CATHOLIC CONVENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 715, 15 July 1929, Page 14

CATHOLIC CONVENT

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE OPENED CHURCH’S WORK PRAISED “The most noble and precious spirits of the Roman Catholic faith are engaged in educational work, both men and women entering wholeheartedly into the service.” fpHIS appropriate tribute to the church's educational servants was paid by Bishop Cleary yesterday, in officially opening the new St. Mary’s Convent, Ponsonby. The ceremony was largely attended by the public. Declaring the new building open, Bishop Cleary said that the Roman Catholic Church’s work for the children embraced the home, the church and the school. Religion entered into the life of the child and dominated its school atmosphere. The precedents established by Christ, the abiding educational influence, were followed by Roman Catholics throughout the world. Religion was not by them regarded as a Sunday coat to be lain aside during the week.

The Bishop paid a striking tribute to the services rendered by the Sisters of Mercy during the 80 years they had been carrying on educational work in Auckland. Many difficulties had been confronted and had been surmounted. The sisters were now faced with the difficulty of liquidating the debt on the new building and,he appealed to the people of Auckland for financial assistance for this purpose. The original intention was to build only the front block, but it was found by completing the convent to the dormitory block a considerable saving could be effected. Appealing for financial assistance for the Sisters of Mercy, Mr. R. McVeagh declared they had performed an act of prodigious self-sacrifice in first coming to New Zealand. The sisters gave ceaseless service to the sick, besides their educational work, and as none of their occupations was remunerative, they necessarily had to look to the church people for help. Mr. McVeagh expressed his admiration at the splendid building erected to carry on the educational work. Thankfulness for the work carried out by the sisters was expressed by Dr. Liston, Co-adjutor Bishop of Auckland, who declared they were the first religious community established in New Zealand. Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., declared the building reflected great credit on the architect and contractors. He joined with Mr. E. Casey in appealing for financial assistance. A large number of people availed themselves of the opportunity after the ceremony of inspecting the building, which overlooks the harbour. It adjoins the old college buildings.

UNITARIAN CHURCH

NEW MINISTERS GIVEN HEARTY WELCOME The Rev. W. Constable and his wife, the Rev. Wilna L. Constable, who recently arrived to take the joint ministry of the Auckland Unitarian Church, were accorded a warm welcome by representative citizens in their church on Saturday evening. In introducing the ministers, the chairman, Mr. S. J. Elliott, said that Mrs. Constable was the first ordained woman to speak in Auckland, although she had been preaching in Warwick for over seven years. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, extended a welcome on behalf of the Mayor and citizens of Auckland. “I welcome them because, in spite of the many creeds that exist in Auckland, I believe the city will feel the beneficial influence of the new moral force which has come into our midst,” said Mr. Entriean. Sir George Fowlds also briefly welcomed the ministers with the hope that their work would be beneficial both to the congregation and the city. Addresses of welcome on behalf of various organisations were given by Mrs. N. E. Ferner, who spoke on behalf of the women of the church; the Rev. R. J. Hall, who spoke on the work of Unitarianism throughout the world; Mr. T. Bloodworth, Mr. W. R. Tuck, Mr. J. R. Salt, of Wellington, and Mr. W. Cocker. “The spirit of adventure has lured us on,” said Mr. Constable, in replying to the welcome. “I thank God foi bringing us here, and thank you for inviting us.” “We have come here with great hopes and high ideals,” said the Rev. Wilna Constable. “It was a great experience to leave the Homeland, to meet many foreigners, speaking strange tongues, and then to find a land where our own language is spoken, and where dwell our own kith and kin.” . The induction service in the afternoon vras conducted by the Revs. W. Jellie, J. H. G. Chappie and R. J. Hall. At the conclusion of the service the new ministers gave short addresses, in which they stated they would work, not only for the spiritual improvement of the parish, but for the general moral improvement of the city.

WORLD NOT YET PERFECT

"This is not the world that Goer desires it to be,” declared the Rev. W. Walker during his sermon last evening in the Pitt Street Methodist Church. “God cannot be satisfied while unemployment is prevalent, and poverty and slums exist, and drink and gambling make it impossible for thousands of children to have a real chance in life, while nations are armed to the teeth for war, and the sanctity of the Lord’s Day is so often desecrated.”

The preacher made a strong plea for a closer unity in all branches of the Church in an endeavour to overthrow all those evils which, like cancerous growths, were draining away the strength and moral vitality of the nation. “It is a great advantage when a person has a firm basis for his faith,” said Mr. Walker, “to feel that the cause to which he has given himself is worthy of his wholehearted support and challenges his noblest efforts. Fundamentally, the human heart is one and its needs are common to all people. The deepest of all needs is that of liberation from sin. Moral instruction is insufficient to accomplish this, for most people know the right, hut lack the power to perform. Science can do many marvellous things, but it cannot purify the inner life. Philosophy can explain much of life’s mystery, but it cannot impart peace to the guilty conscience. What these fail to do Jesus achieves through His love and power.”