Dean Grogan in America.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 15, 10 April 1902, Page 3

Dean Grogan in America.

The Very Rev. Dean Grognn, S.M., of Napier, spent a few days at All Hallows College, Salt Lake City, in the early part of February. Years ago (says the Intermountain. Oatholio, in a long notice of his virdt) in Dundalk, Ireland, when Father Larkin was but a boy and Dean Grogan a. young man just entered into Holy Orders, the clergyman and the boy became fast friends. Perhaps the influence of that friendship led Father Larkin to choose the vocation offered by Holy Church. This, however, is only conjecture. At any rate, the boy became a priest like his elder, and like him he chose the Order of Mary and became a Marist Father. After the lapse of a qnarter of a century these natives of Dundalk again meet, the elder a dean of a diocese in far-off New Zealand ; his host the president of a Catholic college in these mountains, conducted by Marist Fathers. DeanGrogan's missionary labors in New Zealar d extend over a period of 23 years, part of which was spent among the Maoris ; hut for over 17 years he has been parish priest of St. Patrick's Church in Napier, a thriving city on the coast. The church is one of the fiuest in the Colony. Part of the money used for ita erection was contributed from the personal means of its pastor and from relatives in the United States and Ireland. In an address presented by the people of the p,iri&h on the eve of his departure, the entire credit for the erection of the beautiful edifice waß given to Dean Grognn. The venerable Marist bid his congregation adieu for a year, during which? time he will revive memories of native land and renew friendships and meet relatives in this country. This ia hia first visit to the United States. Dean Grogan impresses the visitor at once. Time has dealt kindly with this Irish priest, but perhaps th 9 climate of New Zealand may have lent its aid to scatter the worries falling to men of his age. He is a man in voice and appearance not unlike Archbishop Ireland. No person knowing both would mistake Dean Grogan for Archbishop Ireland, yet there is something undefinable in the former which reminds one of the latter in the first moments after introduction. Perhaps it is the careful delivery of matured opinion. Perhaps it is the broadness of view which both churchmen take in conversational inquiry and expression. At any rate, in talking with Dean Grogan you feel that you are talking to someone whose knowledge is not confined to theology, and whose study of cause and effect goes beyond the boundaries of a parish in New Zealand. The Church in that country, according to Dean Grogan, ia making remarkable progress, but not more rapid than Catholic education. This element of religious progress Dean Grogan regards as the most essential to the preservation of The Faith and Virtue of the Citizen. In New Zealand the parish school is the chief feature, beautiful churches a secondary consideration. Every church has a parish school, in many there are two schools. Instances are rare where Catholic children are found attending the public schools of the Colony. With pardonable pride Dean Grogan commented upon this condition in New Zealand contrasted with the indifference of Catholic parents in this country. Catholics of the Colony, like Catholics in the States, share the burden of public taxation for public sohools, but the maintenance of the parish schools in New Zealand is of more importance than any other church institution, either religious or charitable On the score of secular education, Dean Grogan cays the Catlolic schools rank with the best public schools. In New Zealand the British custom of giving out situations on recommendations largely obtains instead of the American system of giving a boy a trial on the assumption that 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating.' For a long time the Catholics of New Zealand were handicapped on this account, be cau c c the certificates of Catholic schools did net bear the imprint of the publiti board of education or its executive officer. The signature of a priest to a pupil's diploma did not count cmong Protestant employers, a great many believing that the priett would naturally give a Catholio sohoLr a good send-eff. This hardship has been largely removed by a law requiring the visit of the public Bchool inspector to the parochial bchools and his presence at examinations when compliance does not trespass upon his duties in public schools. His observations are made a part of the report upon public education, and has enlarged the opportunities of the Catholic student and removed the obstacles to employment prevailing under the old custom. A Catholic certificate is just as good as any other, so far as it indicates fitness for the empl<yment sought. Desiring to learn Dean Grogan's view on the economic conditions of the Colony, the Intermountain Catholio reporter turned the conversation in that channel. The priest was not so optimißtio as his lay inquisitor, who declared in his opinion New Zealand furnished the only example of rational socialism in government. Dean Grogan, while warmly commending some of the reforms lately introduced atd in operation in the Colony, thought that others would stand or fall through the test of experiment. Reforms were following each other too fast To give them Permanence, and Conservatives were complaining that paternalism in government was encroaching upon the domain of the family and the individual. Dean Grogan, while believing in the iron law of the survival of the fittest, perceived the difficulty of repealing laws made in the nature of experiment after they had been for some time in operation. Dwelling upon conditions in New Zealand, Dean Grogan said its people represented general content and steady prosperity. Absolute poverty was unknown, and examples of great wealth were rare. In do country in the world were workingmen so independent and proiectei so strongly by legislation. The recent law pensioning old people, he said, was one of the best features of this

paternal legislation, and already had demonstrated its wisdom in reducing the government expenses for maintenance of aged paupers in institutions. Mr. Seddon, the Premier of New Zealand. in Dean Grogan's opinion, was one of the most remarkable men this century produced. The Opposition party was so weak as to count for almost nothing. This is another feature of New Zealand politics at variance with the broad views of Dean Grogan, who considers that government is best administered when restrained by the presence of an active Opposition party.