DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 42, 20 October 1904, Page 20

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) October 17. His Lordship the Bishop has received intimation that the Sisters of Nazareth leave London for this city next month. Hi.s Lordship Bishop Grimes left by tlie ' Victoria ' on Fuday for Sj dncy en route to Melbourne for tihe Catholic Congress. Tho cap tam, officers, and ciew of the French ba-rquc ' Boieldicu ' have presented to St. Joseph's Church, Lytteltcn, a valuable set of vestments, as an expression of their gratitude for deliverance from the perils which beset them during the period (about two months) they were drifting helpless en the ocean in their rudderless vessel, u,ntil providentially piuked up off Banks' Peninsula and towed into Lytteltcln. They have also placed in the church, as a votive ottering, a painting of tlieir tlnp,, with an inscription ra the French language, a translation of whu h is: 'An offering to the Virgin Mary, August 10, 1 S3|o l . ' On Wednesday morning the captain and the siirp's company attended a special Mass of thanksgiving, celebrated by the Rev. Father Cooney in St. Joseph's. In the evening they were entertained at a social gathering in the Catholic schoolroom. Tho Rev. Father Cooney presided, and despite the boisterous weather, a considerable number of parishioners attended. Father Cooney expressed his pleasure at seetng so large an attendance on scuch a bad nieht, and thanked the ' Boieldieu's sthip's company for their generous gifts of vestments and a picture to the church. On behalf of the parishioners, he presented Captain Bouisson with a greenstone cross for Madame Bouisson, and with a greenstone ornament in the form <of the letter Z— the initial of Zealand! a. To the members of the c*rew were presented rosary beads. Captain Bouis«on replied oil behalf of the ship's company. Mr. Malaquin acted as interpreter. After the presentations an impromptu musical programme was gotne through. Captain Bouisson sang a French song,., and one of his crew gave a song in the Breton tongue, a language akin to Welsjh. The took of the barque contributed a recitation in French. English items were rendered by some of the parishioners present. The proceedings were closed with the 'Marseillaise,' m Frcn- h, and 'Clod Save the King ' sung in English. Befoie the company separated, the members oE the crew gave three cheers for their Lyttelton friends. Captain Bouift'son and nis officers and men were afterwards entertained by Father Cooney at the Pres-bytery.