DiOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12, 25 March 1909, Page 459

DiOCESE OF AUCKLAND

(By Telegraph from our own correspondent.)

March 22. I reocret to say that the Rev. Father Kehoe, of Parnell, is unwell. Comment upon the dimensions and appearance and" 1 order of- the great procession through the city on St. Patrick's Day continues to be heard on all sides. It caused the greatesb surprise, and the moral effect 4s beyond measure. Our people are highly elated at the result achieved. __ N At the It o'clock Mass at St. Benedict's yesterday tiie Right Rev. Mdnsiguor Gillftn, V:GL, was invested in the purple robes of his new office of Domestic Prelate by Bishop Lenihan. The "ceremony took place on the steps of the high altar. Before the ceremony the Bishop extolled thp excellent work accomplished by Monsignor Gillan for many years in various portions of the diocese, bub par- . ticularly in the. parish of St. Benedict's. With his work as Vicar-General during the Bishop's absence all were i-c-quainted. ' The progress of the diocese,' said his Lordship, ' had not been impaired oying to my absence in the past year ; on the contrary, it had gone ahead, and he wished to thank the Vicar-General, tho priests, .and the people for it. He therefore, while in Rome, sought and obtained from his Holiness this distinction for the VicarGeneral in order to mark the love, esteem, and admiration which he felt towards him, and in which he felt sure they all, especially St. Benedict's parishioners, heartily joined. He wished Monsignor Gillan many years of useful work in the seryipe of God and in the spiritual and temporal interests of the people to whom he' was so devotedly attached.' Father Holbrook then read in Latin and English the brief conferring the title of Monsignor, with the accompanying honor of Domestic Prelate," by the Pope, signed by Cardinal Merry del Val. Monsignor Gillan, in choice and brief language from the pulpit, thanked the Bishop for his too laudatory remarks concerning his humble work ; he also thanked the people who assembled that morning from all parts of the city to do him honor. With God's help and the support of his people, he would strive to do his duty. High Mass was sung by Father Williams, Fathers Brennan and Holbrook being deacon and subdeacon respectively. After Mass a procession of the Blessed Sacra ment took place around the cnurch. The Children of Mary and the pupils of the convent school, in white veils and dresses, and a large number of altar boys, assistedin the procession. The Exposition continued throughout tho afternoon until Vespers, and large numbers visibed tho church. In the evening the Bishop attended and preached on the Eueharistic Congress in London, after which he gave Pontifical Benediction. The altar was handsomely decorated by the Sisters of St. Joseph.