DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7, 15 February 1900, Page 5

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent )

February 12.

The Rev. Father McDonnell occupied the pulpit of the proCathedral tor the first time at Vesper*- on Sunday, and preached an ins motive <■? mon on the Sign of the Cro««.

Pending his departure for the Home Country, the Rev. Father Walsh, J ite of Kaikoura, is the guest ot the Key. .bather Marnane at St. Mary's, Manchester street, and celebrated High Mass on Sunday.

Hi- Lordship the Bishop has handed the Patriotic Fund Committee the sum of tin l(>-<, as the result of the recent special collection in the pro-Cathedral. The Rev. Father Marnane, S.M., of St. Mary's, has also handed in £ t, collt-cted for the same object. The Rev. Fatheis McCarthy (2), recent visitors from Australia, returned to fydney by the Zealandia which left Lyttelton on Friday last. By the Waikare, which left on the same date, the Very Rev. Father McEnroe. C M . left for Melbourne.

The Rev. Father Crotty, from the pro-Cathedral, has taken the place of the Rev. Father Cooney as assistant to the Very Rev. Dean O'Uonnell at Ashburton. Father Cooney left during the week for Westland, where he is to assist the Rev. Father O'Hallahan at Knmara.

Prior to his departure on Wednesday last from Ashburton to Kiiraara, the Rev. Father Cooney was presented by the members of the Ashburton Catholic Literary Society with a handsome travelling bag. The Rev. Father proved himself an active and energetic member of the Society during his comparatively brief stay in the town.

The pro-Cathedral choir have been ably assisted on the last two Sundays by Miss Kathleen Hickling, who gang the soprano solos of Farmer's Mass on the former occasion, and those of Weber's Mass in Gon the latter. At the Ma°s the tenor solos were taken by Mr Lenihan, another visitor Other members of the Opera Company ulso assisted the choir of St. Mary's. What was probably a record number of passengers to the seaside resort of Sumner was conveyed there on last Thursday by the Canterbury Tramway Company to take part in th^/Hc organised to aid the War Fund, 'lhe whole of the takings, together with the fares, which the Tram Company intend handing over, will, it is expected, realise the substantial total of £500. A wonderful result for one day's operations, in the face of all that has been collected already Truly the war fever in Christchurch is running very high.