West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 14 September 1903, page 3


THE REDEMPTORIST-ORDER NEW MONASTERY AT NORTH PERTH. THE OPENING CEREMONY. The new monastery and church, erected by the Order of Redemptorists, at North Perth, was opened yesterday with the ceremonial common to functions of the kind connected with the Roman Catholic Church. The new monastery is a worthy acquisition to the State's best architec-ture. The Redemptorists are a small body in Western Australia, comprising only six priests and four lay brothers. They have no particular source of re-venue, depending entirely on voluntary subscriptions. Nevertheless, they have, after four years' existence in this State, succeeded in building a monastery and, church at a cost of £11,000. The Order was inaugurated in 1723 by Alphonsus Ligouri, a Neapolitan lawyer of eminence, who abandoned the former for the clois-ter. To a greater extent than other Ro-man Catholic orders, the Redemptorists are "revivalists," carrying their missions throughout the civilised world. Their headquarters in Australia were establish-ed at Ballarat (Victoria), in 1852, and they have another house in Waratah (New South Wales), but Perth is the first part of Australia in which the missionar-ies have built a church, their work in the East being of an itinerary character. The new monastery stands on an emi-nence overlooking Bulwer-street, and the upper portions of the building command a fine view of the Swan River, as well as the whole of the city. The residential portion of the building is intended to be used as a home for the missionaries and a place of retreat for the clergy of the diocese. Yesterday's ceremony, as already stat-ed, was carried out according to the tradi-tional forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The auditorium afforded a study in the art of seating a maximum number of people with a minimum of accommoda tion, and scores remained, perforce, out side, unable to obtain standing room in the buildings. The morning alternated between clear and overcast skies, and in the brighter periods a variegated light poured through the stained windows, flooding the hall and submerging the dull glow of the altar candles, while the chaste decorations stood in pleasing contrast to the general air of newness about the building and its appointments. Punctu ally at 11 o'clock, the procession of clergy passed up the aisle, to the sanctuary. It was headed by the Lord Abbott of New Norcia (Dr. Torres, O.S.B.), attended by two of his monks. Then came a dozen or more acolytes bearing the incense and the vestments, about twenty members of the clergy, and his Lordship the Bishop (Dr. Gibney). Pontifical High Mass was cele brated by the Abbott of New Norcia. It was a picturesque ceremony, to which ad-ditional interest was lent by the presence of the Spanish monks. The Bishop presided in the sanctuary, and he had as assistant priest the Very Rev. T. O'Farrell, C.SS.R.' The deacons at the throne were the' Rev. Fr. Flynn, O.M.I. (Glendalough), and the Very Rev. P. Gilbney (Perth). As deacon in the ce-lebration of the High Mass the Benedic tine Abbott had the Rev. Fr. Planas, O.S.B., and as sub-deacon the Rev. Fr. Al calde, O.S.B. The Rev. C. A. McDermott, C.SS.R.. acted as master of ceremonies, and in the choir on the altar were the fol-lowing clergy: Very Rev. Monsignor Bourke, V.G. (West Perth)."Very Rev. Monsignor Matell (Albany), Very' Rev. Fr. Keogh, V.G. (Perth), Very Rev. Fr.Martelli (Bun-bury), Right Rev. Dr., Graeber (South Melbourne), and the Revs. Fr. Brereton, Smyth, Crowley, Donagher, Verling, Hunt O'Neill, Lynch, and Clune. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Fr. Smyth, of the Cathedral, who based his discourse on the presence of the Divine Spirit in the church. In the course of his remarks the preacher referred to the commission of Christ to the apostle. to preach the Gospel: 'Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world." The question, he said, would naturally be asked whether the Di vine Spirit existed in the church to-day. He affirmed that there were many men in contemporary history who, by their re-nouncement of all that was to be wished for in the world, and by their fortitude, were living proof of the presence of the abiding spirit of God. In connection with the antagonism to which the church was subjected he paid a tribute to the re-ligious orders. whom he described as the first line of defence in the warfare against these assaults, material and intellectual. The church owed much to the missionaries of the order of Redemptorists, and that day would inaugurate a new era in their history. The Rev. Fr. Hunt, C.SS.R., local su-perior of the Order, heartily thanked Bishop Gibney for the gift of the twenty acres of land on which the monastery stood: also, all those whose generous as-sistance had enabled them to complete their undertaking. The musical portion of the service was performed by the choir of the Roman Ca-tholic Cathedral which had been aug-mented for the occasion, there being over eighty voices, and a small orchestra of about thirteen instrumentalists, led by Mr. A. Johnson. the whole being under the direction of Mr. W.J. Westhoven. Gounod's '"Messe Solennelle" was sung, the soloists being--Miss Tobin :(soprano), Mr. Fred. Smith (tenor), and Mr. J. C. Westhoven (bass). Mrs. O'Leary sang Handel's "Ave Maria" during the offer-tory, and the service concluded with the "Hallelujah Chorus." Mr. C. W. Ran-dle officiated at the organ. At vespers. the chief muical numbers were the quar-tette. "Ave Maria. sung by Miss Tobin, Mrs. O'Leary, Messrs. J. C. Westhoven, and A. Clooney; "0. Salutaris." Mrs. O'Leary: Cartoni's duet. "Tantum Erqo," sung by Mesrs. P. Roxby. and J. C. West-hoven; and a trio. "Ti Prego." by Miss Tobin. Mrs. O'Leary, and Mr. J. C. West-hoven. 'The evening sermon was preached by the Rev. C. Cox, O.M.I.. of St. Patrick's

Church, Fremantle. He spoke of the benefit to religion that should result from it, saying that not only should devout Catholics rejoice thereupon; but it should be matter tor thankfulness to all good people in the State; for, he said, what would be beneficial in promoting faith, piety, religion, and virtue among the Catholics of the State could not but tend to the raising of the tone of the people in general, and to the common social advan-tage. His discourse chiefly developed the idea that the opening of the church and monastery inaugurated a fresh work for the benefit of religion, and for the spread of Christ's. teaching. "Where religion flourishes," said the preacher, "God is honoured and obeyed, the soul is strengthened and comforted, duty is faith-fully accomplished, virtue is loved, friend-ship is real, sorrow meets with sympathy, charity is practical, mutual edification is given, piety grows, and peace reigns." Passing to the work of spreading Christ's teaching. Father Cox alluded to the unbe-lief, wickedness, and indifference to re-ligion met with in the world, and to the results obtained by the preaching of mis-sions. Preaching, he said, fed the mind with salutary truths, and stirred up the soul to better things. DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING. The building is an imposing structure, comprising a three-storeyed monastery and a large church. The church is the principal feature of the design. A large traceried window fills the west end of the hall, and the other windows are mullion-ed, with traceried heads, all very light in treatment and graceful in design. Intetnaily. the framing of the open hammer beam roof, which rises to a height of about 60ft. from the floor, pre-sents a bold appearance. The most no-ticeable and 'novel features in the interior are the canopied niches in The wall under each hammer beam. There is some very beautiful detail in these and in the shaft-ing and moulding of, the windows and the carved work in the cornices. A good deal of attention has been given to the private oratory, and the result produced by the stained-glass windows. the modelled ceil-ing, the traceried windows, and the rich colouring is very satisfactory. In the monastery itself are about, 30 living rooms, a spacious entrance hall, and two recep-tion rooms, and a large refectory room. The spacious corridors are all severely plain in their finishings. The materials of which the building is constructed lend dignity to the design. The walls are of cream-coloured freestone, surmounted by red tiled roofs. A feature has been made of the fenestration of the building, 'as the mullions and transomes and deeply moulded jambs of the monastery windows, and the tracery of the church windows, are the principal factors in producing the architectural effect attained. The French concrete has been moulded into the finest members, and the rich brown of the Donnybrook freestone, the cream-colour of-the Cottesloe stone, and the red of the tiled roofs combine to produce a pleasing harmony. The building, which is one of the most beautiful and substantial in the city, was designed by Messrs. M. F. and J. C. Cavanagh, and was erected by Mr. W. Fairweather.