THE BISHOP'S LETTER

New Zealand Tablet, Volume 19, Issue 42, 19 October 1905, Page 3

THE BISHOP'S LETTER

Bishop's House, ChristcfciuTch, Foast of St. Mark, September, 1905. Rev. Itear Father and Dearly Beloved in Christ. Whilst engaged in the arduous task of appealing ttoouiflhoiu t the diocese for our Cathedral in' the course of ooins4Jructio'n, the amounts given or promised in each parish, together with a financial statement, were published from time to time. Now that the magnificent building is completed, and dedicated to the service of the Most High, it has been suggested that it would be of interest to you and the cause to receive a brief review of the past, a financial statement of our present position, with an expression of our hopes and expectations for the future. In a circular addressed to you in April, 1905, you were told that when lack of funds marie us desirous to stop the works, the contractors urged us to go on, repeatedly assuring us that they would accept whatever we could pay them as the work proceeded, and allow us five or more years to pay oft the balance. Suddenly we were amazed to learn that trtiey could no longer fulfil their promise. To stop the work at that most critical jumctuire would halve been a very great disaster. In fact, all who kin-ew the circumstances, unanimously declared that to stop were impossible. We bad already disbursed to them about £24,000 ofl their contract price. The cost of the metal ceilings, the coverings of the ftemking towers, and the grand diome, together with the fees for the Architect, the Clerk of Works-, and other inevitable expenses, brought up the total expenditure to £29,000. To meet this wo had to borrow £5000 from the bank. Up to that date we had received in cash a little over £24,000, with promises of between £7000 ox £8000

more. Fully half of these promises kave since been realised. Last year another critical period arose and our difficulties increased. The Right Hon. the Premier, having incidentally, heard of oiur painfiul position, kindly suggested that the only way out of the difficulty was to issue deben t«u res, or negotiate a loam on mortgage, for which purpose it would be necessary to get a private Bill passed through Parliament. We took the best legal and other aidwice, and consulted the Holy See, by whom we were authorized to borrow the amount of £20,000. The most distressing part of this- procedure is the yearly interest of £1000. With a view to the meeting of this annual charge, and the gradual reduction of the capital, various schemes 'haw been proposed and discussed. The first was to ask each parish to take over a portion of the debt, I am deeply grateful to the few priests a<nd people wbo warmly entered into this plan., and contributed their proportion. The second was to solicit offerings in cattle and kind for a monster sale to be held during the course of the coming year. This scheme, I confidently hope, will be carried out in due course. The third was to beg the bulk of our people to contribute a small sum of sixpence a week till the whole debt were paid. The Cathedral parish had already adopted this scheme, with the result that since it was started, ibarely three years ago, it bas brought in the sum of £1362 13s 5d ; St. Mary's, Christchurch, started it more recently, and added £253 0s 2d, making a total for Christchoirch of £1615 13& 7d from the small offering's of sixpence per week. Since our last appeal in their respective parishes, Temuka, thanks to the zealous devotedness of its parish priest, the venerable Dean Foley, generously contributed as its quota to the &d collection, or pro nata for the district, the sum of £587 ; Waimate and Geraldine fallowed suit ; Ashburton, Darfiedd, Fairlie, Hokitika, New Headford, Rangiora, Hawarden, and Timaru contributed sums ranging from one hundred guineas to smaller amounts, bringing up the total to £2738 14a 3dOur devoted priests have assured us that the 6d collection caninot be relied o.n in country districts, especially on the West Coast, where we are advised to adopt the more effectual course of a personal appeal on the occasion of our visitation. All, however, realise that some strenuous efforts must be made to pay not only the heavy interest, but liquidate the whole debt in as short a time as possible. We venture to suggest a simple and practical way out of our difficulty. The Catholic population of the diocese is between 20 and 22,000. If half this numtjer would give £1 a year for little more than two years, the entire debt would be paid off during that short period. If but one-fourth of the population gave the same amount £1 every year, the debt would be blotted out within the space of four, or, at the nwst, ftve years. The Cathedral and St. Mary's parish might, we firmly "believe, be relied upon to pay the yearly interest from the (>d collection now being re-organised by Father O'Connell, whilst the efforts of the rest of the diocese could be directed to the gradual extinction of the capital. To miake this plan a thorough success, all who possibly can should pay either yearly, half-year-ly, or quarterly their promised subscription, until the whole debt is cancelled. Those willing to do this, and surely none will refuse, will kindly fill up the Bubjoined Promissory Note, and give it, with their offerings, to the local priest, or, if they prefer, send it direct to the Bishop or Rev. Father O'Connell, the recently appointed collector for the Cathedral. The priests of tho diocese are earnestly bogged to distribute a copy of this letter, with the Promissory Note, to as maaiy of their flock as they can. Whilst again renewing our heartfelt thanlks to the devoted priests, religious communities, and faithful ' laity, who have so generously helped to bTing to completion a noble work imposed upon u.s all by no other than God and His Church, may we not express the ardent hope that "they will rally around us in the hour of our greatest need ? God alone knows the sleepless mights, the anxiously wearisome days we haw had since the great work was begun. Eveti since the day when the glorious Cathedral was* solemnly dedicated, the unexpected demands of those from whom we had a right to look for due consideration, if not gratitude, forced us to pass through a most trying ordeal, and thrust upon us fresh financial difficuleies. Two vearsi ago Ihe supply of stone having rum short we bAloAved tiha contractors to substitute another kind, foletteT, it, i 9 trre, for which they claimed £1000 extra for the working of the same. 'Altogether they claimed over £1000 for mtras, for which they had no authority from us. This claim was, b<y arbitration, reduced to £2000. You will be c;ood enough, dear Rev. Father, to read to your flock this letter and the financial statement, abd,

have them pilacdd in a conspicuous part of every church and ohiapel of the diocese. Please remind all who contribute that they will share in the Masses offered every week for their intention., and merit the special blessing promised to them by our Holy Father the Pope. Wishing you and yours every blessing, and thanking all in anticipation of the further and continual proofs of their loving faith a"nd generosity. I remain, Yours very devotedly in Christ, 4* JOHN JOSEPH GRIMES, S.M., Bishop of Christchurch.