DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 46, 15 November 1900, Page 6

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.)

November 8. Hia Lordship the Ri^ht Rev. Dr. Lenihan began bis diocesan Visitations thi* week, an i proceeded last Tuesday to Gisborne. Tin Rev. Path r Uiller.in, of flobirt, who his been vi-uting the Lako Country, was the truest of lii-hop Lenihau for a few days He left for Tasmania on Tuesday. The Very Rev. Dr. Egan. 0 S.B , is not expected to leave Sydney before the 14th inst. Uev. Father Purton, 0.5.8., meanwhile ministers at the Sacred Heart Church, Ponsonby. The Young Men's Club, Ponsonby, through Mr. D. Flynn, lately presented their esteemed president, Mr. J. J, O'Brien, J.P., with a large and handsomely-framed shield bearing portraits of the members with their president in the centre. The present ition was highly deserved, because the recipient, in the most, uno*tentatious manner, his ever been foreino-t in working for the Church throughout the diocese, and ii an especial way for the advancement of the young men Mr O'Brien sutUbly thanked the douors. The Fn-nch wirship Proiet was in Auckland harbor during la^t wet k, and Usi Sunday morning fully 100 bl'ie jackets accomp .ni»d by s> vorai officers attended 'J o'clo. k M.if=* at St Patrick's Beats were mve< ially reserved lor them. The Rev. Father Corcor »n ndlre«sed the men in their native tongue, arid in the name of the Bishop and Mgr. O Redly w< loom< d them. Their presence showed the Catholici y of the Church, and thit the Faith of Charlemagne and St Lout,- wa* still living and triumphant. He exhorted th^m to ehe r i*h and practise it

At St Pa* nek's Cathedral last Sun lay evening before Beneiiction his Lordship rhe Bishop, assisted by ltmht Rev. Mgr. O Reilly, Rev. Father O'Ctrroll, and R.-v. Father Gilleran, of Tasmania unveiled a beau'i f u) mural table' to the memory of the late Very Rev. Mgr Walter McDonald. Tie tablet, whi n is a handsome piece of marble work w.i« exnent* d by Mr W Thoni is and presented by hi ii to the cath' dral. It mea-im s a'xait htby.U'r. The principal fea f ure« are a cro-s and a wre.uh ot tunnorta is flower*, and the inscription rims 'Of yuur charity pray for th- soul of the lUe Mo •siyrn'T W.il-er Mi Donald, pirMi pne*t of Pimn re. who died in hi* 70 h year. Miyhen st in p",i -e.' Hi- Lo-d hip r ferred to the ve'y miny *x ellent qualitms of the late M_t MoDonald. and pomte<l out that to ill he w,i- in ex mpl ■ of Christian virtue and charity and hi* memory an^i noble exanijdo would < ver remain with us, and he w.i* proud t i hive taken pirr in the ceremony of the unveiling of t'.is splendid mural tablet to perpetuate the memory o* ho good, pious, and worthy a prie-t The choir during the ceremony utid r Mr flis -ock*. retnlered \ery feelingly ■ Blest are the departed' and the 'Miserere' The la-hop sub-o quently delivered a very fine discourse upon the all important duty of the living to pr »y tor the repose o' the tarhful departed.

On Sunday afterno m Usr, November 4. within the octave of All SonN. a '■olemn s< rvice was helu in th Citholie Cemetery, Symond -trret. Sever. il hundri d prople from all parts ot the city and nuburbs v\ere pie-ent. shortly .itter .5 p. in his L ird.ship the Rig'it Rev. Dr Lenihan, accomp itiml by the Ri-.'ht Rev. Mgr O'Reilly. Rev. Fathers Punon, O S H . (JilUn. and lUrln . pre e-ird by the altar boy*, eurere* the ■ mete^y l »y 'be -outii'ru g »te The procession wende i it* way ro th>- toot ot th lir e cr >** m thectin.ttry arouud which art burud the riniiiHO ia.} ot the prints who min.stered m *ju- dto e^t in the ..Id d lv- 1 ii»? :igo st Patrick* Choir, uivter thi ir^ini'm tor Mr P F Hiei.ck-. mu-tere i m strong force, find rendered in finest ye VnvellnV Mi*< rrre t () turn to Je*u«,' 'De Protundis,' and ' Blest are the departs ■.' At th • conclusion of th" service the orchestra played the 'Dead March.' When the second hymu had crmcuded the Bishop addnssed those present and said : We are pothered together in this pla c of repose, thi.s wid and silenr. dwelling of the dead. to honor their mortal remains. Let us note these monument* and realise this grief. The tomb has its school of truth , we can he.tr its mute language ; we can read the instructive pages which it traces, and we cau learn to live right y, and, above all, to die well. Here we disi crn that all ages and ranks are confounded I Kee a crowd heaped pell-mell without distinction and order. Neither rank nor position is disputed in this hous^ of mourning. Why th*n do we make such noise tor superiority when death will make us all equal ? Wtjy do we seek to tx-ilt ourselves and humble others, when in a few nays we sh til all be ranged on a level and form the name dust ? Without doubt amongst this confuted debris of humanity there were men who were not friendly disposed. Death, a judye without appeal, has extended its hand over both parties and terminated these quarrels ; the tomb has reconciled them. Perhaps their remains have united in this dust. We can learn from these reconciled ashes not to continue the remembrance of injuries, and to stifle the spirit of vengeance. What is that which this stone covers 1 An infant who received and gave up almost at the same inntant his tender soul ; he knew neither pain nor sorrow. He enters life and bids it a quick farewell, and is taken from the cradle to the grave. The little stranger just tastes of life and refuses more. Happy and rapid passage of the little one J and the Church sings joyful peana at its interment. A young

man li, * thf re in profound -leep who but lately posseted herculean stre i>\}\ and nu-hed with h ,i'th and had app»rent!ya long life betorelmn. He hi proactive thoughts of enjoyment of pleasures, •i-id he ha* gone and his shore life is a lesson to you. Do n<n trust to y>ritn and h.-alth. b'ciuse death disturb the order <>f mtnre, and wh n it com sit se>z»* up-.n whom it willa. These gr.tv Hand t<>mb* cloi-e over those whohe sudden deaths have riven many living hearts. U.d Kent hie messenger of death, and, like the fell- r<f tre. m, it attacked the strongest oaks which yesterday w. re in all their glory, and t <-day are cut down. Accident was G d's agent, as He decreed and death cam". We see death on all sides. It will c >me to you and to mo. We should at all times be prepired to meet it. liy re^ulany visiting and reverently and quietly praying in the ceinet ry, where the very dust is sacred, onr hearts and roHeotions would be led to God and to His eternal kingdom, whence those who repose here are, let us hope, enjoying their everlasting reward.'

Prayers for the dead were then recited. His Lordship then applied to the people to take greater mtereef, than they ha<l done in the beautifying o f the cemetery In travelling through the United States he marvelled at the Hplendid manner in which the Catholic cemeteries were kept. He hop-d to make this ceremony an annual one, and probably next year we should have Mass celebrated in the cemetery.