INTERCOLONIAL

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 24, 15 June 1905, Page 31

INTERCOLONIAL

Re/. Father O'Leary, of Rosalie (Q.), has boen presented witn a handsome gold watch by his parishioners. Father O'Lcitv took Father Lee's place during he latter s ,'ibsem.f iv the old country. The prerlytery at Parkes is to be added to ">Jid handeJ o\e: as o convent to the Sisters, whose old home is deer r. l unsuitable. A new presbytery will probably be crti-lt 1 .! iiam to the church. A special edition of the report of the Second Australasian Catholic Congress has been forwarded to the Vatican archives. It was printed and published at the 1 Advocate ' printing office, the medical section being included The Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Abbotsfofd, covered it with elegant white water-wa^e silk, anrf cmbefiishrvl the cover with gold and scarlet ecclesiastical design. The volume is enclosed in a handsome morocco case, wi',^ lock and key. Four large estates, the aggregate value of which totalled nearly £330,000, paid 10 per cent, death dues to the Victorian Treasury the other day. That of James Russell, of Carngham, grazier, was set down at £118,759 ; that of the late Jolin Robertson, of Skene, grazier, was valued at £110,559 ; that of the late John Connell, of Dunster House, Mark Lane, London, and of Melbourne and Sydney, merchant, was certified for duty at £fi(3,f>6o , and that of 'the late Francis Thomas Warren, Port Melbourne, was valued at £30,057. The battle of the Bible in public schools is being waged in Melbourne by the routed ad\ ocates of proselytising the State scholars. Archbishop Carr has shown clearly that the Catholic attitude was supported by the great maiorily at the ballot-box. His Grace pertinently asks . 'If at present the fundamental truths of Christianity were denied, it was not by the Catholic people, and if ministers could be said to deny the Airgin birth of Christ and other recognised doctrines, wjiat must be said of the teachers to whom was committed the instruction of the children ? ' The Bishop of Wilcannia, Right Rev. Dr. Dunne, has fixed S'inday, July 2, as the date of the opening of the new Pro-Cat hodral at Broken Hill. His Lordship expects a number of distinguished visitors, including his Eminence Cauiinnl Moran, the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Bishop of Ballarat (Dr Higgins), the venerable Bishop of Maitland (Dr Murray), and the Bishop of Sale (Dr Corlett) A trial of electric lighting installation was made reccnUv in the presence of the Bishop, and proved highly satisfactory Upwards of 00 lights are used in thci illumination, and the interior shows to great advantage under their effects. It is- estimated that the Cathedral tan seat 1200 to 1300 people. The diocese of Ballarai at date 61 latest ecclesiastical returns had a Catholic population of nearly 60,000, wilh 12 ( ) clu'irchos, 61 priests, 18 Christian Brothers, and 257 nuns of various Ordeis. Among the clergy are nine Redemptonst Fathers at St Mary's, Wendouree, who give rcftreats and missions. Among its charitable institutions is Na/areth House, Ballarat, in charge of the Poor Sifters of Na/aieth, established in 1888. Into it are received aged poor, and orphan and neglected children, without distinction of creed, the number of inmates >at date of annual return being 310. Another notably successful and vigorous body is the Clithedral Altar Society. Its receipts last year amounted to £228 2s- 7'd, and 'during the six years it has been in existence it has collected £1330 9s fld, which hat been expended in decorating and beautifying the interior of the Cathedral Prior to his departure from Rockhampton his Lordship BisrTop ITiggins opened a ba/aar for the reduction of the Cathedral debt. For the sake of opening this he postponed his< departure for some days. To use his n \vn words— 1 There were few Church interests in this diocese which enlisted a larger s<hare of my sympathy,' and, we might add, perhaps none dearer to his heart. His Lordship appealed to the vast audience to help the good ladies who had labored so untiringly to make the bazaaa: a success, and who would dispose of their valuable goods ' on the most reasonable terms.' The Cathedral was begun thirteen years ago. Since then £24,131 had been expended on the material building and 3307 8s 4d on the interior ornamentation. Four thousand five hundred pounds still remained due, and to meet this the ba?aar was organised 'Mv first public address "to mv people,' continued his Lordship, ' after my introduction to this diocese was an appeal on behalf of St. Joseph's Cathedral, and mv last parting words are spoken to you to-night in support of the same cause. I have delayed my departure for the express purpose of being here tonight and giving mv lady friends all the assistance I can in their noble efforts.'