DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 28 March 1907, Page 14

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) Mareh"2s. In the distribution of. Exhibition awards for " New, Zealand' wines the Meanee Mission, Hawke's Bay, shows well Mo the fore, and has "secured a gold medal for Burgundy (unfortified pure juice), gold medal for Marsala (liqueur wine)., gold medal for altar wine, and 'for Burgundy of another class a silver medal. Each Sunday at the Cathedral may be seen attending the eleven o'clock Mass a contingent of -juvenile soldiers, representing the Catholic portion of the school cadets from various parts of the Colony, periodically in turn encamped in the grounds of the Exhibition. . - Palm Sunday at the Catthedral was observed with the customary solemnity. Pi'ior to the eleven o'clock Mass the palms were blessed and distributed by his Lordship the Bishop, attended by the Rev. Fathers O'Dwyer and Bonnetto. His Lordship, in touching and appropriate terms, referred to the first Palm Sunday and the lessons to be derived from the incidents connected with it, which Holy Church -lovingly cheiUshed, and throughout intervening, centuries impressed upon her faithful adherents. The wonderful spirit of faith which prompted our forefathers to devote days and weeks to prayer and contemplation in observance of the £~most sadly mournful period of the world's history, which in our time was comparatively compressed into hours, was an object-lesson worthy of the emulation of all. The record of attendance at the Exhibition is mounting steadily but surely to the limit of two millions, whioh the management fondly anticipate will -be reached before the great show will pass into history ._ This week's chief attraction was the fire brigades' demonstration, which drew large crowds. .The closing ceremonies on Apx»ll 15 are intended to be very impressive, especially in view of the fact that the Australian Squadron will be- in , port probably at the time. If v the Exhibition has served no other purpose, it has certainly proved the most effective advertisement the Colony has ever received. It is also fairly, safe to .'conjecture that many years may elapse before there,, is- another exhibition of-- like proportions in New Zealand, so- rthat , those who have not seen it should not lose the remaining opportunities of so doing. . A visit willprove^ an experience they will not likely be sorry for. ~