DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 27, 6 July 1905, Page 6

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.)

July 3.

The Very Rev. Vicar-General was confined to his room over Sunday suliering from an attack of inuXtfnza. Thia Rev. Father S. Mahony is assisting at the Forty-Hours' Adoration at Temuka. At the devotion of the Forty Hours' Adoration now taking place at Lyttelton the Rev. Fathers Richards (Lincoln) and O'Conmell (Cathedral) arc assisting. The Very Rev. Dean Binsfeld, S.M., who has been at Hawarden since the departure of the Rev. Father Price, is at present assisting at, the Cathedral The Rev. Father Graham from St. Patrick's College is in temporary charge of the northern,"]: arish. A sale of work is announced to be opened in St. Marys- schoolroom, Manchester street, on July 13, with the object of reducing the parish debt. The ladies oj the congregation are energetically engaged in preparation. Among the \aried attractions there will be numerous competitions. A oasuaji visitor to the Catholic Club rooms on last Tuesday evening would be thoroughly mystified at the. strange company in possession, and enjoying itself to the full of its bent. After a somewhat careful scrutiny of the motley assembly, however, nothing worse was revealed than that the usual staid and highly respectable members of the club were at ' play.' The event in progress was what had been designated a 'Costume Social,' and heine one met ' dead beats ' and foreigners from various elimr's and of m&ny ca'-Hngs, ' sundowners,' Chinamen, usurers, ana 1 costers, impersonated to life, and spending the time in song, speech, etc. The make-up of mos^t was so effective that their identity was diflicullt and in some instances impossible to discover. In the genia.l pastor of Lyttelton the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and its piotcges, primarily the seamer visiting the port, have a sincere and warm friend Speaking at the concert on last Thursday evening, th« Rev. Father Cooney referred lo the splendid results already 'achieved by the Conference's mission to soamen. The residents of Lyttelton had a duty to perform in regard to poor Jack. If it were not for seamen there would be no '--hips, and without ships there would be no Lyttelton. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul rightly conceived it lo he part of its duty to help seamen and to remove some <jf their hardships. A faithful record of all Catholic seamen is kept, with their addresses and other particulars. Sick seamen are taken to the hospital, and numerous services ai c rendered them. Poor Jack is not ungiatcful, and many vi them write from time to time in appreciation of their kind treatment. Tliiose letters amply (ompeirate the members of the. Society for their work of lo\e in a good cause. The social hall about to be erected would aid very masteria.lly the conference in its mission, and with the help SO generously gneri that evening their hopes were brought, much nearer realisation. A grand evening's entertainment, piomotcd by the St. Joseph's Coniercnce, of the Society of St. Vincent dc Paul at Lvtttlton, was guen m the local Oddfcl lows' 1 1 all on last Thursday to ;i uowded audience. The programme was provided by ■ the choir of St. Mary's Chuuh, Manchester stieet, and fiiends i and they earned oul their self-imposed task admirably. The first part consisted of Memielssiflin's sacied cantata, ' Lauda Sion,' in which the ihoir achieved a distinct, success. r l he n lines of the piincinal v oraHsts in thei'.v allotted parts appeared m last week's ' Tablet,' so thait a repetition is needless. Quite the hardest, task diyvolved upon Miss McLauo;hlm, who, as soprano soloist, sang the music artistically and with (banning efiect An efficient orchestra led by Miss Matthews aided very materially in the success of tihe pei fnriminee Mr. W. 11. Corrigan conducted, and lie is certainly deserving of genuine congratulation for the hi",h str>.tc of ucn lection attained in matters musical imwUt his control Thr second part consisted of conceit items and proved not the least enjoyable of the evening's bill of f.uc Misi; K. Robinson quite captivated the .u.dieuce v ith s a eral programme songs and lecall number^ Misses O'Brien and F. Gardner weic well rc-e-eived. Wr. VY. If Corri gan contributed a clarionet solo, ' Ana,' and maintained his reputation as profejblv iho best performer on that instrument we have heaid here Messrs C Gog gam and (V Read sans; with their accustomed success. Mr. R. Petersen, iv his character songs, pleased the audience immensely, his two items mounting up to six before he was permitted to quit the singe. Mr. W. Densem, an entertainer of whom it is impossible to tiro, delighted the audience in his musical monologues, beinj; recalled again and again. 'The accompaniments wen;

provided by Misses O'Brien, Cameron, and Casey, and Mr. R. A. Home. Specially reserved carriages wem provided on the train for the performers and othen; who went down from the city. Among those of tho large party were several of the Particular Council o* the Society, under the auspices of which _the entertainment was gi\en. Every preparation was "made by the. president and members of the Lyttelton Conference. for the comfort and enjoyment of visitors. The hon. secretary, Mr. C. Delany, who worked with the utmost enthusiasm and energy to make the eveirt tho success it undoubtedly was, fs deserving of the warmest commendation. At the conclusion of the entertainment the Rev. Father Cooney thanked most cordially the choir and the contributors to the programme, the audience, committee of management, and all who had assisted. He also spoke at some length on the object of their efforts, and the great boon to. the residents of Lyttelton, as well as to the seamen, the projected social hall and club rooms would pro\e.