always a demand for skilled and unskilled labour, »nd that it is far better to succeed in mechanical and manual work than t> tail in professional life. B<n>tover ea^er toamas< wealth, fjr. tL. y who arv anxious "to become rich, fall into tbe Bnp-f-H of thu Devil, and ii'o nj'ny i'iproti>able und hr-tfr'

desires which drown men in detraction and perditioa." (I Tim VI.) A feverish ambition to accumulate a fortune, which may be called our national distemper, is incompatible with peaca of mind. Moderate means with a cont9utei spirit are preferable to millions without U. If poverty has its inconvenience* and miseries, wealth has often greater ones. A small income is suggestive of abstemious habits, and abstemious habits are conducive to health, while wealth is a powerful incentive to excessive indulgence whic^ is the fruitful sourca of complicated diseases. 4. Sobriety will be an angel of tranquility and comfort to yourself and family. While this virtue Bhould be cultivated by all men, it ought to be especially cherisbei by the labouring class who are so much exposed to the opposite vice. Intemperance has brought more desolation to homes thaa famine or the sword, and is a more unrelenting tyiant than the grasping monopolist. 5. Above all, let religion be the queen of your household. It will be the sacred band uniting all the members in the ties of domestic love. It will be the guardian of peace and contentment : it will season the bread of labour : " Not by bread alone doth man Hve r but by every word that oroceedeth from the mouth of God." (Matt, iv.) It will be to you an unfailing source of wealth ; for, " godliness with sufficiency is rreat gain." (1 Tim. vi.) "It is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which la to come." (Ibid iv.) Wneu tin eveiin< of life b\% coma, and your earthly labours are drawing to a close, it will cheer you with the bright prospect of an eternal Sabbath.'" We again repeat what we wrote to yoa last year on the allimportant matter of education. Amongst the myriad surrounding dangers to Christianity, one of the greatest, nay, ia its widespread and lasting influence, the greatest is secular edu a 1 ion divorced from religion; and, accordingly, in filial obedience to the doctrine and direction of the Catholic Church, you have always, thanks be ti GoJ, strenuously opposed it. We heartily coagratula c you, Beloved Brethren on the marked success which hag bo f*r attended ycnr generous sacrifices in establishing through the length and breadth of the Archdiocese so many efficient and excellent schools. We regret the injustice and unwisdom— not to say suicidal folly— which has banished God from the schools of Christian children, tu'd forces you to pay against your will and just rights for the maintainance ot schools which you abhor, while you are so heavily burdened tj support your own. But, as you prize the faith and morality of your children above all worldly advantages, you will do in the future what you have done in the past ; and if any of you have been somewhat backward or lukewarm in the support of your Catholij scuoole, you will, we hope, be sorry for it and ashamed of it, and henceforth take your place among tbe foremost iv the advocacy ot the great cause upon which the real welfare, spiritual and temporal, of your children depends. As God brings good out of evil, we Inve one result of the unfair reatmeit of our schools in which we may sincerely rej rca. Our s-hools eDJ jy the most perfect internal freedom ami are thoroughly Catholic ; consequently our education ia consistent and complete. This is a great blessing and an immense gain. Before long, we hope, the Legislature of the land will come to admire our paßt sacrifices and recognise out just claims, by granting us our fair share in the public funds for tbe secular part of education, nnder Government inspection, which w« impart, ani efface the foul blot which now disgraces our Education Act in regard t 0 a seventh of the population of the Colony. Your generosity is again solicited, as usual, for the Propagation of the Faith, lor the Seminary Fund, for Peter's Pence, for the Aborigines of Australasia, for the> Holy Place* in Palestine consecrated by the adorable fo >tstep* of Our L >rd Jesus Cnrist. We rely on you to do your duty in regard to all thesj excellent purposes as you have dune in the past with that whole htartel z sal and liberality tor which tins Archdiocese has ever been conspicuous. Lastly, we ask your fervent prayers for all the people and all tbo enterprises of our Archdiocese, and, with particular emphasis, we exhort you t> pray daily for the conversion of England und the return of so ma ,y of our separated brethren to the fold of the true Churcn. May your pleadings with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the powerful intercession of His Immaculate Mother, and her spouse St. Joseph, obtain for all of us the graces we need to work out our salv<»!i(.u and receive the crown of glory in tha realms of everlasting bliss I I he grace and blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. »£» Francis, Archbishop of Wellington. Wellington, Feast of St. Francis de S*les, January 29, 1891.

The following are the regulations for Lent, which we make in virtue of special faculties received from the Holy Bee : - Isr. We fefant permission for the use of flesh me it at dinner only, on all Monday, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and also on all Saturdays excep" oue, that is the second Biturday during Lent, and Monday in Holy Week. 2nd. Lard and dripping may be used after the minner of butter, at dinner, c days of fast aid abstinence during Len*, and also throughout the year, with the exception of the first and last Wedneidays of Lent, and Good Friday. 3rd. While mea's— such as butter, milk, cheese, and eggs — are allowed on all days at dinner and collation, with the exception of Ash Weinesday and Good Fiiday. A little milk is always allowed in tea, coffte, or other beverage. 4th For those who, though not bound to fast, are bound to abstain : ibe kinds of food which are allowed at their chief meal to those who are bound to fast are allowed at all times to those who are not so bound. r> h. Fish and flesh are not allowed at tbe same meil during Lent. 6 There is neither fas nor abitinenc_' on Sundays in Lent.

Hib Holiness Pope Leo XIII. has caused St. Patrick's Day to be no longer a fast day in Australasia, or a day of abatineoce, unless it Jiappens to fall on a Friday or during tbe Quatuor Tense. ■# All who have completed their 21st year are bound to abstain— unless excused by the state of their health or the nature of their employment—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 meats on the days appointed— unless exempted for a legitimate cause, of which the respective pastors are the judges. All who have arrived at the years of discretion, are bound to go to Communion within Easter time, which, in this Diocese, commeoces on Ash Wednesday and cods on the Octave of Saints Peter and Paul. The collection for the Holy Places in Palestine will take place on Good Friday. v The collection for the Seminary Fund will be held on Whitsunday, or on the Sunday or Sundays following, when there are two or more churches in the district. The collection for our Holy Father will take place on the Sunday within the Octave of the Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul, or on the Sunday or Sundays following, when there are two or more churches in the district. The collection for the Missions among the Aboriginals of Australasia, as required by the late Plenary Council of Sydney, will take place on the first Sunday in September, or on the Sunday or Buodays following, when there are two or more churches in the district. The Clergy are requested to read these Regulations from the several altars as soon as possible, and cause a copy of them to be placed in a conspicuous place in their respective churches and chapels. >{« Fbancib, Archbishop of Wellington. Wellington, January 19, 1891.