THE AUSTRALIAN PRELATES IN DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 20, 13 February 1891, Page 18

THE AUSTRALIAN PRELATES IN DUNEDIN.

On S iturday the B shop of Dunedin took his most rev. visitors on a drive to Portobe 10, going down by the higher and returning by the luw..r road. Ihe beautiful scenery, as usual, evoked the special admiration of the members of the party who saw it for the first time. On Sunday morning the Archbi3hop of Melbourne and the Bishop of B.illarat said Mass in St. Joseph's Cathedral at 8 and 9.15 o'clock respicuvely . The Rev. Father Lynch, Adm., was celebrant at 11 a.m,, when aKo the Leaten Pastoral was read, and the Most Rev. Dr. Moran preached. In the eveuing the Most Rev. Dr. Moore sang vespeis, aud the Most Uev. Dr. Higgius gave Benediction of the moat Holy Sacrament ; the Bishop of Dunedin presidine in cappa magna. The preacher was the Archbishop of Melbourne, who is a fluent and graca'ul speaker, possessed of a powerful, though well modulated and mellifluous voice. His Grace, moreover, owns the rare and invaluable talent of preaching a sermon adapted to the most ordinary understanding, while, at the same time, it may command the admiration of tbe finished tcholar. He alluded to the paßtoral that h»d been read in the forenoon, lecalhng the advice given in it as to fitting meditation for the holy season. The Gospel of the day, he said, also contained such a suggestion. He recommended as particularly suitable for picp»ration for the great anniversary which Lent was intended to introduce, meditation on the Passion of our Blessed Lord. The most rev. preacher went on to explain who Christ was, what it was He suffered, and why and how suffering was endured by him. In proportion, he said, as the body and soul of Christ were perfect , and they were the most perfect that had been or could be created. His Bufferings were intense. His Grace gave a graphic illustration of the part undertaken by the Saviour, in the example of a king offtn led an 1 outraged by h s people, and who, though full of lovs and mercy, was also of so complete a justice as to demand the rigorous punishment of the offenders. The only eon of the king, however, offered himself instead, and the sacrifice was accepted by his father. Would it not be thought becoming, asked the preacher, to obasrve the anniversary of the death thus willingly endured, and who among the people so delivered woold refuse to do so? He exhorted his heaiers, during Lent, the time appointed for preparation, to keep the thought of the Passion before their minds. The Archbishop added that in the pastoral of their Bishop the/ had been reminded of one great sacrifice that they had made. It was that made by them for the Christian education of their children. Many of them probably could not abstain, or fast, oi give large alms, or perform other ppmtential works proper to the season. In the support of Christian schools, however, | they would find ample means of supplying for all the rest. The danger of tbe nines throughout Australasia lay in the irreligious education that was general. It was to be feared that the blight of infidelity might fall upon the colonies, marring all their prosperity and brilliant prospects. The only means of preventing this was the foundation aud support of Christian schools. His Grace exhorted ti 19 tuarers to continue the sacrifices they had made for this object. They would thus, he said, promote the end for which Christ suffered and died and ct-operate with His Passion.

Oq Monday morning the prelates visited the Catholic Bchools. They were received by the Christian Brothers in their principal room, wh^re a short musical programme, suited to the requirements of a limited 'imc, was pleasingly performed. The following address was also delivered — Master John Fraser being chosen to deliver it —My Lord Archbishop of Melbourne, my Lord Bishop of Ballarat, my Laid Auxiliary Bishop ot Sydney,— in the name of the pupils of this school I bid you a hearty welcome to New Zealand, We are, as your Loriships can observe, but young, and much in the way of speechm^king cannot be expected from us. Still, on an occahion like the present, it would ill become us to be altogether silent. We young New Zealanders have here a fine country— a land of lofty mountains, beautiful lakes, fertile plains, and lovely rivers. We are proud of our country, and are glad to have its beauties known and admired by all comers, but especially by such distinguished visitors. We never had tte pleasure of seeing any country but our own, yet there is another land which is very dear to our hearts — the land of our partnts, the land of your Lordships — dear old, lovely Ireland. We tlu re fore welcome you, mos 1 reverend prelates, as worthy sons of that famed old land, " the island of saints and scholars." We welcome you as exalted pastors of that holy church of which it is our glory tj be members. In fine we welcome you as honoured guests of our own beloved Father and Bishop, Most Rev, Dr. Moran,

We trust that the stay of your Lordt-hips in New Zealand may be thoroughly happy and enjoyable, ana that not the least pleasant part of your sc journ in this fair land of ours may be the few brief moments passed wuh your Lordships' youthful admirers. The Pupils of ime Cubistian Brothers.

His Grace the Archbishop replied to the following effect—complimenting the boys on the very beautiful treat they had afforded him and the other bishops The manner in which they had rendered the ijrana old Irish melodies, the spirit they had breathed into the words, the precision with which they had observed the musical time, bespoke great pains and most careful training on the part of their teachers.

In fact he (the Archbishop) considered that their singing of these melodies was as Dear perfectioi a« could be. His lirace then went on to remark on the many and great advantages the boys enj >y ed in th it school. If ttey wished to prjht by these to the full there was no position In life which any one of them might not hereafter ba quakto nil. They had here a country blessed with many o£ uature'd choicest gifts ; they had, morever, the privileges of a free Government, and if any of the fine boys present were not hereafter fully able to fill the highest offices of trust or emolument in ihe service of their ciuntry, it would not be for lack of early training. They were too young yet to know how much they were indebted for these advantages to their good teachers the Christian Brothers. In future days they would appreciate these to the full. He hoped they would do their best vow to profit by the opportunity they had here of receiving a first-class intellectual training. But over and above all this they were indebted to the Brothers for the priceless blessing of a religious education. On this he hoped they would ever 63t the highest value. At the re quest of his Grace tne school was given a holiday, a concession that evoked their heartiest acknowledgments. The boys then knelt aoj the Archbishop imparted to them his benediction.

Three hearty cheers for the visitors brought the very pleasant proceedings to a close. The prelates also visited the schools of the Dominican nuns. In the High School some very choice selections of music, aleo adapted to a brief occasion, were rendered, gainiDg the high applause of the distinguished visitors, who congratulate! the nuns warmly on the periection to which their pupils had attained. At. St. Joseph's School also tho children welcomed the visitors with some little display of their proficiency, and were also highly commended. At the request of the Rev. Mother Prioress the Archbishop* and Bishops bestowed their blessing on the community, the chil iren, and the work of the year just begun — the nuns, with their pupils, being ranged in the grouDda outside the schoolroom as the prelates passed out through their kneeling ranks. A drive around the city and suburbs, with which also the visitors expressed themselves charmed, filled up the hours until it was necessary to leave for Port Chalmers to catch the steamer for the Sounds. The Most Rev. Dr. Moran has accompanied the Australian prelates on the trip.