THE NEW CONVENT OF MERCY. SOUTH DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 8, 21 February 1901, Page 4

THE NEW CONVENT OF MERCY. SOUTH DUNEDIN.

Xxi + . I I ill LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE.

Ever since the advent of the Sis-tern of Mercy to South Dunedin they have had to make a small, weither-bnard cottage serve as v convent. This building, it is needless to observe, is altogether uneuited for the purpose, bt'iuj^ ill adapted in every wiy to the wants of the community. Knowing the numerous call* which have b< en made on the Catholic public the good Sisters bore with the ninny inconveniences and discomforts, inseparable from such a house, as long as they possibly could, and only determined to build a portion, at least, ot a convex t when the he.ilth nt the community was threatened should they occupy the old building much longer. The nectssity of a new convent suitable to the needs of the growing community has been recognised for some time, and the attendance at the ceremony on Sunday showed that the public of this city sympathised with the Sit-tern in the good find necessary work which they have reluctantly undertaken— reluctantly because they have preferred to suffer many inconveniences rather than appeal to the generosity of the Catholic people. It i* well known to our readers that the Winter* of Mercy conduct with eemsidcrable success the St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage, when the fatheile--s and neglected, and waits and strays are tan d tor and broug-ht up so as to become useful members of society ; they also have charge of the parish schools, and bcidfs this they visit the pick both in their own homes and in the hospital, and in fact are always to the fore at the oall of charity. To peimit them then to be housed in a building wanting m many respects, but more especially in space and ordinary convenience. would be very ungrateful on the part of the Catholic commuiiity, who are over noted for their generosity and many sacrifices on behalf of religion and education. Under these circumstances it was no wonder then that there was a large and representative gathering present on Sunday when the foundation etone of the new convent was laid with befitting ceremony by his Grace the Archbishop of Wellington. THE PONTIFICAL MASS. At 10 30 o'clock a Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated in St.. Patrick's Basilica by the Right Rev. Dr. (j rimes, Bishop ot Chri-t-church. Very llev. lean FoUy (Christchurch) was ansi-ia'.t pri««t, Key. Father Regnault (Waimate) deacon, Rev. Father MXaitby

(Melbourne) subdeacon, Rev. Father M. Ryan fHoly Cross College') and Rev. Father Delany being first and second masters of ceremony respectively. Ihe following prelates and clergy were present in the sanctuary : — His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne, his Grace the Archbishop of Wellington, his Lordship the Bishop of Dunedin, Right Rev. Mgr. O'Heilly (representing the Bishop of Auckland), Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay (Oamaru). Very Rev. Mgr. O'Leary (Lawrence), Very Rev. Father Lewis, \ (J (Wellington), Very Rev. Father Koyle (Sydney), R> v. Father R tiers (Maitland), Rev. Fathers Murphy Poffey O'Neill rWiritoni ( 1^,,-y Moloney CWelliugton), ana Key. P. O'Neill. ilii, oEKMuJn The sermon was preached by hia Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne from the words, ' And now there remain, faith, hope, charity, but the greatest of these is charity.' These wordp, said his Grace, were taken the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, and they contained a summary or collection of the entire consideration of the virtue of charity, with which the whole of the 13th chapter is occupied. Some of the early converts were overanxious to possess all those characteristic gifts which God had given to the early Christian Church. To some He pave the power of working miracles, to others the faculty of speaking languages they had not learnt, and to others the power of interpreting the Holy Scriptures. Now, the early converts, or Borne of them, imagined that the gift of working miracles should be continued to prominent members in the Church particularly for the sanctification and edification of the people. They did not understand that once the Church was founded this was not necessary. St. Gregory, in hia beautful illustration of the action of God in regard to the working 1 of miracles, showed that once the Church had taken root on the earth, miracles were no longer necessary to prove the truth of the Christian religion. The Apostle, in making ÜBB of these words, wished to bring before the minds of the Corinthian converts those gifts which should be prominently practised by them both for their own eanctification as well as the edification of others. He declared that the greatest of these favors from God waa charity. And he tells them that if he were to speak with the tongueß of men and angels and had not charity, he would become as sonnding btan or a tinkling cymbal. And in comparing the moral virtues he says, ' And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity it profiteth me nothing.' In enumerating the theological virtues — faith, hope, and charity — the Apostle says the greatest of these is charity. Thty would find that this estimate which they had formed of the vulueof charity was in agreement with the ideal that the Almighty Himself had revealed to us. On one occasion our Blessed Lord Himself was asked which was the greatest commandment, and He said, ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with all thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and thy neighbor as thyself.' The whole of the commandments was contained in these two. Now, in speaking of charity as the love of God and love of thy neighbor, it would appear that there were two commandments, but in reality there was only one, be ■au-e the love of the neighbor must be for God's sake noc for that of ourselves. They would also remember that our Blessed Lord referred to the virtue of charity as a new virtue, and to the commandment of loving our neighbor as a new commandment. Love for the neighbor was very little noticed in the Old Law and very rarely practised, but our Blessed Lord brought it forward and elevated it to a higher position, and placed it belore men. Our Blessed Lord has said that the practice of the Virtue of Charity would be a Distinguishing Mark of his followers in all times. Whenever our Lord speaks of loving one am ther He refers to it as the love of God. It is very important that we shoulel understand the characteristics of this virtue and how to practice it. Charity is the same as love. Now love is the n.o-t a -tive of the feelings of the human mind. Sometimes it is t:<>u< . .mil sometimes it is bud. If they took the power of dis-niu'fe-'.fd lo\e, such as that of a father for his family, a mother for her thiHren. it would give an appreciation of the love of God. One ot the characteristics of human love is a desire to benefit the individual. In human love it is the desire that the object of out love should be perfectly happy, that he should not want anything which our love could supply, and that no trouble is too great to supply this. The tendency of love is unity of one another, and that is the reason of the union of the soul with God. First of all if we love God siucrely we have the thought before us that He is infinitely good. If we love God we are pleaded to increase Hie intrinsic gl. ry. And if we love Him truly we desire and are particularly unired to Him in grace in this life, and we fhall be united with Him in glory in the kingdom of Heaven. Now there is only one motive for this, and that is the virtue of charity. If we love our neighbor we are practically applying ourselves to a love of God, for the motive is the same. God is most anxious that we should exercise this branch of charity. See the divine charity which eicercised Him, see the love He manifested to man in leaving His throne in heaven to come down on this earth. He showed to men that in loving their neighbor they were fulfilling that precpt He came to inculcate. After speaking of the great love which our Saviour had for the poor, who, He said, would be always with us, his Grace went on to refer to the love of onr Divine Lord lor little children, whom He called the lambs of the fold. Mo c especially those children, who had lost their natural protectors, are the special object of the love of Christ. Speaking at one time to His upostles lie said unless you become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven. And on another occasion He said. ' iSuffi r the little children to come unto Me for such is the kingdom (f Heaven.' He thus impressed on th"in His love for little cLildien, and as He would not be always on earth He gave a commission to His Church to be ever solicitous for the children, a commisesjon which the Church has faithfully

carried out. And so that the little children might receive the highest graceß in this life, we find orphanages and institutions of oharity ereoted in every country for their reception and education. Here amongst themselves it was in the same spirit which always animated the Church, that they had erected the orphanage and were maintaining and proriding for the 50 or 60 children who are there. There were three things which the children required — food, clothing, and shelter for the body. They have, however, something else besides the body, something higher than the body. They have a mind for which they require education in order that they might iearn the beauties of those o**] ***♦■« Hipv saw around them, in order that they might learn something of arts and science so that they might be rendered independent later in life. They have a still greater requirement : They have Immortal Souls. These require to be carefully cultivated. It was for the sanctification of these souls that God came down from Heaven. This is the reason that the Church fights so earnestly for religious education. Others fight for the body. Catholics recognise that the soul is immortal, and must love and serve God here on earth. In providing for the souls and bodies of these children they were doing something for the love of Good. They would have been abandoned by the world were it not for these good Sisters. They are receiving an excellent education, which fits them to engage in the condition of life for which they are suited. Furthermore, they are taught the knowledge and love of God, to understand virtue, and therefore they will be good and faithful members of the Church, and will reign with Q-od forever in eternity. Whatever is done in the orphanage is done by the Providence of God. Among the many Orders in the Church which devote themselves to this work of charity there was no Order which did more good in ministering to poor little ohildren than the Sisters of Mercy. The Order was instituted in 1827, and in 1832 it was called upon to exercise its spirit of charity when Ireland was visited by cholera, and in 1847 there waa another visitation which decimated the whole country. They are now spread all over the English-speaking world, and are not new to this Colony. He (his Grace) remembered reading Borne time ago about • German baron who had hardened his heart and spent the greater part of his life in sin. He fell ill, and a priest who was sent for exhorted him to repentance, but his efforts were fruitless. At length the confessor went to a school that was on the land of the baron and maintained by him. Thia was one of the good works done by the sick man. The confessor marshalled the children, took them to the hall, and directed them to sing the hymn to the Blessed Virgin, which they did. The baron on hearing the children singing inquired what it was, and was informed by the confessor that those ohildren that had been maintained by the sick man's bounty and charity, were now singing for the salvation of his soul. The baron waß moved to contrition, and died as far as we know a happy death. To assist the building fund and give aid to an institution like this might help to bring many to a favorable judgment. THE MUSIC. The music of the Mass was Weber's Mass in G, which waa rendered by the combined choirs of St. Joseph's Cathedral and St. Patrick's Basilica, assisted by an efficient orchestra, under the conductorship of Mr. Vallis. The solo parts were taken by Miss R. Blaney (soprano), Miss M. Drumm and Mrs. Neave (alto), Mr. P. Oarolin (tenor), and Mr. W. Woods (bass). During the offertory two instrumental trios were rendered by Messrs. Vallis, Phillips, and MacDonnell, and Messrs. Vallis, Crean and Deehan. Mr. Jas. Jago, at an interval in the Mass, sang the ' Pro Peccatis ' from the ' Stabat Mater.' LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. Immediately after Mass the prelates and clergy, preceded by cross bearer, acolyteß, the Children of Mary, and the Hibernian Society, left the church for the site of the new convent where the ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed by his Grace Archbishop Redwood, assisted by Very Rev. Dean Foley, and Rev. Fathers Regnault and McCarthy. After the stone had been well and truly laid, his Grace, in the course of a brief address, said that after the eloquent sermon of the Archbishop of Melbourne he would not detain his hearers for any length of time. However, he desired to tender his congratulations to their Bishop on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the beautiful convent, and he assured them he did so with lively feelings of pleasure. That was, indeed, a great and a blessed day for South Dunedin. That day they had laid the foundation stone of a chapel connected with the beautiful convent that was soon going to rise in their midst as an ornament to that part of the city, and as a proof and token of the faith of the people and of the generosity of their hearts. It was not necessary for him to call on them to lay generously their offerings on the stone, because he knew they had already presented their offerings in the church. However, there might be some who would prefer to lay their offerings on the stone, and these he invited to advance and give their contributions as a gift to Almighty God, and as a gift that would fructify marvellously in the future. Of all the virtues, they were told, charity was the queen, and when they contributed to raise a convent for the Sisters of Mercy they were contributing in the most perfect manner to the practice of charity in their midst. In that building the children who had none to care for them — who had neither father nor mother, nor anyone dear to them to provide for their various wants, temporal and spiritual — would find in the orphanage all they wanted for their bodies, for their souls, and for their future destiny, and within that convent would be practised all the virtues that adorned a Christian and made the glory of the religion of Jesus Christ. The Archbishop of Melbourne said that when the convent was completed it would be one that might well be envied in any city of Australasia, and he congratulated them very sincerely on the fact

that they were about to possess a building that would prove such a source of blessing to God. THE BUILOINCi. Since last described in the Tablet the building has had certain alteration* and additions made in its design with the view of increasing the accommodation for the Sisters. The plans now chow a building of brick and concrete plainly but strongly and comfortably arranged similar in style to that already described, but having a chapel 20ft by 48 ft with an apse for the altar, a community room 30ft by 20ft, refectory 30 ft by 16ft, novitiate 26ft by I«ft two parlors 17ft by 16ft. an infirmary 16ft by 14ft library 21ft by 16ft, a kitchen 20ft by 14ft, together with 2i) bedrooms of an avprngp «i 7* of 10ft by 16ft. and three bathrooms. The building will have a complete arrangement for the supply of both hot and cold water all over it. and a complete system of drainage ready to come into use so soon as the borough of (South Dunedin shall have its drainage scheme properly carried out. Gaa will be laid throughout the building on both floors to insure a thorough system of lighting. The ceiling heights of the first design have been altered bo aa to increase the ground floor to 13ft and the chapel to 15ft. The convent is to be erected at the rear of the parish school, and will face Adelaide street. The plans allow for additions to be made later on. The following inscription was placed under the foundation stone : — ' This foundation stone of the convent for the Sisters of Mercy, of South Dunedin, was laid on the 17th day of February, 1901, by the Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, Archbishop of Wellington, First Metropolitan of the Province of New Zealand, in the presence of the Most Rev. Dr. Carr, Archbishop of Melbourne ; the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand ; the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly (representing the Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand) ; and the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon, Bishop of Dunedin, New Zealand ; his Holiness Leo. XIII. being Pope; the Right Rev. M. Verdon Bishop of Dunedin ; during the first year of the reign of Edward the VII., King of Great Britain and Emperor of India ; the Right Hon. Uchter John Mark, Earl of Ranfurly, K.C.M.G., being Governor of New Zealand ; the Right Hon. Richard J. Seddon, being Premier of New Zealand ; Robert Chisholm, Esq., being Mayor of the City of Dunedin : Frank W. Petre, Esq., the architect for the building ; and Messrs Crawford and Watson, the building contractors,' Copies of the N.Z. Tablet, and of the local papers, and coins of the realm were also placed under the stone. The collection in the church and at the ceremony, with subscriptions previously received, amounted to £480. Among the principal subscriptions received were the following : Bishop Verdon, £50; Archbishop Carr, £20; Archbishop Redwood, £5 ; Bishop Grimes, £."> :>s ; Mr. M. McKey, £50 ; Shiel Bros., £20; Rev. P. O'Neill, £10 10s; Rev. J. F O'Donnell, £10 10s ; Mr. J. F. McDonnell (Balmain, Sydney), £10 10s ; Mr. M. Flemming, £10. Other subscriptions received will be published in an early issue of the N.Z. Tablet. After the ceremony the prelates, clergy, and a number of the Catholic laity were entertained at luncheon by the Sisters of Mercy,