DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6, 11 February 1909, Page 224

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.)

nii x- • - February 8. Collections in aid of the children's ward building fund, m connection with the Christchurch General Hospital, wero made after all the Masses and Vespers in the Cathedral on Sunday last.

The following is a list of successful candidates from the Sacred Heart High School (Notre Dame des Missions), Lower High street, at the'recent University and Civil Service examinations: — Matriculation— Connie Mills, Katie Hamijl, Lizzie Baker, Emmie Moyna. Civil Service — Katie Kerr, Ellen O'Donnell. The High School of the Sisters of the Missions re-opened last Monday with an average attendance of boarding and day scholars.

The executive committee and programme sub-committee of the St. Patrick's Day celebration met at the episcopal residence on last Monday evening. Mr. P. Burke presided It was resolved that tho first part of the Irish national entertainment should consist of a lecturette, or running commentary on the songs of Ireland, to be given by Mr! G. R. Hart, interspersed with some of Moore's melodies and other items in keeping with tlio character of the programme. The stage will be arranged in drawing-room style, and here the artists will be grouped, each taking their allotted vocal number in tarn. This part of the programme is to occupy about one hour. The second part is to consist of cinematographic views of ' Living Ireland,' for which Messrs. John Fuller and Sons have generously offered to provide 1500 ft of films, together with any additional series of views that may come to hand meanwhile, free of cost. A very hearty vote of thanks was accorded Messrs. duller and Sons for their splendid contribution to the entertainment. Miss Murray, the secretary of former ladies' committees, and Mrs. W. Dobbs attended and undertook to organise a ladies' committee, which would be responsible for much useful work in connection with the event.

Speaking on matters educational in the Cathedral on Sunday, his Lordship the Bishop, commenting on the fact that some of our people contended that the facilities for learning must be better in the State schools than in the Catholic schools, said that to his personal knowledge in one district in New Zealand no "State school, not even the high school, passed candidates in an examination, where both the Brothers' and convent school pupils were successful. Again, he said, he knew of several pupils who had been educated and gained proficiency certificates in the convent schools who were then by ungrateful parents taken awnv and sent to State schools, which would then take all the credit for ultimate results They did this notwithstanding the fact that the Sisters made such concessions as were equivalent to a scholarship, in order to retain the children Such tactics were not only ungrateful, but unjust to -teachers and children alike, and deserved the strongest con. demnation.

xi. SS U x! S " nnay.< * ay . "? xt , the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral is to be celebrated with befitting solemnity. There will be Pontifical High Mass at 11 o'clock, and in the evening Pontifical Vespers, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The occasional preacher will be the Rev Father Ainsworth S.M., of Hokitika. His Lordship the Bishop had hoped that Ins Grace Archbishop Redwood and the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon, Bishop of Dunedin, would have been present, but unfortunately both will be prevented from attending owing :to the respective annual retreats of the clergy being in progress. The celebration of the anniversary of an event so important in the religious life of the Dominion serves as a reminder to those in the diocese whose promised contributions are still unfulfilled and affords an excellent opportunity of sending in donations to lessen the capital liability. Small though constant contributions in the past (with a few notable exceptions of larger donations)- have, it is gratifying to know not only paid the heavy interest, but also enabled the principal to be reduced. At all the Masses and at Vespers on Sunday special collections will be taken up in aid of tha

Cathedral fund, and a genorous response is naturally looked ior by our beloved Bishop, whose strenuous, self-sacrificing labors in the interests of the diocese should appeal to everyone without exception. His Lordship says : 'We as Catfc ohes should nob^rest satisfied in being (in effect) merely, tenants in the house of Our Divine Lord, but should present it to Him as a free offering.' - - -

Addressing the congregation at the early Masses in the Cathedral on Sunday, his Lordship the Bishop eloquently expressed his feelings of congratulation at the fact that the New Zealand Tablet, which had a few years ago received the recognition and approbation of the Sovereign lontiff, the late Pope Leo XIII., who also bestowed upon it his special blessing, was again the recipient of further woll-deserved honors from his illustrious successor, Pope lius X., who conferred the distinction of Doctor of Divinity upon its talented editor. ,Tliis was the wish not alone of the Rev. Dr. Cleary's own Bishop, but also that; ot ins Grace the Metropolitan and the whole of the hierarchy -of tho province of New Zealand, who arc gratined at the recognition and appreciation of his undoubted abilities. Calling attention to the masterly and timely articles now appearing in the columns of the Tablet on the over-present education question, his Lordship said' they should be road by every Catholic and all fair-minded nonCatholics. Those who were not already subscribers should at once become such, or at least procure the numbers in which the articles are appearing. It was a distinct step in advance that contributions on the subject should be sought by such a leading secular paper as the Otago Daily Times which was not alone a recognition of the author's worth as a writer, but also a proof of a broad-minded policy lhc Bishop went on to forcibly deal with the State system of education. To call it 'free,' he said, was a misnomer: it was nothing of the kind, but kept up by special taxation