First Anniversary Celebration

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 7, 15 February 1906, Page 3

First Anniversary Celebration

(From our own correspondent.) The distinguished prelates, his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne and the Right Rev. Dr. Iliggins, Bishop of Ballarat, who so graciously and generously ai> ceded to the request of his Lordship Bishop Grimes to participate in the anniversary ceremonies in connection with the dedication of the Christchurch Cathedral on Sunday, arrived on Friday morning, journeying from Wellington in the ,' Rotomahana.' The illustrious visitors met with a most cordial reception at Lyttelton. Those presen* included the Right Rev. Bishop Grimes, the Very Rev. Dean Ginaty, Rev. Fathers Marnane, Cooney, Price, Ahem, Mahony, O'Connell, Peoples, and Rev. Gilbert. Representing the laity were Messrs. E. O'Connor, J. Barrett, T. O'Connell, and J. R. llayward. The visitors were greeted at the Christchurch railway station by a fairly numerous gathering, considering the somewhat inconvenient hour, and, entering open carriages, the party were driven to the episcopal residence. Here striking preparations had been made for their reception. Over the entrance gateway an arch of foliage and flowers bearing the inscription in golden lettering—' Welcome to our distinguished visitors and illustrious prelates ' was erected, thence along the drhe were festoons and garlands of flowers and foliage on each side. The children of the convent schools and Marist Brothers' boys' school were drawn up along the drive to welcome the guests, who were here received by the Very Rev. VicarGeneral. As the \isitors drove up the Cathedral bells rang out a merry peal, and on alighting the children of the Convent High School sang a song of welcome. At this the prelates were delighted, and the children were heartily thanked by his Grace -the Archbishop, who afterwards gave them his blessing and added to the happiness of the occasion by announcing a holiday. The visiting prelates were then introduced to Ihe teachers in charge of the children. THE CEREMONIES. There were the usual early Masses in the Cathedral on Sunday, that at half-past nine being celebrated by the Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay, of Oamaru. Just before eleven o'clock an imposing 'procession of prelales and clergy lett the episcopal residence and entered the Cathedral. The musical chimes of the bells , greeting the approach, at this moment were stilled ; the organ pealed out the ' Ecce Sacerdos Magnus,' the choir taking up the refrain as the procession filed up the Cathedral and into the sanctuary. Solemn Pontifical Mass was then proceeded with.' His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, Bishop of Christchurch, was celebrant,, the Very Rev. Father Le Menant des Chesnais, V.G., was assistant priest, the Very Rev. Dean Ginaty and Rev. Father Marnane deacons of honor at the throne, the Rev. Father Richards deacon, and Rev. Father Delany subdeacon of the Mass, and Rev. Father O'Connell and Rev. Father Cooney masters of ceremonies. The Rev. Father Mahony acted as chaplain to the Archbishop of Melbourne, and Rev. Father Peoples to the Bishop of Ballarat. Others of the clergy in the sanctuary were Rev. Father Khouri (Marounitc) and Rev. Gilbert. The music of the Mass was Gounod's ' Messe Troisieme.' Mr. H. 11. Loughnan conducted, and Miss Katie Young was organist. The preacher was his Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Higgins, Bishop of Ballaiat, who from the text ' I have loved O Lord the beauty of Thy house and the place where Thy glory dwelleth ' delivered a very fine discourse, in the course of which he paid an eloquent tribute to the noble proportions of the building, to the untiring energy and zeal of Bishop Grimes, and to the generosity of his flock. Twelve months ago he said it had been their pleasure to be present at the opening ceremony by invitation of Bishop Grimes. The building which wasi then offered to the most High God was a gift that spoke more eloquently than human tongue could ever do ; it was the outcome of years of anxious waiting, .of patient exercise, of frugal thrift, and a general curtailment of personal needs in order that they might be enabled to carry out the work of the Church in this diocese. He spoke in eulogistic terms of the noble structure, standing out in its graceful details,, spacious towers, and clustered columns, and praised the work of their illustrious prelate, Bishop Grimes, who had done so much towards its completion. It was

right that the occasion should be made one of ceremonial pomp ; the building spoke so eloquently of tho love of the people for their Lhurch. He congratulated them on an achievement that was not wanting in the proudest traditions of their faith, and concluded with an earnest appeal that they should rally round their Bishop with contnbutions for the fund. 'I ask >ou,' he said, 'to recognise that it is" your sacred duty to contribute your share to the liquidation of the debt.' VESPERS. In the evening his Lordship the Bishop of Ballarat officiated at .Solemn Pontilical Vespers, attended by the Very Rev. Dean Ginaty and Rev. Father Marnane. His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne, Right Rev. Bishop Grimes, and Right Rev. Mgr. Mack-ay were present in the sanctuary, the various positions of the clergy being allotted as in the morning., 'Ihe prea.eb.er was the Most Rev. Dr. Carr, Archbishop of Melbourne, who selected for his text IV. Kings, chapter xvi., 20-21, ' And Eliseus died, and they buried him. And the rovers from Moab came into the land the same year.' lie delivered an eloquent, learned, and most instructive discourse on the Catholic doctrine of the veneration of saints and the holy relics. Ills Grace said that the distincti'.e ceremony of that night was not often witnessed, 'though relics were often exposed on Cathedral altars, it was seldom that their number was large enough to need a special chapel where they would be enshrined. Many of the people's children, and their children's children, would luieel befoie that chapel to invoke the intercession of the saints whose relics wcie enshrined there. The Archbishop then gave reasons why the relics were subjects for veneration, and he gave an explanation of the relative meanings of devotion veneration, and adoration. The first condition of ' proper devotion, he said, was a right understanding. Unless devotion was on an intelligent basis it was apt to degenerate into superstition. With regard to veneration people outside the Catholic Church 'had very imperfect or exaggerated ideas. Veneration or worship was the acknowledgment of the superior excellence of another being and submission to that being, in consequence of that superior excellence. It was obvious that the excellence which one person might recognise in another might be natural or supernatural, founded on the <nfts of nature or the gifts of God's grace. If a man & excelled his fellow-men in any remarkable manner by natural gifts, they would be willing to extend veneration on account of those gifts. Thus England venerated her Shakespeare or Wellington, Ireland her O'Connell and so on through every country. Even in Australasia already monuments were being erected to men of cither Australasian or European fame. * This truth was so constant, so widespread, so universal, that it must be taken as the voice of nature herself. This veneration was not confined to the men while they lived or to their memories after their death, but extended to all things with which they had been associated The sword with which the warrior had fought, the pen which the poet had used, even the clothes that great men had worn, were treasured as mementoes. But that'night the people were considering the veneration that was shown to\ men on account of supernatural gifts the gifts of God's grace, of which they had been the possessors. This might be a created and limited, or uncreated and infinite supernatural excellence The first could be found in men, but the second belonged only to uod. He alone was infinite in excellence and as the veneration for any being depended on the extent of the excellence, it followed that to God was due the supreme veneration. To creatures a veneration was offered differing not alone in degree but in kind from the adoration offored to the Almighty. Catholics were accused of adoring the Blessed Virgin and worshipping the saints in the same manner as they adored the Almighty but there was an essential and infinite difference in the two attitudes. The veneration exhibited towards any being might be either absolute or relative. For instance members of Parliament bowed when passing the mace' out of respect for the authority that it represented and veneration for pictures and" statues was usually due to the associations connected with them. The cross' was venerated, not for its own sake, but for the memo ™ that it brought to mind, and this was " therefore I relative veneration. Veneration was absolute when it depended on something intrinsic. All this would go <to explain the veneration for the relics of Christ's sainis Was there proof that this veneration was acceptable to God ? The preacher would answer that this veneration was both acceptable to God and profitable to the peo?w n a gg £ V * instanc c? which, he said, went to prove that God had given His sanction to the veneration of relics, mentioning Ihe bones of Klisha, the' mantle n Elias, the rod of Moses. Coming to' the NeT Testa ment, he said that Christ by the clothing that he had

worn had cured a woman of a disease, thus confirming her faith and sanctioning her practice. Similarly, sick people had set themselves in the streets of "Jerusalem so that the shadow of St. Peter would fall on them and many had thus been restored to corporal health' Whether the early Church was right or wrong it certainly believed that veneration of relics of saints was not only lawtul, but highly, profitable. That had been the taitn o t the Church even from the time of the Apostles. This Cathedral, his Grace concluded was dowered with a veiy large collection of relics of martyrs, virgins, and confessors, and they were all well authenticated. No one could say that they were not genuine. The Church was careful to ensure that no relic should be exposed for veneration unless it was He pra>ed that God, by the intercession of the saints whose relics would be placed in the new chapel would preserve the Cathedral itself and bless the people Finally, he appealed to the people to relieve Bishop Grimes froni th( ? anxiety, care, and responsibility entailed by the debt, and so let him enjoy a peaceful mind. Though a large amount of money had yet to be raised still through the providence of God and the people's' cooperation, he hoped that the necessary- sum would soon be raised. Thus the Bishop's mind would be freed for the prosecution of other great and glorious work in the diocese. CHAPEL OF THE HOLY RELICS. A special feature of the day's celebrations was the inauguration 'ceremony of the Chapel of the Holy Relics Overshadowing the altar of the chapel is a facsimile of the Holy Face, richly encased. In the centre of the altar stands a richly jewelled reliquary containing a piece of the True Cross, one of the largest fragments ot the kind in existence. Arranged in proper order in chaste caskets and reliquaries on the altar are a great number of relics of saints collected in many lands All these have been gathered by his Lordship Bishop Grimes duimg his ecclesiastical and episcopal life m various parts of the world, principally in Rome. Pope Leo XIII. and his successor, Pope Pius X are the first on the list of donors, and then come Cardinals and Bishops who have liberally presented his Lordship with precious relics. Ihe display filled the visiting prelates with surprise, and they expressed astonishment at the extent of the collection, all of which said the Archbishop of Melbourne during his discourse are well and truly authenticated. Immediately after the sermon a procession of the Holy Relics was made in the Cathedral in the following order .'—Cross bearer and acolytes, girls of the convent schools, Children of Mary, sanctuary boys all with banners; clergy in dalmatics, each two bearing on their shoulders a repository of relics ; following after each repository came the Right Rev. Mgr M-ackav his Loxdship Bishop Grimes, his 8 Lordship Bishop Hig 7 gin , 1C h T nVu Vlcar - ( -^neral, and his Grace the Archl bishop of Melbourne, who bore the relic of the True Cross under a canopy carried by four Marist Brothers At the end of the procession came the HAC BS* members with their banner. " • o>Ol °- After the relics were replaced on the altar of the wapelAw apel A GraCe the Al ' chl^h°P from the high altai CroTs congregation with the relic -of the True CLOSE OF THE CEREMONIES. Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by the Right Rev. Dr. Higgins, which SrninaTed he day s impressive ceremonies. During Benediction the le Deum was sung in thanksgiving. The Cathedral was crowded in the morning, and in the evening was literally thronged. Crowds had to be found standing room in the galleries which have not been used to accommodate the public since the memorable opening of the Cathedral. All the offertorTes of f, nri a 4a 4 are l ° ?6? 6 d + evOted t0 the d6bt extinction fund. The amount contributed was not kuown at the time of writing. At the termination of the day's ceremonies hi* gSu! P ih BiSl ? 0P + GG T eS . tendered his -rdfaTTd'mo" S grateful thanks to his Grace the Archbishop of Mel?hp rn H%S, d VSV S > ordshi P lsh °P Hi gg»is of Ballarat for the distinguished part . they had taken in the day's celebrations This marked the third occasion in whfch the Archbishop of Melbourne had intimately identified himself with the noble Cathedral, and he (the B shop) Sh U i?ri nOt att TP t0 express all he ow <* to that h/S h° US Prela 5 e< , A rece P tiQ a more befitting the high honor conferred upon the Catholics of Christchurch by the visit of the prelates on the present occasion, was the wish of himself, clergy, and faity but the somewhat hurried nature of the arrangements and the early departure of their guests, precluded the attainment of their highest desire. He felt impelled to publicly make this explanation, which he trusted thei? illustrious visitors would accept. *•«*«» ten meir