DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 11 May 1911, Page 867

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) ~ -• A:. - .'■ The May devotions in the Cathedral and St. Mary's Church, Christchurch North, are being largely attended each evening. r • His Lordship Bishop Grimes left ; Te Aroha on last Saturday for Auckland, and expects to reach Christchurch on Thursday of this Meek. On Saturday next the Bishop leaves for Fairlie, and commences an episcopal visitation of that parochial district on the following Sunday. The ladies' branch of the arch-Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament was represented to about its full strength at the ordinary fortnightly meeting in the Cathedral on last Tuesday evening, and upwards of -100 members approached the Holy Table for the monthly Communion oil Sunday morning. The Rev. Father Peter Bouzaid, B.S. (Melchite rite), of Beyrout, and latterly of Auckland, is at present visiting the members of his denomination in Christchurch. In the Cathedral 011-Sunday morning last he celebrated Mass for his co-religionists, which as attended by a number 'of Syrian inhabitants and others. Father Bouzaid intends remaining in this city another week. * '/•-•'-**"•■ The balance sheet of the recent national entertainment in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, prepared bv the secretary (Mr. E. O'Connor), shows that the funds of Nazareth House will profit thereby to the extent of £77 2s 6d.' This is the lowest net result yet realised since the present executive committee of the annual celebration in aid of 'the above object commenced operations, and as the gross returns amounted to £ll4 14s 6d, the comparative smallness of the result to credit is attributed to increased expenditure. The Rev. Father Tyler, M.S.H., late of " Darficld, : is now at Leonora in the diocese of Geraldton. Western Australia, of which parish the Missionaries of the Sacred. Heart have recently taken charge at the request of his Lordship bishop Kelly. Attached to the same community is the Rev. Father Goodman, M.S.H., who, after- ordination in the Christchurch Cathedral by his Lordship Bishop Grimes some years ago, together with Father Tyler and two others of the same Order, was for a time stationed at Rand wick, N.S.W. ■_ The ordinary meeting of St. Patrick's branch H.A.C.B. Society was held in the Hibernian Hall on last Monday evening. Bro. E. L. McKeon, V.P., presided. Six members were declared on the sick fund and two declared- off. Sick pay to the amount of. £l3 2s 6d was passed for payment. Copies of the district annual report were received, and discussion was held over till next meeting. Three candidates were nominated for membership. Bro. R. O'Brien was elected a trustee of the branch. It was. decided to summon a special meeting of the branch for the following Monday evening to .arrange for a welcome to the Irish .Parliamentary delegates. The Marist Brothers'* Old Boys' team mi the president's cup match on last Saturday played a drawn game against Menvale B, each side scoring 6 points. Dobbs and Barnett ior tne Mar Ist Brothers' team scored tries. In the seniors contest Merivale defeated the Marist Brothers'' team. Mr. V Mahoney, who had been playing well for the Marists team, had to retire, having twisted his ankle, an accident tnat Mill probably handicap the team in the next few matches. In the fourth grade match the Marist Brothers' team v playing against Kaiapoi, won by 17 points to nil: 'lnere was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Cathedral from the 11 o'clock Mass until after Vespers on Sunday last. In the evening the Very Rev. Father Price. Adm., preached to a large congregation in explanation of the sacred ceremonies and ritual of the Catholic Church. The subject of his discourse, lucidly expounded, was of a particularly informative nature, especially to the numbers of non-Catholics who attend the Cathedral, notably on each first Sunday evening of the month. "In the procession of the Blessed Sacrament the members of St. Joseph's section of the arch-Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament participated for the first time, it being the feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph. :...... . 7 A representative meeting of parishioners, including a number of ladies, was held on last Sunday afternoon in "the boys' schoolroom to devise, means of paying off the liabilities incurred last year in renovating and refurnishing i the parish schools and improving their approaches. .. The Very Rev. Father Price, Adm., presided. Various projects' were advanced, and it was finally decided to make a "house-to-" house canvass among the parishioners =as a first means in the desired direction. So as not to ■ interfere with the operations of the Irish Parliamentary delegates, the meet- : ing was adjourned to the last'Sunday of May, when collec-

tors will be appointed for various sections of the parish. The balance remaining to be paid off to relieve the guarantors is £OO6 18s 9d. A general meeting of Conferences of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the circumscription of the Particular Council of Christchurch was held on last Monday evening, there being a good attendance of members,, representing the Cathedral, St. .Mary’s, and; St. 'Joseph’s Conferences. Favorable reports were given of the work of the society in their respective centres by the various presidents. That by Bro. A. H. Blake (president of St. Mary’s Conference, Christchurch North), relating to the formation and teaching of a Sunday school at Marshlands, a portion of St. Mary’s parish, in which the Brothers are interesting themselves, was most encouraging and warmly commended. The Very Rev. Father Price, Adm., in the course of a practical address, referring to a matter he spoke of at a previous meeting, that of the formation of a ‘continuation class’ for the study :of -doctrinal and historical questions with which our Catholic people are so frequently and repeatedly confronted, said the need -for such as an exclusive work, as previously contemplated, was somewhat done away with by the fact that, .the discourses given at the fortnightly meetings of thekarch-Confratcrnity of the Blessed Sacrament _ were intended to be in the direction indicated. By urging membership of the confraternity, therefore, the brothel’s would accomplish the same desirable object, and incidentally from among the number replenish the membership of their own society. He asked the assistance of the society in the formation of Catholic corps in connection with the present Defence proposals. One or . more chaplains would then be appointed, and the exclusively Catholic companies would have the advantage of Mass and instruction when in camp. He congratulated Bro. Blake on the inauguration of a Sunday school at Marshlands, which was a great step in the right direction. Their first duty was to the children, and the present position of AVoolston with its Catholic day schooland church combined was the outcome of a similar enterprise of the Cathedral Conference. He also warmly commended St. Joseph’s Conference Mission to Catholic Seamen at Lyttelton for its successful work.