DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 6 April 1911, Page 618

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) April 3. His Lordship the Bishop is at present staying at Hanmer Springs, and intends returning to Christchurch at the end of this week. On Palm Sunday the blessing of the Palms will be at half-past 10 o'clock in the Cathedral, at which his Lordship the Bishop will officiate.

At the quarterly examination of the Marist Brothers' School the results were read out by the Rev. Dr. Kennedy, and the prize allotted to the two top boys of each class in the following order: Civil service, Linus Ryan, Joseph Dowd; Standard VI.— M. Reddington, M. Cronin, A. Gregory: Standard V. —O. McAloon, E. McLaren, R. Murfitt; Standard IV.— Grant, T. Pollard, F. O'Brien, T. Gibbs; Standard lII.—F. Maine, J. Dale, P. Goulding; Standard 11. Neilson, F. Archer, H. Dacombe; Standard I. —J. Drumm, L. Teller, J. Dobbs; Preparatory— Holland, H. Bamfield, F. Pender. After assisting at the special 8 o'clock Mass in the Cathedral on Sunday, the Marist Brothers' School Cadets were entertained at breakfast in the Schoolroom, and were waited on by lady friends. The Rev. Father Creagh, C.SS.R., was present, and addressed the boys in appropriate terms. The company paraded later to the number of seventy, under Lieutenant Thorn (in command), Lieutenants McCarthy and Christopher, and marched by way of Moorhouse avenue, Manchester street, and High street, to the Cathedral, where they attended the 11 o'clock Mass. The order, discipline, and marching of the young corps were decidedly good, and elicited much favorable and complimentary comment.

With the object of improving the attendance at the school, the Marist Brothers proposed to get an ' attendance shield,' to be competed for by the various classes.' Their desire was anticipated by Messrs. T. P. Nolan, J. Madden, and J. Holland, who obtained a shield and presented it to the school. The class with the highest attendance during the week has the shield hung in front of it during that period, and is entitled also to be let out earlier on the Friday afternoon. So far, the competition for the shield has proved very keen, and at no time since its introduction has the attendance been below 92 per cent. The sixth, fifth, and second standards have each possessed it twice, and the.third standard once.

The remarkable success attending the Mission in the Cathedral by the Bedemptorist Fathers continues unabated. The 6 and 9 o'clock Masses each morning are celebrated in the presence of quite large congregations, and a large proportion of the people approach daily the Holy Table, whilst nearly all remain for the brief instruction of the officiating Missionary. Each evening the Cathedral is crowded, when an impressive discourse is preached. During last week the subjects dealt with on successive evenings, were: God's mercy to repentant sinners,' God's justice.' On Wednesday evening the Rev. Father Lynch,, C.SS.R., took for his subject the obligations of parents "in regard to their families, and gave a practical find impressive discourse. On Thursday evening the Rev. Father Creagh, C.SS.R.,

Superior of the Mission, was preacher, and'addressed the large congregation on the ' Sufferings of the Man God.' The devotion of the 'Stations of the Cross' formed a portion of the service, a meditation being made by the preacher on each station as depicting the way to Calvary, the sufferings of Christ and the Crucifixion. The Infinite Treasure given by God to Man was the subject treated on Friday evening, when the Rev. Father Whelan, C.SS.R., preached an eloquent discourse on 'the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.' Another stirring address was that on the prevalent evils of the present day. What was probably the most edifying sight witnessed during this or any previous mission, was that of last Sunday morning, when at a special Mass, celebrated for men only at 8 o'clock, the Cathedral was quite half filled with youths and men of the parish. The Hibernians were there in force, wearing regalia, the members of the Marist Brothers' Old Boys' Association in great numbers, the Catholic Club, wearing distinctive, colors, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Marist Brothers' School Cadets in their smart uniform and equipment, and many others, young and old. All, with scarcely an exception, approached the Holy Table. The great number present would have been larger were it not that many men for family reasons were obliged to attend other Masses. Almost as edifying a sight was that witnessed at the 7 o'clock Mass at which almost the entire congregation, composed for the most part of women, also approached the Holy Table. At the 11 o'clock Mass a mission sermon was preached, and in the evening the Cathedral was again entirely crowded, even the sanctuary being availed of to accommodate the men. The occasional preacher was the Rev. Father Creagh, C.SS.R., who delivered an eloquent and most impressive discourse on the 'Godhead of Our Divine Redeemer.' The Mission is to be continued until Sunday next, and each evening a special address will be given on the subject of which that of Sunday evening was the first. The Sisters of Notre Dame des Missions, Lower High Street, Christchurch, have received from the InspectorGeneral of Schools. Wellington, the following report of their' High School, which was inspected on February 23: The high school comprises both primary and secondary departments. _ The course of instruction, consisting of English, Latin, French, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, history, botany, geography, geometrical drawing, cookery, dressmaking, commercial work, wood-carving, music, painting, singing, elocution, and religious instruction. : s arranged, partly to meet the requirements of the Civil Service and Matriculation examinations, and to provide for the pupils a suitable programme of work two years in advance of the certificates of proficiency requirements. To accomplish this end, a wide range of choice is permissible, but, notwithstanding this freedom of selection, all the pupils, except two, who are taking a commercial course, include Latin and French in their list of subjects. The time-tables have been drawn up so as to make satisfactory provision for the various subjects taught, and on Friday afternoon the work ceases earlier to enable a programme of sports to be carried out. Domestic work and art subjects are principally taught on Saturday. Very satisfactory methods of instruction were in use, and were applied with a reasonable amount of skill and much earnestness. A good programme of practical work in botanv is being followed. _ The value of the concrete in the teaching of mathematics is recognised, and a suitable course of prac" tical geometry has been drawn up. The girls were thoroughly interested in their work, and seemed most anxious, not only to comply with the wishes of their teachers, but even to anticipate them. The diligence and conduct of the girls were in every way commendable. Satisfactory provision is made for the physical education of the pupils.—(Signed) T. IT. Gilt,, Inspector.' The following punils of the same school have been successful in passing Pitman's shorthand examination, held in December last:Katie O'Connor, Annie O'Neill, Mattie Hood; and at the recent teachers' certificate examination, three obtained part of C, three full D., and four partial D. As the accommodation of the school is now taxed to its utmost, the Sisters are contemplating erecting this year a new high school and training college. In connection with their training college, they have already inaugurated large, classes in preparation for the teachers' D. and C. certificate examinations, and at the same time, are giving due attention to the training of their teachers in all the methods and principles... of efficient teaching and school management.