CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 18 February 1915, Page 27

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

SECOND PAN-SOUTHLAND GATHERING

ATTENDANCE OF 7000 PEOPLE.

INCLEMENT WEATHER EXPERIENCED.

(From our own correspondent.) The Invercargill committee of the Catholic Federation, aided by the country committees all over Southland, had been at work for five or six weeks preparing to make the second annual meeting of the Federation in Southland a greater gathering than the first. The train arrangements were as perfect as could be; special trains were run from all the country towns, three specials leaving Invercargill for Riverton. The arrangements on the grounds were made by the Riverton committee —tents erected, and grounds prepared for the different sports. Every detail had been attended to, and all things were in apple-pie order. Only one matter not under the control of the committeeswas in doubt. That was the weather, and it failed. The morning broke over Invercargill murky and lowering, and as time wore on the fog grew into drizzle, and the drizzle increased to heavy rain,’ which fell as the last train was due to leave the town. Still, the people came along hoping the weather would clear up. The country specials carried large freights, especially the Gore, Winton, and Nightcaps trains, as rain did not fall in these districts in the early morning.

Solemn High Mass.

At the hour for the procession heavy rain fell at Riverton, hence the procession and religious ceremonies of the morning were interfered with. The High Mass was celebrated in More’s Hall, a couple of thousand people being able to find standing room in the large hall, porches, and side entrances. The Rev. Father Woods was celebrant, the Rev. Fathers Morkane and E. Lynch being deacon and subdeacon respectively, and Rev. Father Murphy master of ceremonies. The choir of St. Mary’s, aided by members of the country choirs—all under the direction of Mr. H. S. Scarle, —sang the choral parts of the Mass. The Hibernians and the Children of Mary in their regalia of green, blue, and white, formed a guard of honor around the extemporised altar. At the conclusion of Mass, Father Murphy addressed the people on the objects and aims of the Catholic Federation, dwelling particularly on what might be accomplished by it in the matter of spreading sound ideas as to Christian education, supporting Catholic schools, and upholding Catholic educational principles and agencies. Father Murphy spoke with energy and feeling, and so impressed his large audience. At 12 o’clock the rain ceased, and the crowd adjourned to the public park for luncheon. Here things soon turned out all right. The tents and the pine trees all round afforded sufficient shelter until the sun broke through the clouds warmly and brightly towards 1 o’clock. After that all things went as merrily as a marriage bell.

The Speeches

A platform had been erected for the speakers. At 1.30 o’clock the bell rang, and the crowd gathered round. On the platform the members of the committees, the Southland clergy, and visiting speakers took their places. After a few remarks of welcome to the visitors to Riverton, and congratulation on the energy and determination which had brought together so large a crowdbetween 6000 and 7000 people—on so unfavorable a morning, Rev. Father Murphy (president of the meeting) introduced Mr. Poppelwell to the audience. Mr. Poppelwell congratulated the Catholics of Southland on their presence there that day in such large numbers. They evidently recognised the aims of the Federation and the good it had done and would do. It was an organisation that had come to stay, and that was fraught with great possibilities. During the past

year much of the Federation’s work was of a defensive kind, being directed against the so-called Bible-in-Schools party Under the direction of Bishop Cleary the Federation had defeated a clique, whose scheme implied still further burdens and annoyances for the Catholic people, and indeed, for others in this country. The Federation had succeeded in so amending the Education Act that our young people, clever enough to win scholarships, could receive their education, not in State schools, but in our Catholic secondary schools, provided the Minister of'Education approved. That was an advance, as it placed our Catholic secondary schools on an equality with the State secondary schools. There were many other , activities and necessities to which the Federation had turned its hand. Immigrants were met at the great ports, situations were provided for them under safeguards as to their religion and.morals, and waifs and strays were gathered in and sent to Catholic institutions. The Federation kept under observation public libraries and also bookshops in the interests of a clean and pure literature, and watched against the circulation' of fresh calumnies and stale bigotries in the public newspapers. The Catholic Federation stood for high ideals and true patriotism. It was a movement yet in its infancy, yet in a state of formation, yet feeling its way and finding out its work and learning how to accomplish it. As this great confederation of the Catholics of this country became known, all just and decent men of every party and class would recognise its utility in promoting the common interests of this Dominion, and would be glad to see it prosper. Only bigots, whose minds were dwarfed and twisted -by a wretched, antiquated sectarianism, would look with suspicion on it. In Southland great activity and harmony, he could testify, were shown in the parish organisations, and he hoped this energy and harmony would be rivalled in the other provinces of New Zealand.

Mr. Girling-Butcher said this was one of the proudest days of his life. He was delighted to stand before this immense gathering of the members an<Tadherents of the Catholic Federation of Southland. He had been all over Southland some time ago. He understood something of the unity, charity, religion, and patriotism of its clergy : something of the activity, harmony, and fine spirit of its young men and women, and something of the organising zeal of those young men who singled themselves out from the general mass by taking up the work of secretaries, treasurers, and committeemen. The fine physique of the young people before him showed they had come of a good stock, and that something worthy, something bold, aspiring, and self-denying may bo expected from this southern people. There was a stirring refrain of Thomas Davis’s: ‘ The West’s awake The West’s awake! ’ But this great Pan-Southland gathering’ and the solidity of the parish organisations of which it is the obvious outcome showed that the ‘ South’s awake! the South’s awake!’ and it is awake in the interests of the greatest of all causes—the cause of the grand old Catholic Church. What prouder thing could any man say than ‘ 1 am a Catholic, and I am ready to give my best energies to my great mother, the Catholic Church.’ The speaker was glad to be able to say that every branch of their new Federation had been a success. He referred to the -Bible-in-Schools propaganda and to the success gained by the Catholic side. He referred also to the successes achieved by the immigration department and the employment bureau. They had approached the Education Department, and had been successful in amending the Education Act. The Federation had also been the means of suppressing, throughout the Dominion, a good deal of objectionable literature. In conclusion, he congratulated the Catholics of Southland on the grand way in which they had rallied to the standard of the Catholic Federation, and he declared they were an example to the rest of New Zealand.:

Mr. J. Shepherd spoke, as one of the oldest residents of the province of Southland, of the exhilarating pleasure it was to him to see this great gathering of our Catholic people. He remembered the day when, 50 years ago, there was no priest, no church, no school,

no Catholic congregation in this part of the country. What a marvellous change what great progress! Now there were many priests, many churches, many schools, many parishes, many congregations, and these great gatherings of the Catholic Federation were the evidence and outward demonstration of the great, onward, steady movement of religion whilst, by showing its greatness, they would add to its impressiveness and further its growth. Numbers and combination impressed and awed the onlooking world, whilst stimulating and urging forward the active participants in a movement. He was proud of this opportunity to express his joy and the joy of the old colonists round about in looking upon this evidence of the growth of their religion in this young country.

The Very Rev. Dean Burke said the great object of the Federation was to bring into practical activity that union in thought, morals, and manners which the doctrinal unity of the Christian faith had impressed upon their minds and hearts. It was a poor thing to be one in faith and divided in action ; one in principle and separate in practice ; members of One Fold and wandering over the wilds and the hills, a prey to clever wolves, in so many different coverings, lying in wait for us. Unity and faith and disunion and separation in so many other matters of importance, some of them bearing closely on that faith, is a sorry spectacle. And that sad and sorry spectacle may be seen in more Catholic countries than one. Look at France. For years we have looked in puzzled amazement at 38,000,000 people, Catholic people mostly, intensely Catholic millions of them, yet taken possession of, misled, misdirected, despoiled of their native strength, robbed and persecuted and that by a small bloc of from 30,000 to 40,000 secret-society men. See what unity can do in the case of a small minority. See tire sad results of disunion in the case of the great majority. It is not vastness that accomplishes great things; it is combination of parts and unity of mind and aim. What a vast gathering a small company of soldiers could disperse in a few minutes! Now, the aim of our Federation is to produce in many matters, not directly of Faith, yet of great practical importance to the interests of our religion and our people, unity of thought and sentiment and combination in action, unity, combination in action, self-help in Catholic interests —one mind and one heart. Old cries, these; but these are the cries that win. When the great interests of our religion or of our country are at stake away with cranks and critics, with dissentients and disunionists, with private axe-grinders and the pursuers of pelf. Get all honest men and women to rally round the common standard. Now, these are the great aims of the Catholic Federation. ■ This great meeting, in weather conditions so inclement, is evidence that there is in Southland some enthusiasm for the aims of the Catholic Federation.

The Afternoon’s Proceeding

Immediately after the Mass the ladies’ committees entertained the clergy at luncheon in a spacious marquee erected for the purpose. * The following clergy were present: - —The Very Rev. Dean Burke, V. F., Very Rev. Father O’Donnell (Gore), Very Rev. Father J. Lynch (Wrey’s Bush), Rev. Father Murphy (Riverton), Rev. Fathers E. Lynch, C. Morkane, B.A. (Holy Cross College), D. O’Neill and H. Woods (Invercargill), and J. Foley (Gore). His Lordship Bishop Verdon sent an apology for his absence, and gave his blessing to all those who attended and took part in the gathering. During the afternoon a capital sports programme was carried out under the direction of Mr James Collins, who was ably assisted by the various committeemen, all of whom wore rosettes of the Papal colors (yellow and white). A feature of the gathering, as far as the children were concerned, was the free distribution of toys and sweets, an- item which gave great pleasure to the recipients. This report would be incomplete without an expression of appreciation of the splendid services rendered by the Riverton committee under the able direction of Mr J. Geary. Every necessary detail was attended to, nothing being lacking for the amusement of the little ones and the comfort of the huge assemblage.

When the Very Rev. Dean Burke, some ten years ago, suggested a gathering of the Catholics of Southland it was then thought impracticable, but the Federation supplied the necessary machinery, and Wednesday’s great gathering, the result of the Dean’s forethought, must have been deeply gratifying to him. At 5 o’clock the trains began to move off, and a great, sober, orderly assemblage of a fine class of people dispersed to their homes, pleased with the day’s performances. Before the dispersion the hymn ‘ Faith of our Fathers,’ the ‘ Song for the Pope,’ and the National Anthem were sung. Cheers for the secretaries and the ladies who assisted them— all of whom, of course, the success of the meeting was due—were heartily given by the crowd.

ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH COMMITTEE, WELLINGTON.

St. Joseph s Parish Committee met at the presbytery, Patterson street, on Wednesday, February 3. The Rev. Father Barra presided, and there was a good attendance of members. Mr W. O’Connor was appointed to the committee in place of Mr R. H. Williams (resigned) as parishioners’ representative. The rev. chairman, in welcoming Mr O’Connor, spoke of the energy displayed by him in the various things he had been connected with, and he was sure that the committee would find in him a very ardent worker. Correspondence was received from the general secretary, covering sample copies of Catholic Truth Societies’ pamphlets, and asking the committee to purchase a supply for free distribution. ' The matter was fully discussed, and it was decided that as the St. Vincent de Paul Society did good work in the distribution of Catholic literature in the parish the matter be ' left in their hands. A letter was received from Mr J. Donovan tendering his resignation as a member of the committee. The resignation was received with regret, and it was decided to write to the secretary of the H.A.C.B. Society asking his society to elect another representative. The secretary (Mr A. Cassie) reported on the work done at the half-yearly meeting of the Diocesan Council. Arrangements were made for members of the committee to be in attendance at the church doors for the purpose of collecting subscriptions. The secretary reported that subscriptions were coming in very well up to the present.