MISSION IN ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 May 1919, Page 4

MISSION IN ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH.

(Communicated.) In the past St. Joseph's Church has. happily -witnessed, many successful and fruitful missions, but for splendid attendances, enthusiasm, fervour and self-sacri-fice few have equalled and none purpassed the one at present being so ably conducted by Fatiier Whelan and Mangan, of the Hedemptionist Order. Sis o'clock each morning finds the church comfortably filled with devout worshippers, who; approach the alter rails and receive Holy Communion in, a body during the celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. At 9 o'clock the church is literally packed from sanctuary to the doors with.children and others .attracted •partly by the sweet and fresh voices of the lambs of the flock, but more especially by the lucid and- instructive discourse invariably delivered by. one o£ the mksioners immediately after the Mass. The crowds that assemble at night make one long to see the present edifice; replaced by a building twice the dimensions of the present church. Perhaps one of the lruits of the present mission will be to persuade some parishioners whom God has blessed with an abundance of this world's goods' to start a fund for the erection of a new church more in keeping with the growing importance of the metropolis of Tarauaki, and more commensurate with the wants of the rapidly increasing Catholic population in Sind around New Plymouth. ; The chorus of eulogistic references to the eloquent and impressive sermons delivered evening after evening by the devoted missionaries with all apoatdlic'freedom, sincerity and candour testify 'tliatthe congregation ore thoroughly 'appreciating and profitting by the sacrifices made On their behalf. Sotre who from one cause or another were gradually growing remiss, careless and indifferent are to be seen following the exorcises of the mission with rapt attention and manifest satisfaction and delight.