CONFERENCE OPENS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 101, 23 January 1935, Page 4

CONFERENCE OPENS

Roman Catholic Teachers TWO HUNDRED PRESENT By Telegraph-Press Association. Dunedin, January 22. The, annual conference of the Catholic Teachers’ Association of New Zealand opened this morning with solemn Pontifical Mass in St. Joseph’s Cathedral. celebrated by Bishop Whyte, who was assisted by the Rev. Fathers J. Gavin (deacon), J. F. McMahon (subdeacon), and M. Kllmeck (assistant priest). Two hundred nuns and brothers, delegates to the conference from all parts of New Zealand, occupied special seats in the cathedral, which was well filled by a large congregation. A special feature of the ceremony was the beautiful singing of the plain chant Mass by a specially trained choir of children conclucted by the Rev. Father A. Loughnan. The opening session of the conference was held at 10.30 a.m., the Rev, Brother M. M. O’Connor (St. Kevin’s College, Redcastle) presiding. After Bishop Whyte had welcomed visiting delegates and formally declared the conference open, the president read the annual report, which made reference to the invaluable work in the cause of Roman Catholic education already achieved by the association, and offered suggestions as to future activities. The rest of the morning was spent in discussing the provisional syllabus of religious instruction tor primary schools, and considered opinions were given by delegates representing the Dominican Nuns (Dunedin), the Sisters of Mercy (Dunedin), the Sisters of Missions (Christchurch), the Sisters of Mercy (Auckland), the Marist Brothers and Christian Brothers, and by the Rev. Father F. H. Terry (diocesan inspector, Auckland) and the Rev. Father J. F. McMahon (diocesan inspector, Dunedin). The afternoon session began with an address on Educational Literature, by Mr. L. J. Cronin, editor of the “New Zealand Tablet.” Consideration of the primary syllabus of religious instruction was then continued, Bishop. Whyte and Bishop Brodie making important contributions to tlie general discussion. A subcommittee, consisting of the Rev. Father Terry, D. 1., and the Rev. Father McMahon, D.T., and one representative of each of the. teachers’ orders was set up to make a final revision of the syllabus.