The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-08-31

thusiasm which the first Marist mis-
sioners were able to inspire in the
minds and hearts of the Tongan con-
verts. Prior to it's erection Father
lanai, s. M. afterwards Bishop,
had evangelical for sixteen years the
village of Maofaga and it's environs.
One of his favorite parish works was
the erection of fine wooden Gothic
church. 1t had nave and two aisles,
a fine series of stained glass windows,
and two towers provided with large
deep-toned bells. But alas! the struc-
ture was doomed. Only a few months
after it's dedication it was leveled to
the ground in one shapeless mass OF
ruins by a terrific hurricane. AS the
towers fell last of all their great bells
rang the death knell of the beautiful
edifice. Hence the necessity of the
present substantial building. 1t was
the very first construction In coral
stone ever attempted in Tonga. Hlth-
erto no white man, no Protestant mis-
sionary, had undertaken to extract
from the sea the shapeless blocks of
coral, change them into we'll cut
stones and give them graceful shapes.
The cathedral is about 14O feet long
by so broad, with walls over 20 feet
high, and an arched wooden ceiling.
1t was a gigantic work at the time for
these islanders. The people OF Mao
faga built most of it, and when the
men at times were found insufficient
they were heartened and helped by
the women To stimulate the work
many a good fat pig was killed and
eaten. A faithful record of the de-
tails of the work was kept. Seven
thousand five hundred and ten stones
were cut and shaped; four hundred
and fifty fat pigs were consumed by
the workers, two bullocks, two horses
and a few sheep, not to speak of the
countless fish. What trouble, too,
there was to make lime kilns to con-
vert the coral into good building lime!
We shall never be able to appreciate
at it's full value the multiplied labors
of a comparatively few fervent Catho-
lies Providence signally blessed
the work. Not a single serious acct
dent happened during the seven years
of construction; and on the 18th of
October, 1886, 5000 Catholics gathered
from various islands of the group open
ed this Tongan Fouriere, which will be
lasting monument of the faith, en-
ergy and perseverance of it's builders.
All were natives under the tuition and
direction of the lay brother, Charles.
May his memory he beld in perpetual
benediction.
The Return.
I should have a thousand other
interesting and edifying details to
write to you, had I the courage and
patience to commit them to paper.
I ask you, however, for the present to
be satisfied with the present install
ment When we meet again, can
continue my story. When the "Atna"
which left this place for Auckland yes
terday returns, I shall go by her to
other islands including Samoa and:
Fiji, on my way to Sydney. There I
shall return by train GOO miles) to
Toowoomba, in Queensland, to see my
brother Charles, and other relatives
of my family there. Afterwards [
shall return to Sydney and then take
direct steamer to wellington where
I hope to arrive at the end of Au-
gust. I shall then have spent all the
winter in a warm climate, and this
may be beneficial for my health.
Yours very affectionately in Christ,
+ FRANCIS REDWOOD, S. M.
Archhishnn of WELLINGTON