ARRIVAL IN DUNEDIN OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE AND THE BISHOP OF BALLARAT

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 20, 13 February 1891, Page 27

ARRIVAL IN DUNEDIN OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE AND THE BISHOP OF BALLARAT

On Friday evening the Archbishop of Melbourne nd the Bishop of of Ballarat, accompanied by the Bishop of Dunedin arr ved in Dunedin from Qucenstown — wilei le they nid sn-nt ttu> preceding <iav°. The Auxiliary Bi-hop of Sidney, who w*s also a member' of the' party, had retnaintd at Gore to v^it some fmn In there coming on to Dunedin mxt day. A large number it t,e Catholic congregation had assembled at ihe terminus to welcome the distiuguishe i viMtoiand, as their c image drove awn, they were cheered. On reaching the Bi-hop s palac, whither they were at once convcyui, they weie met by tne members <>t tbe local branch of >h-> H A.C B.S. who had asked permission to pie-tnt them witti a tiifhne souvenir of their visit — in the shnpe of a photographic al v >um preserved to each prelate and CGntauuiig pictures and views connected with tbe Catholic mission and ot the i-ceutry of ihe CAoay. Mr. James O'Connor, President, of the Bocet) , by whom the presen atiou was made, read the fullowini: address :

" Most Rev. Prelates,— We gladly avail oui selves of tbe opportunity to bid you welcome to our city and eoloDy with thj hope that jour v sit to our bracing c imate an 1 h-aiuifui sc-iiery mafr be attended by the most b^rulicial result*-. Alihoujh nff^do not lersonally bd ng to any one of ihe dioceses over which you respectively pnside, we are still united to them by the fact th«t our is established and fl >iinshe.s throughout Australia. lb>p, we need not my, is owing largely to th> patroDage ana encouragement givtn it by the Archbishops and Bishops of the colonies, to whom, Most Kcv. Prelatep, you form ho exception, and for this we thankfully acknowledge ourselves

your debtors. It will, no doubt, be pleasing to yon to learn that the progress of the Catholic Church in this distant colony is also accompanied by the growth of our Society whose principles are snch as to foster a sincere devotion to religion, joined with that spirit of patriotism that has ever been an honour nnd a safeguard to th 3 Irish people in whatever country they might find themselves. For this also we are deeply indebted" to our own good Bishop, who has, from the first, afforded our Society bis patronage and protection. A.9 Catholics, principally of Irish birth or parentage, it is particularly pleasing to ua to welcome to our city distinguished prelates, who. like yourselves, hail from the Emerald Isle, and to whom we are thus bound by a double tie of sympathy. In conclusion, we would ask you kindly to accept a trifling souvenir of your visit."

The Archbishop of Melbourne in reply (as reported by the Evening Star) said he need hardly tell toem that he felt deeply gratified by the very cordial welcome they had accorded Dr. Moore and himself, and, he might say, Dr. Higgins, although he was not as yet ia the City. He (the speaker) knew they would be gratified to learn that the with they expressed in their address was already realised. That wish was that the bracing air and the beautiful scenery of New Zealand should add to their health— a desire, as he said, already realised ; and he was quite sure that these two factors would also add to the length of their days. It was Davis that said, when he was speaking of the climate and the soil of Ireland, that " its climate is as soft as a m)ther'B smile, and its soil as fruitful as God's love"; and surely the description Divis ascribed tj Ireland might well apply to New Zealand. They were only about a week in the country, bat nevertheless they hai seen a good deal of the picturesque beauty and the vast fertility of the soil, and he thought they might congratulate tbo9e of their countrymen who were fortumte enough whan they left the Old Country to settle down here, where they could provide themselves with comfortable homes, and be in a position to not only eetab'ish themselves in independence, but also to give to their children the mesna of securing future wealth and future happiness. They reminded them in the address that tbey were bound to the dioceses with which they were connected, and he might tell them that they were specially connected with the diocese with which he was connected — viz., the diocese of Melbourne. As th°y were aware, Melbourne was the centre of their Association. It was in Melbourne their chief president lived, and it was from Melbourne, therefore, that a good deal of the direction of ihe entire Society was derived. Wbat he had found since he came to Melbourne was that the members of the Hibernian Society were, a 9 th2y stated in their address, dovotel to their religion. They were devo ed to the spirit of nationality, and were alsj exercising what was another admirable trait in their character — viz., a spirit of thrift, forwbicn every man deserved praise as he deserved reward. Tbes* were tho three principles on whicn their Society rested — the spirit of religion, thd spirit of patriotism, and the spirit of thrift ; and speaking for the members of their Society, with whom he was himself acquaiated, he cjuld say that they were pursuing theße three objects with admirable per-ever-ance and admirable success. He had no doubt at all but that the bianch of the Society established in Dunedin was proceeding on the baiie lines, for whicn reason, he was sure success would atteni their eflhrts. First of all, their Society was founded on a spirit of religion, and i i this connects n t c might say that no man could be h good citi/'n who was not faithful to his God and faithfiil to the practice of his religion. Again, their Society was founded on a national spirit. Mi st ot -hem. as they mentioned in their a idrubS, cam 2 from the Emerild Isle, an i th»>y were not ashamed of r. or if its history, ir of i r s trauitio ; they were not ashamed ot tbe men to wnom it had given btnn — men who hat she! a lustre in every sprier? of life and in every country, lv might say, in thp wor.d. And, airain, they were devoted to that spirit of thrift wtiich every man ought to piacu«e ia the day of youth and health, when God gave him oppor unity for laying aside wnat he might need in the evil hour and in old a<:e. ltjc man who was wise iv time, who looked belore bim, and who made good u-e of the opp jrtunities which God gavf> Mm in the time of stie gth a id youtn, was to bj commeucieii beyond nil measure. Hy was glad to find a large representation of their Society, an I to noticj anaongit thorn not ouly tuose who had ioached tbe a^u of maturity, not oi.lv those who had passed the term ot middle age, but also ihe youn^ men indeed, the youug boys, among them, because it was by tbe truning of tbe elders that these young men and young boys w> re brought up true to the three principles lo wtiicti be had referred. Tnese youug m> n would take their elders' places hereafter, and would lunl djwu ihp traditions committed to th< m ; an I he had no doubt that with tbe vast re.souiceH of this country, ">Mth tbe untold weaith, with ihe illimitable opportunitui it aff *rdc I for a man who had a strong hand and hem and an ac lye brain to seizi on these opportunities — be had no doubt, he s id, 'hdt they would le. id to their children having the means and opnoitunities of advancing themselves in life, and build, ng up for th m^elvt s ho re a nt.w Ireland — lff:rent, indeed, fr nu tne old in this: that while they were true to me religion of tbe Insu people and to the nationality of the Irish peopl > they would have opporiuDives of e*rnirjg fur themselves maur.al wealth, which, unfortunately, was denied 10 the pc >ple at Hjui>:. In conclu tug his words, the speaker referred to the pleasure it gave him to witness thj manner in wrucb their Society had federated throughout all Australasia. He was dtl'ghte'i lo ri id tr em *o strong in Duneain, and to see that they were sj earnest in their efforts. He could only say turther that he received with the Utmost pleasure the souvenir of bis tiist visit to [ Dnn'iiin. He ha I also to tnank their ami ib.e aud energetic Bish -p, who hi 1 done so much for Dunedin and for tbe enure diocese over whic'i hi had ruled so long at.d so well, for having given tne.cn that oppoiium y of meeting tbe Dunedin branch of the Hibernian (Juibol c Benefit Society, whose souve nr be should treasure as long as be lived (applause).

Bishop Moore said that as bis metropolitan had so fittingly replied to tne address he (the speaker) was sure they did not expect much iiom him. He offered them hie sincere thanks for the very nice

souvenir they bad given him that evening. It was one that would keep^tflem in his remembrance for many years. To him it was a great pleasure to find that the Hibernian Society in this city had maintained its name and its position. It was a particular pleasure to him, because he believed be was correct in saying that he was the first priest to join the Hibernian Society (applause). That society was formed in Ballarat twenty-six years ago, wben there were only seven laymen and himself in it. Afterwards the Irish Catholic Society was established, and in a few years the two bodies amalgamated, acd were subsequently known a 9 the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. From the time he joined the Society up to the present he had never regretted the step he hid taken (applause) on the contrary, he watched over it as carefully as his other duties would permit, and he was happy to be able to state that the Society had been an unqualified success (applause). To meet representatives of th»t Society in this part of the globe, he could assure them, was a peculiar pleasure. He had been travelling with his Grace the Archbishop and the Bishop of Dunedin for the last week, and he could say that he bad experienced more pleasure in that week than he did daring any week in the whole of the last thirty-one years— the period for which he had been a colonist. They had visited many churches and schools in Otago, and found them in places where they least expected them. It only showed what the Irish people could do all over the world where they were free and got fair play (applause) and it showed also that people, priests, and bishop were united. It was due to the efforts of their Bishop that they could point to these results, for he did not think there was his superior in ihe Church of God. He did not say that because he was present — on the contrary —md wben he was on the present subject he might add that they should also be proud of their clergy (hear. h°ar) who were devoted to their holy religion and to tneir native country. He o^ce more thanked them for their beautiful souvenir, and trusted that Piovidence would ever keep them and watch over them.

The Archbishop then, at tne request of the Bishop of Dunedin, bestowed his blessing on thosa present, and the deputation withdrew.