ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 13, 28 March 1901, Page 4

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON.

(From our own correspondent.") March 23. His Grace the Archbishop returned from Rotorua to-day. St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in Palmerston North in a most fitting manner. Numbers of communicants thronged the altar rails at the eight o'clock Mass. Solemn High Mass was sung at 11 o'clock by the Rev. Father Tymons, who preached a touching and impressive sermon on the glories of the Irish Church. His listeners will not forget for many a day the beautiful words of the preacher. They seemed to stir up the religious and patriotic feelings of the uongregation and the heart of many a poor exile thrilled with honest pride as the preacher dilated on the loyalty and fidelity of the Irish people to the Holy See. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was kept up during the day. Procession and Benediction brought the day to a close. At a mptcial general meeting of the Marist Brothers' Old Boys' Association final arrangements were made for the pnblication of a magazine. The Rev. Father Goggan occupied the chair. After discussion it was decided to call the paper ' The Catholic Magazine.' Mr E Fitzgibbon was appointed editor, and Messrs J. M. O'Reilly and P. S. Foley sub-editors. The magazine will be issued every quarter, the first appearing next month. The usual weekly meeting was held on the following Thursday, when original papers were contributed on the following subjects : — ' Importance of study,' ' A short sketch of the writers of the century,' ' The influence of early associations on the formation of character,' ' The Coronation Oath,' and 'Single Tax' Tne papers were able and interesting, and evoked considerable discussion. The meeting night has been altered from Thursday to Monday for the convenience of members. Solemn High Mass was celebrated in St. Joseph's Church by the Very Rev. Father Keogh on the Feast of St. Patrick. Father Clancy was deacon, Father Bowden subdeacon, Father Herbert acting as master of ceremonies. The choir was very ably assisted by Miss Rowe, who sang the soprano, and Mr Meredith, who took the bain' 8.) los in Havdu's Imperial Mass. Mies McDonald was the alto soloist, and Mr Rowe the tenor. In the evening the church was packed, when the Very Rev. Father Keogh preached his first sermon in New Zedand. Judged by the clearness, conciseness, and eloquence of his initial effort, Father Keogh is indeed a most valuable acquisition to the large body uf our able preachers in this Colony. The subject of the sermon was 'Faith,' and in it special reference was made to the great faith of the glorious Apostle of Ireland and the Irish people. The Veiy Rev. Father Keogh gave the Benediction, and was assisted by Fathers Clancy and Bowden as deacon and subdeacon respectively. The Hibernian Society are to be congratulated on the success whicn attended their Saint Patrick's Day Celebration Sports meeting and Irish Concert held last Saturday. The large attendance of the public at each was proof of the wisdom of holding them on that day in spite of the fact that the holiday was observed by the Government and City Council on the following Monday. In the morniug a procession of the members headed by the Wellington Garrison Band marched through the principal streets to the Basin Reserve. Nothing resembling a hitch occurred throughout the day and the officers are to be congratulated on the punctuality shown in getting off the various events. Among the visitors on the ground during the afternoon was the Right lion R. J. Seddon (one of the patrons of the celebration) who was accompanied by Mrs. and Miss Seddon. The Irish national concert, which was held in the Opera Honse on Saturday evening, the lGth inst., was in every way as successful as those held in former years to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The piojrramine of music was of an unusually high standard of excellence, and every item, both vocal and instrumental, was encored. Miss Katie Connell, who is about to proceed Home to study under the best musical masters of the day, contributed with great feeling ' She is fur from the land,' and for an encore repeated part of the soij g. Later on ' The meeting of the waters ' was excellently sung

by the Bame vocalist, as was also the encore number, ' Believe me if all those endearing young charms.' Miss Connell's voice shows great cultivation, and thia fact speaks well for the tuition she received at St. Mary's Convent. Madame Eveleen Carlton sang, in her usual finished style, ' Rory O'More,' and when recalled contributed ' Barney O'Hea.' On being recalled for Killarney she replied with the last verse. The songs of Miss Violet Mount were well received, ' The minstrel boy ' and ' Kate O'Shune ' were both given with good judgment. Miss Beatrice Vartha displayed her wonderful power as an execution^ in her pianoforte solo, an arrangement of Irish airs. Miss Julia Moran effectively rendered on the violin Faruiei'o titling of ' TLe laet rose of ouiauicr,' and gave a skilful exhibition of double stopping in ' The meeting of the waters.' The m»lruuieiiU*l item by Lire. Wallet MuiJuoL shuvvtJ how delightfully Irish music can be rendered on that favorite instrument, the harp, Her encore was indeed well merited. Mr. E. J. Hill sang in the first part * Doreen,' but in the ' Dear little shamrock,' that same vocalist, who is always so popular with the Wellington public, excelled himself. Clear enunciation is always a marked feature of Mr. Hill's singing. Mr. W. B. Cadzow was heard to advantage in ' Molly Bawn,' and more particularly in ' The wearin' of the green.' This latter contribution took the audience by storm, and Mr. Cadzow was recalled thrice. Mr. G. D. Cronin sang ' Off to Philadelphia,' and Miss Lucy Fraser and Mr. Martyn Hagan contributed a comic duet. Mr. F. J, Oake's orchestra played several choice selections of Irish music during the evening. Mr. Geo. Fisher, M.H.R., in congratulating the Hibernian Society on the success which had attended its sports gathering and concert, referred to the fact that the winner of the cup had to leave that same evening for Blenheim, and consequently the presentation could not be made.