DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1911, Page 762

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

(By Telegraph from our own correspondent.) April 24. His Lordship Bishop Grimes arrived bv the express train on last Thursday morning at Taumarunui. His Lordship Bishop Verdon arrived yesterday morning by the Monowai, and was met on arrival by Bishop Cleary, Dr. Verdon goes hence to Rotorua. Rev. Father Kervegan, S.M., of Tonga, arrived here last week, and stayed at the Catholic presbytery while in the city. He left this evening for Sydney. The Irish delegates speak at His Majesty’s Theatre, Auckland, on June 2. The provincial meetings will take place the following week, the dates of which are now being arranged with places north and south of the city. His Lordship the Bishop has been presented with a magnificent rochet, which took four years to make. Dr. Cleary in thanking the donor said he had seen no better work or design in his wide experience. Miss Mcllhone, who made it, has been the recipient of great praise for her splendid handiwork, skill, and artistic taste in producing so excellent an article. Rev. Father Brennan, for many years assistant priest at St. Benedict’s, where he has labored most zealously, has been promoted to the charge of the newly created parish of Te Kuiti. He has earned the esteem and affection not • only of the people of St. Benedict’s, but also of those of the surrounding parishes, because he joined every movement having for its object the welfare and progress of the Church. He will be farewelled next Wednesday evening, and he leaves next day for his new sphere of labors. . Rev. Father Bartley, S.M., M.A., addressed the members of the Holy Family Confraternity last Tuesday night upon topics of general interest. He urged his hearers to read constantly and well good Catholic books, magazines and newspapers. An enlightened laity was the best auxiliary the clergy could have, and for which they longed. ‘You men,’ he said, ‘should bo always able to account of the faith that is in you, to 1 repel those attacks upon the Church either in the press, platform, factory, or elsewhere.’ There would be no fear of the future were this done. They should begin to study, not be daunted, because the men who became distinguished in science, history and philosophy, began in a small way, and often met with failure, but eventually triumphed; so it would be with his hearers. A pleasant and successful function was held at the Sacred Heart College on Wednesday evening the occasion being the welcome given to his Lordship Bishop Cleary by the past and present students of the College. A large i ' —•

number of the clergy were present, and a representative gathering of old boys. * Rev. Brother Clement welcomed his Lordship on this his first official visit to the college, and referred to the enthusiasm the advent of such a renowned educationist had inspired. i Mr. E. Mahony read the following address on behalf of the past students of the college: >- ‘ May it please your Lordship, —We, the past students of the Sacred Heart College, welcome you to the diocese of Auckland with delight and pride. You are no stranger to us, because your erudition, made so manifest by your extensive literary productions, has been to us, in our pursuit of knowledge, an incalculable aid which we welcomed and treasured. We acclaim you as, a champion of Catholic education in a period when secularism and materialism find too ready an acceptance in the minds of those who profess to educate our youths, and to lead the masses of the people. We fully recognise the immense task; and consequent arduous labors, which await you in your diocese, above all the multiplication and maintenance of schools amongst which our Alma Mater will assuredly rank high, and fully conscious of the inestimable benefits, spiritual and temporal, to be derived from a sound Catholic education we unreservedly pledge to your Lordship our whole-hearted cooperation towards the consummation of these high ideals and imperishable monuments. In conclusion, we fervently hope that your Lordship may be granted health and strength to guide the united work of priests and people in your diocese, and our constant prayer will be that Almighty God may grant you Ad multos annos. ‘ We beg to subscribe ourselves, your Lordship’s most obedient children, , ‘The Sacred Heart College Old Boys.’ Mr. D. O’Connor then read the following address on behalf of the present students: ‘ May it please your Lordship,—ln welcoming you on the occasion of your first official visit to us, we, the boys of the Sacred Heart College, offer your Lordship our heartiest congratulations on your appointment to the See of Auckland, and beg to pay our dutiful homage to you our pastor. In common with the rest of the diocese, we rejoice , that the Holy See has given us as our prelate a celebrated Doctor of the Church, an administrator of undoubted ability, an accomplished gentleman, and a man whom Auckland will be proud to claim as a citizen. It affords us particular pleasure to welcome in the person of your Lordship, a great educationalist. For, although your untiring efforts on behalf of the youth of New Zealand cannot be fully appreciated until several generations will have passed, we assure your Lordship that we recognise the benefits that institutions such as our Alma Mater receive, and are about to receive from your strenuous opposition to the educational policy of the Government. We are particularly grateful to your lordship for _ the interest you have taken in the college, and the practical manner in which you have recently shown it by appointing a college chaplain. We hope that the enthusiasm and zeal which your presence has already" inspired in the Catholic body of Auckland may grow in fervor and in extent, and be marshalled into a definite and powerful force which, under the direction of your Lordship, will bring about several reforms eminently desirable for the propagation of the faith in New Zealand. In conclusion, we respectfully extend to your Lordship a hearty welcome to the halls of our Alma Mater, and earnestly hope that you may long be spared, in health and prosperity, to carry to completion the good works you have so auspiciously commenced in the diocese eof Auckland. ‘We beg to subscribe ourselves, your Lordship’s most obedient servants, ‘ The Boys of the Sacred Heart College.’ On rising to reply, his Lordship was received with prolonged applause. After expressing his gratitude for the cordial welcome which had been extended to him, he said that it was from among the past and present students of the college he hoped to draw that picked body of Catholic men, who would fight the battles of the faith in his diocese. The magnificent welcome he had received from the students and old boys of the college, and the reception accorded to him a short time back by the Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Association, convinced him that he had strong allies among the Marist students to aid him in the work of the diocese. There was a need for greater educational facilities than as yet existed in the diocese. The value of a sound Catholic education which developed the character while informing the mind was never so apparent as in our day. His Lordship exercised the time honored privilege of granting the boys a holiday, a favor which was received with loud applause by the present students. A number of toasts were honored during the evening, Ihe toast of our ‘ Alma Mater ’ was proposed by Mr C Dunn and responded to by Rev. Brother Clement. ■ Rev' Brother George proposed the toast of ‘ The Visitors,’ which was responded to by Mr. McVeagh. The toast of ‘The Present Students’ was proposed by Mr. E. Mahony, and responded to by Master P. O’Sullivan. Master D. O’Connor proposed the toast of ‘ The Old Boys,’ Mr. C. Carroll replied on behalf of the past students. The toast of ‘ Our Chani? 1 Proposed by Master; Levin, was responded to by Rev Father Smiers, the college chaplain. A number of musical items were given during the evening, and a most enjoyable function was brought to a close by the singing of AulcJ