DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 16, 18 April 1907, Page 14

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) - ~ • - April 15. I The Hon. L. F. Hey don, 'M.L.C., returned from the south on last Tuesday evening and left for Wellington °* . ,W, W | dn « sda 7 evening. -During his stay in this city he visited Nazareth House,. Mount Magdala, and St. Annie's Church and Catholic school at Woblston. The" church at Woolston is the practical result of the zeal and efforts- -of. the Cathedral Conference of the' Society of St Vincent . de Paul* - " - - . His tordship. the Bishop visited the Christian Doc- - tune classes- in the Cathedral on Sunday afternoon, and addressed the children on the subject of their studies. He impressed upon his hearers, the difference between veneration and adoration, and gave^some sound practical advice on the way to overcome difficulties that- would have to be confronted, especially those of a controversial nature. — - The ch-apel of St. Patrick in the Cathedral . was -opened an .last Tuesday • morning, the transferred feast of the Acostle of Ireland, when his- Lordship the Bfr-

shop celebrated the first Mass there, and several -approached the Holy" Table. The chapel is in memory of the, late . Very Rev. Dean Foley, S.M., who labored arduously in. connection with the erection of the Cathedral. With subscriptions raised by the Hibernian Society and friends his L»ordslfip tae Bishop, whilst in Ireland, had . the marftle altar sculptured, and ft contains portions of material from -different parts of that ' country. Obliged to leave Ireland before the work was completed, the Bishop entrusted the shipment of the altar to the Very Rev: Dr. Watters, S.M., and it arri- - ved' iii gtood condition. 'Although the furnishings are. not yet complete much has -.'been* done,' and the chape] presents -a most striking appearance. A fine statue of St. - Patrick is erected over the "altar,- with a stained glass window, depicting- St; Patrick and" St. Bridget, as a background. The altar cloth, the gift of a generous benefactor, is of green with gold, border, whilst the floor fis covered with a rich green- "carpet, and an iron wrought railing in suitable design fronts .the ohapel. Candelabra and other furnishings are just to hand, and are to be _ immediately placed in position. , - I The Hibernian Hall was crowded on last Tuesday - evening to listen to~ an admirable address delivered by the Hon. L. F. Heydon, M.L.C.,- of Sydney, president , of the Superior Council of 'the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Australasia, on the special characteristics ,of that adoiiraLle organisation of charity. His Lordship the Bishop presided, and of the clergy there were present the Very Rev. Father Le Menant des . Chesnais, - S.M^ Rev. Fathers Marnane, S.M., Cooney, O'Ccnnell, S.M..,'and O'Hare. The Cathedral, St. Mary's (Manchester street), St. Joseph's (-Lyttelton) Conferences, and Ladies of Charity of the Society were largely represented, together with the H.A.C.B. Society and Catholic Club. - In Hntroduoring Mr. Heydon to the audience his Lordship the Bishop said he undertook <the duty, as a most pleasing one. His (the Bishop's) part, however, would be similar to that of a preface to* a valuable book, and he would therefore attempt "nothing further than - simply allude to the subject they were gathered in such force to hear discoursed upon by cne who had made the subject his life's study and life's work.. . Mr. Heydon expressed his pleasure in addressing - such a large and representative assembly, which promised a most satisfactory meetings He felt at home with the people of Christchurch, especially isowith the Marist Fathers, among whom a great part ci ' his life had been spent. Here, too, the Society was first established in the colonies, the Christchurch Conference being in existence five years before ~ that established in Sydney. With all the political "work that he had been engaged in he felt not one-twentieth the ' amount of satisfaction as in doing a little good in conmiectioiT' with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. {The remainder of Mr. Heydon's address was mainly on the linjes , of his remarks at Dunedin and elsewhere, "and reported at length in your last issue. * - • At the conclusion of. the address a hearty vote of thanks was accorded his Lordship^ the Bishop- for presiding on the motion -of the president of the Particular - Council of Christchurch, and spoken to by Bro." E. O'Connor (president, of the Cathedral Conference), Bro. - A. H. Blake (president -of St. Mary's Conference), and Bro. H. A. Anthony (president of - St. Joseph's Conference). The Bishop in reply said he had listened to the admirable uddress of Mr. Heydon with rapt attention and deep interest.