The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1897. HALF-WAY TO HOME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 31, 10 December 1897, Page 17

The New Zealand Tablet. Fiat Justitia. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1897. HALF-WAY TO ROME.

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HANKS to the ceaseless and enlightened activity of the Holy Father the conversion of England to the Catholic faith, though still no doubt far distant, is by no means an idle dream. The progress that has been already made in recent 1 years in that direction is most marvellous, and is in itself sufficient ground for the most sanguine hopes as to the future. Ever since what is known as the Oxford movement began there has been a

steady influx into the Church, and the stream of converts, so far from diminishing, has visibly increased in volume as the years have rolled on. It is only a few weeks ago that a cable from Ronie appeared in the daily papers stating that Cardinal Vaughan had reported to the Pope that converts were being received into the Church in England at the rate of 700 per month, and this statement of his Eminence, be it remembered, was no mere guess or blind estimate, but an ascertained fact based on the actual records of the Church. It is only the other day also that we published the quarterly list compiled by the Panlist Fathers, and the record showed that during the last three months alone some scores of eminent converts had been received, to say nothing of the much larger number who had entered the Church from what are called the humbler walks of life. The movement towards the Church is so pronounced and so remarkable that it could not be ignored, and it is not surprising to find that it has received and is receiving a good deal of attention from the members of non-Catholic bodies. Various efforts have been made to minimise the movement or to explain it away, but all such attempts that we have yet seen have been most lame and impotent. The movement towards Rome is a plain, palpable and undoubted fact, which cannot be explained away by even the most skilful juggling with " statistics." As we have said, the work of restoring England to the unity of the faith has been greatly advanced by the wise and untiring activity of the Holy Father who has exhausted all the resources of Christian charity in order to promote that great end. His eloquent and touching letter, addressed a few years ago to the English people, will not soon be forgotten, while his fatherly appeal at the close of the Bull on Anglican Orders is still fresh in the minds of all. It was only last year that the Holy Father caused to be established in England a fund for the benefit of converts who might be deprived either of their position or of their resources through their change of faith. Shortly afterwards he announced his intention of founding a college at Rome for the training of converts who might desire to study for the priesthood. And quite recently the Holy Father has erected by Brief an Archconfraternity of Prayers and Good Works for the conversion of England, and Home papers just to hand contain a full account of the solemn inauguration of this organisation. With such agencies at work there is every reason to believe that the Romeward movement is destined to assume still larger proportions in the near future. In order to adequately realise the f nil effect of this great movement it must be remembered that in addition to those who have actually entered the Church a very much larger number have been, almost unconsciously, carried more than half way on the road to Rome. As his Eminence Cardinal Vaughan put it in a recent address :—": — " England is not indeed Catholic, far from it ; but multitudes have swung so far round that they are more than half Catholics. There has been a revival of religious sentiment, a desire for unity, which clearly make towards unity. Truth after truth has been accepted, until men stand before the last step to be taken, if they would cross the chasm. This has not been the effect of our preaching, or of any human influence. It has been the effect of those long, loving, earnest prayers which have been constantly ascending for England during the last 000 years." This is true not only of England, but of every English-speaking country in the world. Half converts are everywhere, and we venture to say that even in New Zealand there are in every parish — at least in every town parish — large numbers of half converts — people who are by no means satisfied with the logical basis of Protestantism, who are ready and anxious to know more of Catholic doctrine, and who already accept perhaps a considerable portion of the teaching of the Church. It is from this field that the harvest of the future is to be reaped, and in this apostolic work of making half-converts whole converts the humblest Catholic layman may play a part. As the Very Rev. Dean Burke aptly pointed out in the course of his able sermon on Sunday night the two main levers by which the reunion of Christendom is to be brought about are prayer and good example, and these are available to every Catholic everywhere, be he rich or poor, piiest or layman, learned or unlearned. To these we would add a third method of spreading the truth, viz., the generous and judicious dissemination of Catholic literature. For this purpose the publications of the Catholic Truth Society are most admirably suited. The Society has now produced a

very copious and comprehensive body of Catholic controversial literature, and there is scarcely any difficulty, doctrinal or historical, in connection with the Church which is not ably and fully dealt with in its publications. They are, in almost every case, terse, clear, and to the pom*;, and are sold at a price that brings them weli within the reach of the great majority of our people. They are most useful to Catholics themselves, who must be ready nowadays, at a moment's notice, to give a reason for the faith that is in them, and they are simply inv.iluable for clearing up the difficulties that may be experienced by non-Catholics. We earnestly commend them to the notice of onr readers, and from personal knowledge and personal experience we can assure them that there is scarcely a more effective way of interesting their non-Catholic friends in the Church, and of helping th^m to the li^ht of faith than by the judicious circulation of these admirable leaflets. In the words of one of the most successful of the Paulist Fathers we would say : " Throw much truth, some will stick. As to good books, and pamphlets, and per odicals, they arc like bread upon the dining table ; we may dispense with some things in moving souls towards the truth, but never with the apostolate of the Press." _^___ The gentleman selected by Bishop Verdon to succeed Mr. Scott as editor of the Tablet is the Rev. 11. W. Cleary, of Ararat, Victoria. Father Cleary is well known as a writer, having been for many years a regular contributor to leading Irish and Australian Catholic magazines. His great work, " The Orange Society," has met with a marvellous success, having run through no less than 11 editions in a little over six months. The Tablet is extremely fortunate in securing the services of such, a man. The following subscriptions to the South Dunedin Catholic Orphanage have been received during the week : — Mr. McCrorie (Caversham), £2 ; a Friend, ss. Contributions towards the erection of the Orphanage will be thankfully received by the Sisters of Mercy, South Dunedin, and by the Catholic clergy of Dunedin, and will be duly acknowledged in the columns of the Tablet. The Addison's correspondent of the Wvatport Star writes :—: — '' For geniality, fluency, energy, hard-hitting (here I speak for sinners, including myself of course), and all the qualities that go to make an ideal pastor, commend me to Father Costello, who, judging by the number of communicants, has just concluded a most successful mission here. The men especially were sc touched by the earnest appeals of the Rev. Father, during his very brief sojourn, that they donned the ' black cloth ' instead of the gum-boots, and wended their way to the little chapel on at least one morning of the mission May ' His Reverence ' long make the coal port his headquarters. During the week we have received parcels of stamps for Father Kreymborg's mission from the following : — Mrs. J. S. C, Maori Point ; E. A. McNamee, Garston ; Mrs. T. C, Maori Toint ; Kate Herlity, Patearoa ; and from Pleasant Point (no name). Full details appear in our Wellington correspondent's letter of the success of the pupils of St. Mary's Convent in the recently instituted examinations under the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music. Mr. Aitken, the examiner, in conversation with an interviewer after the examination, paid a high compliment to one of the convent pupils. Asked as to the musical training in these colonies, Mr. Aitken said that it was generally very iair. '■ In fact, I saw borne brilliant examples in Australia," he &aid, " and in Wellington I heard as artistic singing as- I over heard, by a convent pupil, Miss Lottie McDonald." Miss McDonald has never been at any other school than the convent, or had any other teachers than the nuns. At the urgent desire of the writers, we publish elsewhere two very kindly references to the retiring editor of the Tablet. We do so the more readily as it affords us an opportunity of thanking them in particular, and the large body of our readers in general) for the kind appreciation which they have extended to the Taklet and its editor during the past year. Personally, we feel the keenest regret at severing a connection which has been to us so pleasant and enjoyable, and which has enabled us to make numbers of warm and truehearted friends in almost every part of the colony. We take the following from the last number of the Si/ilney Freeman- — His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Redwood. Archbishop of Wellington. New Zealand, who, after the consecration of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, wont on a visit to Queensland, was back in Sydney at the end of last week. While in Sydney he was the guest of the Marist Fathers. On Saturday his Grace left for New Zealand accompanied by the Very Rev. Father Devoy, V.G., Wellington. A

number of friends were on board the steamship to wish the Archbishop a hon vuyagr, among' them being 1 the Right Rev, Dr. Lenihan, Bifrhop of Auckland, the Very Rev. V. Le Rennetel, S.M., and Very Rev. Dr. O'Haran (private secretary to his Eminence the Cardinal). Several laymen were also present, including Messrs. Charles O'Neill, J. F. M'Donall, T. M'Donall, T. J. O'Neill and Foote. By the same steamer two pood Sisters of Mercy, from Maitland, left for Dunedin to join the convent of their Order recently established there by his Lordship Dr. Verdon. Two young ladies, Miss Cunningham and Miss Thompson, also left, one to join the Dunedin Convent and the other the Convent at Hokitika. Mr. Edward J. Piciott, who for the past nine years has been in the employ of the X.Z. Tajslet Company, has severed his connection with the office to take up a more lucrative position on the staff of iheXcic Zealand Times and Kail, Wellington. We are sure that all his friends both in the > orth and South Island will wish him every prosperity in his new sphere of labour. During the many years he represented the Tablet both in Dunedin and in the country, he never failed to make friends with all with whom he came in contact, and to leave the very best impression after him. We wish Mr. Pigott a full measure of success, and we congratulate the Aew Zealand Mail on getting so energetic and valuable an acquisition to their staff. Large congregations attended the celebration of the ceremonies in St. Patrick's Church, Masterton (says the Wairarapa Star of the Ist insL) in connection with the festival of "QuarantOre" on Sun day, Monday and Tuesday, special music being sung by the choir under Mr. A. R. Bunny's direction. Mozart's " Eleventh Macs," the Mass of the Assumption," and Schmid's "Mass in A"' were well rendered, Miss Carrick officiating in the capacity of organist. Miss Sheen sang " The peace of God " on Sunday night, and Mrs. Bunny and Miss Pender the " Ecce Panis " on Tuesday morning. The sermons on the occasion were preached by the Rev. Father John Clancy, of Wellington, and the Rev. Father Tom McKenna, of Pahiatua, and large numbers approached the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist. A procession of the school children on Tuesday morning brought the ceremonies to a close. The altar had been tastefully decorated for the celebration by the Misses Carrick, Nellie Chapman and Cissy Hourigan. We take the following from the Ashburton Guardian :—": — " The following are the passes in examinations in musical knowledge held for the Trinity College, London, in Gates' School of Music, on June 5 last. Mr. H. A. Gates, local secretary ; Mr. D. J. Jones, supervisor : — Junior Division. — Pass — Misses Kate Rooney, 93 ; Elizabeth Mary M'Owen, 02 , Violet Johnston, 88 ; Margaret Small, S3 ; Mary Digby, S3 ; Alice Ethel White, 81. Honours— Misses Violet Johnston. 83 ; Kate Rooney, 82 ; Elizabeth Mary M'Owen, 77 (over age for certificate); Mary Diyby, GO. Interim diate Division. — Pass — Misses Margaret Brick, 7!t ; Lizzie Brick, 71) ; Annie Bullock, 76 ; Kathleen Mary Orr, 7G ; Irene Beatrice Hamilton, 7o ; Ethel Lilian Makeig, 71 ; Margaret Susannah Burr, (i<). Honours — Misses Annie Bullock, <!2 ; Lizzie Brick, <il. Misses M'Owen, White, Burr, Makeig, Hamilton, and Orr, are from the classes of Mrs. Bowman Fox. Misses M. and L. Brick, Bullock, Johnston, Rooney, Small, and Digby arc from the schools of the Monastery of Jesus, and all the honours certificates have been gained by the last named schools." It will thus be been that tho Convent pupils have not only taken first place in both the pass divisions but they have also carried off every one of the honours distinctions. We congratulate both teachers and pupils on their success. A pretty wedding was celebrated at the residence of Mr. Dennis Rouyhan, Tuapeka Flat, on Tuesdaj r , 23rd ult., when Miss Roughan, eldest daughter of Mr. Itoughan, was united to Mr John Porter of Auckland. The ceremony was performed by Very Rev. Father O'Leary (Lawrence), and was witnessed by a number of friends of both bride and bridegroom. The bride's dresa was of shot grey material, trimmed with white silk crepon and silver passamenterie with a spray of orange blossom on the bodice. She also wore orange blossom in her hair and carried a lovely bridal bouquet, the gift of Mr. Thomas Barton. She was attended by her sister, Miss Winnie Roughan, who was neatly attired in a pretty dress of fancy Bhot material, trimmed with silk to match, and wore a pretty gold bar brooch, the gift of the bridegroom. Mr. Robert Porter, of Gore, brother of the bridegroom, acted as best man. After the ceremony upwards of l.~>o guests partook of a sumptuous wedding breakfast provided by the bride's parents, at which Rev. Father O'Leary proposed the health of the bride and bridegroom, and Mr. John Roughan, uncle of the bride, responded. In the afternoon the bride and bridegroom, accompanied by a number of their friends drove to Waitahuna and back. After ample justice had been done to the well-provided tables, the dancing portion of the guests adjourned to the barn where dancing, interspersed with songs, wa^ kept up with animation. The card tables were well patronised by the elderly portion of the guests. Mr. P. Skinner, on

behalf of the card party thanked the host and hostess for their kind entertainment and wished the bride and bridegroom every happiness in their new home. Three cheers were then given for the host and hostess and bride and bridegroom. Mr. Kelligher, who very efficiently acted as M.O. during the evening, thanked the host and hostess on behalf of the dancers, and wished the happy couple much happiness. Cheers were again called for and heartily given, and one of the pleasantest evenings ever spent in Tuapeka Flat then terminated with the company singing '• For he's a jolly good fellow." The presents, which were numerous, ornamental and useful, testify to the respect in which the young couple are held. The happy couple left in the 0.30 train for Dunedin, en route for Auckland, their future home, cairyinjj with them the good wishes of a wide circle of friends.