LENTEN PASTORAL, 1891.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 19, 6 February 1891, Page 5

LENTEN PASTORAL, 1891.

Patrick, by the Grace of God and favour of the Holy See, Bishoi' of Dunedin, etc. To the Cleroy and Laity of said See, Health and Benediction in the Lord.

that theirs is the Church of God seem to leave the care of it almost entirely to Him. This is as unreasonable as it would l>e for us to leave our fields untilled because God's providence will certainly sustain the world. Let us not forget that God lias confided to us certain duties, the faithlul discharge of which contributes much to the well-being of society, and that we are obliged to discharge these duties if we hope to be good, happy, peaceful, and successful even in this world. We are called upon to do our part, and we should never forget that God aids those who aid themselves. In all the relations of life we must do our part manfully or we shall certainly fail egregiously. Let us resolve amongst other things to do all we can to provide good reading for our children, and to support to the best of our ability the Catholic Press. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Thess., last verse.) >J< P. MORAN. Given at Dunedin, Feast of the Purification, 1891. 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, except the Monday of Holy Week, on all Tuesdays, on all Thursdays, and on all Saturdays, except the Saturday of Quarter Tenso, 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 al?o throughout the year, with the exception of the first Wednesday of Lent and Good Friday. 3rd. White meats, such as milk, butter, cheese, and eggs are allowed on all days at dinner, with the exception of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. A small quantity of milk and butter is also allowed at collation on all days except Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 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 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, arc, nevertheless, bound to abstain from the use of flesh meat on the days appointed, that is, on the days for which no dispensation is granted, unless exempted for a legitimate cause, of which the respective pastors are to be the judges. Subject to the above regulations, every day in Lent, except Sundays, 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, begins on Ash Wednesday and terminates on the Octave day of the Feast of SIS. Peter and Paul. A collection for the Seminary Fund shall be made on the first Sunday in Lent wherever a priest officiates on that day, and in all other churches and chapels as soon after as convenient. The collection for the Pope, and the collection for the missions to the aborigines and for the Holy Places, shall be made as soon as convenient.

Dearly Beloved Brethren,— The holy season of Lent begins this year on the llth of February (Ash Wednesday) and ends on the 29th of March (Easter Sunday). In a schedule attached to this pastoral you will find the regulations for the fast and abstinence of this penitential season. Lent is a season of penance and mercy, and it is our duty as Cbnstians and Catholics to comply with its obligation and avail ourselves of its graces. Fidelity to the regulations made by the Church will enable us to fulfil our obligations and to secure the graces which a merciful God will not fail to bestow on humble, earnest, mortified and fervent Christians. By such fidelity we shall appease the anger of God provoked by our sins, satisfy thiough the merits of Christ for the insult given to Him by our disobedience to His holy law, and moving Him to compassion, draw down upon ourselves the Divine blessing. During this holy season we should reflect seriously on our duties, and resolve that for the time to come we shall labour to discharge these duties with great ndeiity. Amongst these duties none are more imperative than those which devolve upon parents and guardians of children Children are a precious deposit confided to our care by God in order that we may rear them up in the knowledge, fear, and love ot Himself ; and neglect in this matter is an enormous crime, amounting to the awful sin of apostasy. As the Apostle says : « He that neglects his own, particularly those of his own household, has lost the faith, and become worse than an infidel." In order that we may not incur the guilt of such neglect it is for us to take care to teach the children confided to our charge the truths and obligations of Christianity • and to guard them from all proximate dangers to faith and morals. For this purpose it is absolutely necessary for Catholics to first of all withdraw their children from dangerous and secular schools and send them, whenever practicable, to the Catholic schools . It is, moreover, incumbent on Catholics to provide Catholic schools for their children ; and although in this country to do this implies the necessity of making great pecuniary and other sacrifices, for us there is no alternative buch sacrifices must be made, or we shall lose our immortal souls. But let not the idea of sacrifice frighten us. Nothing good or great can come or be expected to come without sacrifice and self-denial. We have only to recall to mind the surpassing tragedy of the Cross of Christ to be convinced of ,!• ., d our con solation is that in return for sacrifice and self-denial there awaits us an eternal weight of glory ; whereas neglect of duty, indolence, and self-indulgence, whilst bringing on Christians a most richly-deserved reproach, will most certainly plunge us into eternal misery. In addition to the necessity of providing a sound Catholic educafon for our children, it is necessary for all in charge of them to provide them with good and useful reading. Children are generally being taught to read ; reading then becomes for them a necessity, and matter for reading will not fail to be provided by some means. If we do not take pains to put into the hands of our children useful, moral, entertaining and elevating books ; there are others who will plentifully supply them with deleterious literature. Parents and others on whom there rests a responsibility in this matter should, even at considerable sacrifice, procure a sufficiency of good books for children, f? yis°y is° i and exam P le encourage them to read and study tnem. We know the performance of this duty is difficult in this country, but measures are about to be inaugurated to help Catholics in the discharge of it, and we earnestly exhort you to avail yourselves of the opportunity that will soon be placed withm your reach. Meantime we exhort you to provide for your households the New Zealand Tablet newspaper, which is a very good book, loyal to the Church and the Holy See able and prompt to defend Catholicity, and your special interests, temporal and spiritual, and always abounding in useful and interesting information on various subjects. The Holy See and the Bishops, and leading Catholics of the world are most anxious for the success of a Catholic Press, and we should show by our support of it that we are as alive as they to its power and ability. Those who are outside the Church seem to understand better than many Catholics how necessary and useful and powerful the Press is, and accordingly make more use of it than Catholics— Catholics knowing