DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 43, 27 October 1904, Page 4

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) October 24. ihc Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M. (Provincial) is on a periodical \isit to C anterbury. An outing for the Pro-Cathedral parish boys' school is being organised lor the early pait of next month Jhe Rev. Father Ma mane, ol Si. Maiy's, ie turned tin town iasi weeh mu<h nnpioved m Jituhli altar a .solojrn at t Jit* Hanmcr Spnns,s. 'i lie Rcdemnton.st 1< at hers arc expected to give missions in Christ much about the end of the year, as a preparation for the opening of the new Cathedral.' A^berieht entertainment for line relatives of the late Mr. E. T. McNamara is oeing promoted b*/ the Hibernian Society, Catholic Club, Orpheus Society, and choirs of tho two city churches. Tho numerous friends of the Very Rev Dean Foley will bo sorry v* le a rn that he is laid up at the presbytery, Barbadoos street, sufterisng from an acute attack of sciatica. A lady correspondent at Hannier writes thus of the now Catholic church recently blessed anti opened at the Spring : The building-, with its buttresses' its col-orcd glass windows, and its daric red roof, and standing as it) docs in neatly laid-out gro.u-nds, is deHdedlya pretty sight. A -visitor- from Feilding informs me that at a meeting of the congregation of St. Bridget's Church, held m the presbytery on last Sunday week, it was unanimously resolved t-o establish a convent school in the town. A subsTrrption list was opened and a sum of £25/0 contributed. The Order of Our Lady of Missions, the mother house of which is vn this city, may very probably be asked to found a community in FeildmHand take charge of the projected schools. 'lhe exterior weak on the Cathedral is now practically completed, and the great dome, surmounted with a pill Latin eroS'S v forms a conspicuous landmark and can be seen from all parts of the city and suburbs. A commencement is to be made to-day in the removal o£ the costly stained glass windows iiom Uhe Pro-Cathe-dral to the new building- During the week the interior scaffolding is to be removed, after which will be mealed probabfly the most beautiful ceiling in this part of the world On last Monday, m delightful .weather, line children of the P'o-Cathedral girls' schools, combined with the Adding! on and HalsweM Catholic' schools, were gia-en their anwiual outing, pionie, and excursion. Special tram, cars conveyed the large paity, comprising upwa 'ds ot 500, to Sumner Tlie church grounds thare were utilised as a common centre for the picnic, and en the beach games, races, etc., were Indulged in l>v the juveniles. The Very Rev. Viral -General distributed prt/cs to Ihe successful competitors. '1 he Rev. Fathers O'Connell and Kerley were also present. A few friend's assisted the Sisters of the Mission in the supervision of tjhe ■children, and all returned about 5 o'clock after a thoroughly enjoyable time I learn from the omcers of the local 11.A.C.8. Society that the branch ls mailing excellent progress* both numerically and financially. The members'' roll totals HO, and the accumulated funds amount to £\'MH odd. Every cfiort is being made to induce more of tine ybung men to joiYi Social amusements of a varied nature) are provided during the year as a means towards this desnab'e end. From Bro. Doolan, who was mainly instrumental in its c«t'abli<-hmont, I learn that "the Ashburton branch is in a flourishing condition. One hundred members have been initiated since the open ng ip January last, and 10 are nominated for membership, which evidently shows' a keen o>nt|iiusiasm ci the part of the omcers, and a sms-tained interest by the branch chaplain, the Very Rev Father o Donnell. The ' St. Patrick's branch of the H A.C.B. Bociety celcblratcd its 31st anniversary on last Thurisidav e)veiniiig by a social gathe-ing in the Alexandra Hail, the elvent having been 'postponed from an earlier date owing to the lamented death of Bro. K. T. McNama-a. The branch was established as far back as 1872, and for a n/imber of years afterwards annually celabratdd the ovent. Latterly, however, owing to various causes these celohratieins weie allowed to lapse, and the re-union on this oiceasion was the outcome of an efiort to again make such ao event a yearly one. The arrangements were admirably carried out by a committee consisting of Mrs. W. Rogers and M r s Doolan, Misses Garty, Courtnfcy, Donald, Wallv, Bafnott, Diocl'an,, a,nd Harrington,, Bros. H,\nes, Pearce, Evans, Conrtfiey, Rran, O'Brien, Hendrom, Haugney, and F. J. Doolan (hon. seerqtary). There was on attendance of about 200 members and friends, including many ladies, who spent a most enioyable evening. Music was provided by Mr. Dcherty's band whilst a prog-essive euchre tournament, mm-

games, etc., were indulged fn. The prizes won in progressive eluchrc were presented by the president, Bro. J. P. Hynes, as follows : Miss o'Con.ncll and Mr. j\l. ILoban (Ist), Miss Pearoe (2nd), and Mr.. E. O'Brien (special).