DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 31, 3 August 1905, Page 5

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) July 31. The Very Rev. Father Graham, S.M., who has been in temporary charge at Hawarden, returned last week to Wellington. The district is to he meanwhile worked by the Rev., Father Hyland from Rangiora.

His Lordship the Bishop on last Wednesday celebrated the eighteenth anniversary of his consecration as first Bishop of Christchurch. Dr. Arthur B. O'Brien, son of Mr. M. O'Brien of this city, has been appointed assistant house surgeon at Guy's Hospital, London. The Very Rev. Father Le Menant des Chesnais, S.M., Vio^r-General, has gone to the North Island on a few weeks' holiday. The Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M. (Prouncial), accompanied the Vicar-General north last week. They I>oth proceed to Auckland to see the Very Rev. Dean Foley> His Lordship the Bishop returned to the city during the week. On Sunday last his Lordship made a pastoral visitation to Ashbufaton. He is next to visit Lyttelton, and afterwards the- Leeston parish, where he will re-open the recently enlarged and; improved church at Soutbbridge, Whilst at the Lyttelton cemetery, ana after the funeral ceremonies of the late Sister Mary Anthony (reported elsewhere) all the clergy present assembled art the grave of the late Rev, Father Donovan, a former pastor of fche seaport parish, who passed away ia 1881, and recited the ' De Profundis.' Contributions were received at the Cathedral on Sunday by the energetic committee who have in hand tha improvement and equipment of the late ProCathedral for the Sisters of the Missions as the girls' parish sehooh The appeal in aid of the expenses alteady, 1 incurred was liberally responded to. Intelligence was received in Christchurch last week to . the ' effect that the illness of the Very Rev. Dean Foley had reached that stage when his medical adviser holds out no hope of his recovery. Acting on this advice, the last Sacraments were auministered. Later news announced in the Cathedral on Sunday was, however, somewhat re-assuring. Among recent visitors at the episcopal residence wfre the Rev. Father Clune, C.SS.R., on his return from Australia, and the Rev. Father Hills, S.M., Vice-Rector of St. Patrick's College, Wellington. Accompanied by his Lords-hip the Bishop places of interest visited included the girls' parish school, conducted by the Sisters of the Missions, which if newly fitted up into convenient class-rooms, and bears e\idence of greatly improved conditions. The building i known as St. Aloysius' Hall, has been taken to pieces and 'transferred to form an addition to Nazareth House, where, on re-erection, it will comfortably accommodate quite a large number of aged men. Notwithstanding several recent additions to this institution, all the available present space is occupied, there being now about forty inmates. Applications are almost daily being received from far and wide for admission, and a permanent structure on the liberal dimensions usually assumed by Nazareth Houses elsewhere must soon occupy the attention of the devoted Sisters, The growth, so far of their noblo work in this city is truly phenomenal, and they have acquired a great number of sincere friends. Two of the Sisters have recently visited the country districts anid latterly Akaroa. They. are everywhere well received, and thoir appeals generously responded to The Rev. Father O'Oonnell at the Cathedral on Sunday had a word to say concerning the local Catholic schools. The lesson conveyed in the day's Gospel, h e Said, -was peculiarly applicable to the subject under review. 'By their fruits ye shall know them,' and the resnlts attained in the recent examination, the eminently favorable comments, and generally satisfactory progress in matters of education referred to by ttffe Insptectior in his reports, from which' he (the rev preacher) quoted extracts, were indeed most gratifying His (principal reasons for placing these facts before them was to re-assure those malcontents— some :of whom formed part of every, congregation who do least and criticise most— that their fears in regard to their children receiving a thorough sound education, in our schools were absolutely groundless. Results attested that our children were not only receiving a splendid secular education but were at the same time receiving those moral and religious lessons, which would stand <by them for all time. Although perhaps not immediately manifest, the time would inevitably come in after life when the moral and religious training would be severely tested ; it wouM be iftien that the great boon, now so lightly thought of snrt scarcely appreciated, would be estimated at its full value. For these sentiments he had the authority of the late revered Bishop Moran, the greatest advocate and most strenuous defender of Catholic education we have had in this Colony.