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Centennial Celebrations, Canterbury, N.Z.
Catholic Ceremonies on
November 15-19
PLENDID weather favoured
S the ceremonies held at Christchurch,
New Zealand, as the Catholic
contribution to the Canterbury
Centennial Celebrations.
The Catholic Centennial Celebrations
were a brilliant success.
His Eminence Cardinal Gilroy presided.
The archdiocese-of Mel-
.boume was represented by his
Grace the Coadjutor-Archbishop,
Most Rev. J. D. Simonds, and
Right Rev. Monsignor A. F. Fox,
V.G., Adm.; Most Rev. Edward
Joyce, Bishop of Christchurch,
was host to the visitors, among •
whom were also his Grace the
Archbishop of Brisbane, Most Rev.
J. Duhig; his Grace the Archbishop
of Adelaide, Most Rev. M.
Beovich; his Grace the Coadjutor-
Archbishop of Wellington, Most
Rev. P. McKeefry; his Lordship the
Bishop of Auckland, Most Rev. J.
Liston; his Lordship the Coadjutor
Bishop of Dunedin, Most
Rev. J. Kavanagh; his Lordship
the Bishop of Fiji,
Most Rev. V. Foley, S.M.;
his Lordship the Coadjutor-Bishop
of Maitland, N.S.W., Most Rev. J.
Toohey; his Lordship the Vicar-
Apostolic of Cook Islands, Most
Rev. U. Lehman. S.S.C.C.
PROCESSION
At the final procession of the
Blessed Sacrament on Sunday
afternoon eight thousand people
lined the route and were present
at Pontifical Benediction given by
Cardinal Gilroy from the altar
erected outside the Cathedral of.
the Blessed Sacrament, Archbishop
McKeefry, in a short, sermon,
paid tribute to the great
work, of the pioneers.
The ceremonies opened on
Wednesday with a Liturgical
Reception to the Cardinal, at
which a personal letter from his
Holiiless P-ope Pius XII, conveying
the ,Apostolic Blessing to the
participants in the celebrations
and praising highly the work of
the diocese of Christchurch, was
read by Bishop Joyce. His Lordship
welcomed tlis" Eminence, who
in his reply stressed the value of
example and prayer. Bishop
Joyce was the celebrant of the
Solemn Pontifical Mass on Thursday,
at which Archbishop Duhig,
in preaching the occasional sermon,
traced the history of the diocese
and expressed his firm confidence
in its future growth. In the
afternoon three thousand women
attended the Holy Hour in the
Cathedral, -conducted by Bishop
Foley.
In the evening five thousand
were present in the vast King Edward
Barracks building . for. the",
official reception to his Eminence.
Official guests included the Mayor
of Christchurch, Cr. Andrews,-the
Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. K.
J. Holyoake; the Chief Justice,
Right Hon. Sir Humphrey Francis
O'Leary; and Mr. R. M. Mac-
Farlane, M.P., representing the
Parliamentary Opposition.
The mayor said that the function
was the greatest centennial
gathering so far, and Parliamen- /
tarians paid warm tributes to the
forefront role of the Church in
the struggle against atheistic
materialism.
Friday was observed as a spe-
cial Thanksgiving Day in all the
parish churches of the diocese.
Visiting prelates presided in many
places and Bishop Kavanagh
preached at the Cathedral. During
the afternoon the foundationstone
was laid of the Lewisham
Mother Potter Hospice for the
Dying. His Eminence presided
and among many members of the
medical profession present was
the Minister of Health, who flew
from Wellington to attend the
ceremony. High praise was given
to the Church's care for the sick.
Bishop Liston made a plea for
Governmental assistance for private
hospitals, which was supported
generally by Ministers. In
the evening, at the Civic Theatre,
Right Rev. Monsignor P. J. Carroll,
Sydney, delivered a scholarly
lecture on Christian Freedom.
REQUIEM
Solemn Requiem for deceased
pioneers was celebrated at the
Cathedral on Saturday by Archbishop
McKeefry. Bishop Liston,
in the panegyric, expressed their
debt to those who bad laid the
foundations of the diocese. Catholic
men afterwards honoured the
Cardinal and visitors at a luncheon,
during which Archbishop
Simonds called upon the laity to
be active in the lay apostolate.
During the afternoon a Children's
Pageant at St. Bede's College, attracted
five thousand spectators.
The Cathedral was crowded in the
evening for the men's rally, which >
was addressed by Rev. P. O'Flana-"
gan, S.J.
At the concluding Thanksgiving
Mass on Sunday, celebrated by
his Eminence the Cardinal the
congregation included the Governor-General,
his Excellency,
Lieut.-General ,Sir Bernard Freyberg,
V.C., G.C.M.a, K.C.B.,
K.B.E., D.S.O, LL.D., and JJidy
Freyberg. The sermon was
preached by Bishop Joyce. The
public procession, in the afternoon,
was an unqualified success,
described as the greatest demonstration
of' its land ever seen in
Christchurch. "
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