Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 11 January 1912, Page 21

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON - (From our own correspondent.) ■■■■■;■■..*■■■■«• ..'*". /January 6. ! Rev. Brother Justin, Superior of the Marist Brothers in Wellington, left last week for Sydney on a holiday visit. . ■■'';■ >-■-. • The annual retreat of the clergy of the archdiocese of Wellington will '. commence on February 5, at St • Patrick's College. J ;: . Bro. Ferguson,; District President of. the Victorian District of the H.A.C.B. Society, is at present in Wellington on ; a holiday visit. ■ The: local Hibernians will formally welcome him to-morrow afternoon. -

> Last Sunday special devotions were held at the confraternity church (St. % Anne's). - Rev. , £ Father Joseph Herring, S.M., one of the h recently r ordained priests, preached, and new members were enrolled. The monthly meetings of the ladies' -branches of the Sacred- Heart Society were held :at ; St* Joseph's, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and St. Anne's^ last evening, and were largely, attended. Rev. Father C. J. Venning, S.M., addressed the meeting at v St. Joseph's whilst Rev. Father Segrief addressed that at St. Anne's! ■' Thursday was the ': twenty-fifth anniversary of the wedding vof ; Mr. and x Mrs. A. A. Corrigan. Though the occasion was; not marked by -any special function" the staff; of the D.I.C. in Wellington, of ' which Mr! CorriganMs7 the general manager; did not allow.' the event to ;pass; unnoticed. When Mr. Corrigan arrived home that evening, he was surprised to receive a very handsome silver rose-bowl and a pair of silver vases from the staff over which he has presided as manager for so many years. It was i a thoughtful and grateful act. which shows the excellent feeling ; which exists between Mr. Corrigan and those under him. v . tt Bro. J « W. Callaghan, District Deputy of „ the H.A.C.B. Society, opened a branch of, the society at Levin last month. Sixteen, members were initiated at the opening ceremony, including Rev. Father Coghet who has given every encouragement to the movement! What struck Bro. Callaghan was the'eagerness of th»

members to hold office and the keen interest they displayed in discussing the business of'_ the meeting,- signs which ! augur well for the future: of the branch! ' After the business, a pleasant social evening was spent. Bro. R. A/McDonald, who'has been appointed treasurer, is deserving of great praise for the efforts he has made to establish the branch. • Bro. -Doyle has been elected to the position of president...

</fc: When it was made known recently that the Thorndon parish boys' school was to lose the services of the Marist Brothers, owing to the difficulty experienced by the Rev' Brother Provincial (Brother Paul) in providing the necessary staff for the school, several deputations of Thorndon parishioners waited on the -Rev. Brother Provincial :'. and expressed a very keen desire that the school should be staffed by the Marist Brothers, and '( informed him that V the parishioners were ; exceedingly anxious for the Brothers to continue the good work of the past. In replying Rev. Brother Paul expressed his desire to do all in his power to meet the wishes of the parishioners,, but -that; it was. a most difficult matter. Anyhow he would give the matter his most thoughtful consideration and communicate with Rev. Father Hickson, S.M., Adm. j The result of Rev. Brother Paul's deliberations was announced at a special meeting ..« of the parishioners on last Thursday evening by Rev. Father Hickson, and was to the effect that the requisite' number of Brothers was forthcoming to carry on the school. It was then immediately moved that the motion passed at the previous meeting, to the effect that pending the engagement of another Order of Brothers, the school be handed : over to ; the Sisters of Mercy; be rescinded. Another motion was then moved that the Marist Brothers take charge of -the school. Both the motions were unanimously; and enthusiastically carried. The news of the Brothers' : intention to continue the school has caused r widespread satisfaction to the people of Thorndon, especially- those who had been old,pupils of the school, and who were very disappointed when was first announced that the Brothers were unable to carry on. Gratitude is expressed on-every side to Rev. 'Brother Paul for /his efforts on behalf of the Thorndon parishioners. * , - \

The annual meeting of St. Patrick's branch of the H.A.C.B. Society was held at St. Patrick's Hall on last Tuesday evening, there being a large attendance of members Under the presidency of Bro. W. J. Feeney, P.P. The District Deputy, Bro: J. W. Callagh'an, P.P., was also present. The election of officers for the ■ ensuing half-year resulted, as-follows:—President, Bro. J. J. L. Burke vice-president, Bro. M. Walsh; treasurer, Bro. J. McKeowen; warden, Bro. J. Sullivan ; guardian, Bro. A. Barnes sick visitors, Bros. Condon and oCallaghan; auditors, Bros., H. McKeown and F. McDonald; delegate to dispensary," Bro. J. W. Callaghan; delegate to United Friendly Societies' Council, Bro. M. OKane;/ medical attendants, Drs. Cahill, Mackin;.McEvedy; Clay, Bowerbank, and Anderson. The secretary presented the quarterly balance sheet for, December /quarter, together with the annual returns, as required the Government Registrar of Friendly Societies, under the Act of -1909. He also presented a report for the year just ended, which proved interesting, and -, disclosed to the members ; the position of -the society. From it is extracted a few interesting paragraphs^—The membership of the branch, ;iwhich is the parent branch of the Wellington district, is 300,. the receipts for 7 the/ year totalled £IOOO,- whilst the expenditure came to £930, leaving- a'? profit of ,£7O for the year, which was considered satisfactory owing to the abnormal amount of sickness experienced, and for which no less a sum than £265 was paid. Of this sum £65 was paid: to members on what is termed the Superannuation allowance. ; ; During the past fifteen years sno less than £BOO has been paid out to this class' of? member ,\> whilst the total sick i pay paid- out since 1894 came to £3600, or an average of £2OO-per annum. The management and benevolent funds also disclosed satisfactory progress. _■■. The installation 'of the newly-elected officers takes place at the next meeting on, 15th January. p.i .