DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 15, 10 April 1902, Page 5

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

From our own correspondent. 1 )

April 3. Rev. Father Benedict, 0.P., left to-day for Northern Wairoa to continue his mission work.

The Catholic schools have been closed since Wednesday last for the Easter Holidays. They reopen again on Monday.

The Rev. Mother Mary, of the Order of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Australia, is at present in Auckland, having come thither on the recommendation of her. medical adviser from Syd ne Mother Mary has been spending the past month at Rotorua, and came to Auckland to attend the Holy Week services. She is staying at the Newtown Convent and intends returning to Rotorua in the course of a few days.

A bitter attack was made in last week's Graphic on St. Patrick's Day, calling for its abolition on the grounds of ' too many holidays, and this day was a good one to begin with.' The sting, however, was in the tail, the writer concluding thus : ' It tends to keep alive old feuds, better forgotten, and on this ground alone, and, for the integrity of the Empire, St. Patrick's Day should be forgotten.'

Tuesday being the anniversary of the ordination of the Rev. Father Buckley, the members of the Sodality of the Children of Mary, of which he is chaplain, assembled in the schoolroom at St. Patrick's Convent with the object of making him a presentation. Miss K. Rogers presented Father Buckley with a handsome gold albert, and read an address congratulating him on the anniversary of his ordination, and expressing gratitude for the interest taken by him in the welfare of the society. A pleasant evening was then spent, the following contributing items to a really excellent programme, embracing vocal and instrumental items : Misses Rist, Cassin, J. Rist, Thorne, C. Rist, Wilson, M. Sheahan, N. Ormond, M. Duffin, and Rev. Father Buckley.

The services in connection with Holy Week were attended by large congregations at the four city churches. The usual Tenebraa services were held at the Cathedral, when his Lordship the Bishop presided. On Good Friday morning the Cathedral was crowded, when the Mass of the Presanctified was celebrated by hia Lordship the Bishop. In the afternoon the Stations of the Cross took place. In the evening a sermon of the Passion was preached by the Rev. Father Benedict, O.P. The Rev. Father Gillan conducted the services at St. Benedict's and those at the Sacred Heart, Ponsonby, and St. John's, Parnell, were conducted by tha Rev. Dr. Egan, 0.5.8 , and the Rev. Father O'Hara respectively. At St. Benedict's on Good Friday evening short sermons of ten minutes each were given by the Hey. Fathers Gillan, Guinness, and Russell on ' The seven last words of our Lord on the cross,' each preacher occupying the pulpit twice. At the Cathedral on Holy Saturday morning Masß was celebrated by the Rev. Father Purton, 0.5.8.

The churches on Easter Sunday were tax*ed to their utmost capacity. At St. Patrick's in the morning the Bishop preached on the feast of the day. The Rev. Father Patterson was celebrant of High Mass, Father Purton being deacon and Fatbpr Buckley sub-doac^ n. Meroadante's Mass in B flit was sung in ?.n efficient manner by the choir, under the conductorship of Mr P. F.Hiscock^. In the evening there were Pontifical Vespers and a sermon on the Resurrection by the Eev. Father Benedict, OP. Rev. Dr. Kgan celibivted Maps at the Sacred Heart Church, and the chuir sar/g naydn's 'Second Mass ' in a finished manner.