DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 43, 22 October 1903, Page 5

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) October 19. During his recent visit to Australia, Mr. John Barlrett and the; Rev. Father J. Gately, S.J., of St. Mary's; North Sydney, who are cousins, met for the first time in over forty years. The Rev. Father Gately was to laa\e Sydney on Saturday last for New Zealand on a brief visit. . „ On Sunday next, Feast of the Patronage of the 8.V.M., Solemn) High Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's, Manchester street, at 11 a.m., and his Lordship the Bishop will preach. The formal opening and blessing of the fine new presbytery is arranged for 330 in the afternoon. At Vespers the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M., Provincial, is to be preacher. The Rev. Father McDonnell -left last week for the West Coast to minister in the parish of Kumara, pending restoration to health of the Rev. Father O'nJ-lallo-han, who is not recovering from the recent somewhat serious accident which befell him, as speedily as was at first hoped. On Tuesday last the children of the Pro-Cathedral parish schools, including those of Addington and Halswell, had their annual outing. Special cars conveyed the party of several hundred to Sumner, where, in perfect weather, a most enjoyable day was spent. The church grounds there were conveniently utilised for tho purposes of a picnic, sports being carried out on the sands. The excursion was organised by the Sisters of the Missions, who are in charge of the schools, and among those present were his Lordship the Bishop (who during the day presented prizes, some of which he donated), the Very Revs. Vicar-General and Dean Foley, Rev. Fathers Richards and O'Connell. Many other friends were also in attendance and materially assisted in supplying requisites and adding to the enjoyment of the people. Referring to the old 'penal days, not more than six long lives ago, Sir George Clifford, in his address to the Christchurch Catholic Club, m .contrasting the presenit •position of Catholics' with the cruel disabilities they were then subject to, said that among th,ose persecuted

for the grand old Faith was his great-great-grandfather, .wlho was committed to the Tower. Not so very lone ago ii* the ordinary course of human events, priests were hunted like felons in Merrie England. How very different in these days. Not one member of the community exhibits other than the utmost respect towards Bishop Grimes, for instance, who when he walks down the streets of Christchurch is greeted smilingly by citizens of every form of belief. In those strenuous days of the past no Catholic was allowed to ride a horse of ten poijndfc sterling in ,vajue ; without running it&e risk of having it taken from under him. Such a high handed proceeding would be extremely inconvenient to me just now, said Sir George naively. His Lordship the Bishop visited Woolston on Sunday afternoon, and was. met by Mr. E. O'Connor, president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the teachers of the Sunday school recently established under the auspices of the Pro-Cathedral Conference. There was an attendance of 45 children, on whose behalf Miss Murphy read and presented the Bishop with a beautiful address nicely worded, wherein was expressed gratitude for the establishment of the Sunday school, and to the teachers who sacrificed their time of rest in order to give instrution in Christian doctrine. A hope was also expressed that soon they would be in possession of a small place of their own wherein not only instruction would be imparted, but where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass could be offered. The Bishop, in reply, said he was delighted to bee so many gathered together to receive such necessary instruction, and expressed his appreciation of the efforts made and time so ungrudgingly given by the few devoted workers in imparting the truths of Holy Church to the young children of the district. It was his earnest desire that as soon as possible a place of worship would be erected in the neighborhood. During the course of his address at the opening of the Christchurch Club rooms, Sir George Clifford said he was tempted some time/ to pause and think if wo were ;a part of a Christian, nation. On perusing his daily paper he was shocked and grieved to learn the decision arrived at by the Lancaster Park authorities to allow their grounds to be continued in use for purposes (which wero a distinct desecration of such a solemn day las Good Friday. The Catholic Club was an institution which had done, and would he hoped and believed, continue to do, good work by providing means of healthy recreation for young men. Its work was particularly the work of the laity, , and their devotion to the Church was apparent in „ the earnestness of their endeavor Do help on its work. Its work was urgently needed, for a wa\e of atheism, agnosticism, and indifferentism was passing over the world, but this was not really a baa thing, as the wave must be followed by perhaps an even stronger reaction. In that the laity as well as the clergy would have an important part to play, and he iwas glad that the Catholic Club existed as a school in vwltych they could learn their part. Mr. Hugh ,McDonagh, a veteran ■ who died 4n^ the Christchurch Hospital last week, was accorded a military funeral. The deceased was one of the first selected to become an inmate of the , Veterans' Home art Auckland, and his Excellency, Lord Kanf.urly, who has exhibit eTI with a marked interest in the institution, was also deeply interested in the deceased veteran, whose career was retaiarkable for adventure and ,activity on many of the Empire's battlefields, Paardesburg being one of the last. The luneral procession started from the hospital, the coffin being borne on a gun carriage and preceded by the Garrison Band, which played the ,Dead March from ' Saul ' and other funeral marches. >A number of veterans (army and na\y) and many officers and men of the tjefe;nce corps followed the remains to their last resting place. The Very Rev. Dean Foley conducted the nnierment in the Sydenham cemetery, and at the graveside delivered a short address touching on the career of the deceased The Engineers supplied the firing party, and the ' Last Post ' was sounded by the battalion buElers —RIP. Owing to the interest displayed and energetic action of Bro. F. J. Doolan, president of the local branch of the H A.C B. Society, new branches are likely to be instituted in the immediate future at Ashburton and Lyttelton, and possibly at , Cheviot, The Very Rev. Father O'Donnoll is m cordial sympathy with the establishing of the Society at Ashburton, and is gning valuable assistance in the formation of a branch At the invitation o ( f several intending members, with Avhom he had been in communication, Bro. Doolan visited Ashburton on Sunday last with the obiect of explaining the workings, ad\antages, and benefits of the Society. With the assistance of the Rev. Father Cooney, Messrs. Head, Kelhher, and Browne, Bro. Doolan has made preliminary arrangements for the opening of a branch at Lyttelton. A record number of 20 members has been enrolled by the local branch (St. Patrick's) during the past quarter. In his annual address to the Anglican Synod Bishop Julius said, in speaking of the want of a supreme head,

' She (the Anglican Church) was a ihuge, loosely-organ-ised institution, absolutely de-centralised, having no machinery for corporate action, and for want of a central council was without a policy. Having more regard to dispersion than to concentration, . . . she became bewildered with the multitude of appeals made to her on behalf of struggling and competing missions. The Catholic Church (he continued) was a wonderful witness to the value of centralisation. Her orgemsation was perfect everywhere ; in the farthest ends of the world she knew what Lhc was doing, and how to do it That way was open to the Anglican Church also. A papacy at Cantcubiu} might reduce 'the Anglican communion to discipline and order ' Two or three bachelor priests, living together in community with a deacon, might, said Bishop Julius, be of service in working certain districts the needs of which were stated.