ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6, 11 February 1909, Page 223

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From Our Own Correspondent.) February 5. The convent schools, Potone, re-opened last Monday and were well attended. ' • The half-yearly meoting of the Wellington Catholic Club will be held in the club rooms on February 22. The final game of the billiard tournament at the Wellington Catholic Club rooms resulted in a win for J Gibhs who defeated H. W. Cockerill. At a meeting held last Monday evening at Mr. Blake's residence, Wadestown, to consider the best way to raise

£50, the amount roquired for the first instalment of the money for the purchase of land recently obtained for the new church, the residents responded so liberally that a sum of £100 was subscribed. ' . On Wednesday, February 17, a social will -be held in the Sydney street schoolroom in aid of the funds for the building of the church at Karori. The annual Communion of the members of the Wellington Catholic Club will take place on Sunday. February" 28, at St. Mary of the Angels' Church. On next Sunday afternoon his Grace Archbishop Redwood will bpon the temporary convent for the Sisters of Notre Dame des Missions at Richmond street, Petone. The secretary for the Home of Compassion Christmas tree and fete fund (Mr. A. Amodeo) acknowledges withthanks further sums from Mr. J. Curran, Mrs.. Goulter, and^ M r. Felix Ward, which brings the total up to £107 14s lOd. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament took place on Sunday at the St. Joseph's Chufsh, Buckle street, from tho last Blass until Vespers. In the evening there was tho usual procession, in which _the .children of the parish schools and the Children of Mary Confraternity took part. At the usual monthly meeting of the women's branch of- the Sacred Heart Association- (Te Aro parish), held at St. Joseph's Church on Friday evening, there were aboafc 500 members present. Rev. Father Bartley, S.M., B.AT, of St. Patrick's College, preached an impressive sermon on ' Charity.' At a social evening held in Ross's Private Hotel last week a hearty welcome was' accorded to Messrs. Connolly (of the Hutt district), Minnihan (an old pupil of the Marist Brothers 5 " School, Wellington), and Skinner (of Auckland, a student of Holy Cross College, Mosgiel), who were on. their way to Meanoe, where they intend studying for the priesthood. Tho Wellington Catholic Club cricket team journeyed to Se^itoun on Saturday afternoon to play the local team, and |yfter ' a vory oxciting and close finish they were -defeated bytwo wickets. ,The Catholic Club made 37 and 53 runs, and Seatoun 59 and 32 for eight wickets. For the losers T. McGovorn (15 and 15), P. McGrath (10), and J. R. Hunt (10) were the highest scorers; and A. H. Casey and P. McGrath bowled splendidly. On Wednesday, February -3", the wedding of Miss Caroline Margaret Wilkinson, daughter of Mrs. T. Wilkinson,to Mr. J. J. McGrath, solicitor, " Wellington, took place at St. Francis' Church, Island Bay. -The Yen.- Archdeacon Devoy officiated, assisted by the Rev. Fathers Walshe, Herbert, and Herring. The bride was- given -away by her brother, Mr. P. Wilkinson. Mr. Thomas McGrath was the best man. After the ceremony a reception,- attended by over 200 guests, was held at the residence of Mrs. T. Wilkinson, where a large marquee had been erected for the occasion. Mr. and Mrs. J. J. McGrath left for Auckland, • en route to "Japan and other Eastern countries, where they will make a prolonged tour. The new brick memorial schools which have just been erected by Mrs. W. Johnston, in memory of the late Hon. Walter Johnston,, in Derby street, Feilding, were opened on February 1. Accommodation' has been provided for 200 children, with four large class-rooms, and an entrance hall 50ft long and 16ft wide, for drill purposes in wet weather. All the interior woodwork is finished in picked heart of rimu, except the seats and desks, which are of kauri. All the classroom walls have a handsome wooden dado all round, above which the plaster walls, etc., are finished in Keen's cement, with enriched cornices and centre pioces manufactured by the Carrara Ceiling Company. Each * classroom has special hyloplates and other modern conveniences, to enable the work of the schools to be satisfactorily carried- out. The amount of the contract was £3000. A retreat for all the members of the various conferences of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the district of Wellington will begin at St. Joseph's Church, Buckle street, on February 22. The Rev. Father O'Connell, S.M., will conduct the retreat. As it is the" first of its kind held in the. Dominion, and as the society has over 100 members, the clergy think that it will be a great success and of much benefit to the Catholics of the district. All parishioners may attend the retreat. It will close on Sunday, February 28, when all the men bolongirig ' to the conferences are expected to approach the Holy Table and attend the quajrtorly general meeting of the society in the afternoon at the new hall, St. Anne's Church. At the^weekly meetings, of tho different conferences held last week a collection was taken up, which will be sent to" Brother F. L. Heydon, Superior of the Society in Australasia, who intends to present the offering on behalf of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Australasia to his Holiness the Pope as a Jubilee offering. The Ladies' Guild of Mercy is doing exceptionally

good work in the Te Aro parish. 1 During tho nine months of its existence the members have made 3000 visits. They have had thirty children baptised, have placed ten children in Mother Mary Aubert's Foundling Home, also in licensed ' homes, and have sent ten, women io Mount Magdala. The Ladies' Sewing Guild, ~ another association in the Te Aro parish, is also doing good work among the*" poor people. They have distributed 243 parcels of clothing to destitute persons, and relieved 67 families who were in want. The pamphlets of the Catholic Truth Society which are being disposed of by the various- confere'nees of St. Vincent -dc Paul Society at the parish churches are eagerly sought after by tho young Catholics. In Te Aro parish alone last year 3528 books were disposed of.