GOOD SHEPHERD: CONVENT, MT. MAGDALA

New Zealand Tablet, 11 January 1912, Page 11

GOOD SHEPHERD: CONVENT, MT. MAGDALA

r (From our Christchurch" correspondent.) " : ■ Her Excellency Lady Islington, - accompanied by ;, ; :•'•. the Hon. Miss 0 Stapleton-Cotton and Captain* Shannon, j(=. ■;; visited :Mt:;Magdala"oriA'the afternoon of December 27. .■ She was met on arrival by his Lordship the Bishop, the Very Rev. Father Price, Adm., and members of the ■ i c %Community. 'rj Her Excellency first visited the inmates,' : '/-/% whose reception room was tastefully decorated for the ; v;. occasion. After the singing of the National Anthem, v the following address of welcome wasread: '■; ■ '■> y < ■■■' May it-please your •- Excellency, honor you , confer on us to-day/gleams as the evening star of 1911, and mid its brilliant rays is revealed the kindly condescension of _ the generous and noble in your deigning to ' afford such a ' pleasure to this : humble portion of the . great island Dominion, whose least ones, here at Mt. Magdala, cherish loyal * affection ; for his Excellency, ■v-j Lord Islington, the representative of his Most Gracious .Majesty, our good Sovereign;. Permit us to voice the grateful sentiments your Excellency's visit : has awakened in our hearts. May the coming : ; New; Year .from dawn till gloaming hours be ah: uninterrupted chain of k joyous blessings—this will be our earnest- • prayer for ' you and yours. . Again . tendering to your ;; Excellency our most cordial greetings of welcome, we have the honor to be, your Excellency most respectful V and grateful Children of the Good Shepherd's Institute Mount Magdala.' t ■ ,-- • ' ■ Twenty of the* inmates, each holding. a letter, showed in the last figure of a floral march the sentence—- ' God bless Lady Islington.' Verses of welcome 5 were* sung. - In gracious terms her Excellency said that when . ; his Lordship invited her to Mt. Magdala, she had no - . idea such a charming welcome awaited her. She thanked ; all for their good wishes for the New Year, and ex-

pressed the hope that at 'its:close one and' all would in retrospect have nought to regret in word or deed. It would have been a regret to leave New Zealand without visiting Mt. Magdala, and' the remembrance of the beautiful and touching welcome she" had received would be the sweetest souvenir of 191 1. In conclusion, Lady Islington wished all a happy ' New Year, and said she would wish-to address each individually if time: permitted. After visiting the laundry departments, Lady Islington proceeded to the orphanage; > The little ones recited verses of greeting, read an address of welcome, and went through a hoop drill. ,Her Excellency again graciously thanked; the children for their", cordial welcome, and reciprocated their good wishes for the New : Year. She promised to tell good Queen Mary of her dear New Zealand -children; who had given her so much pleasure, and asked the -Rev. Mother to grant the children a holiday. '