Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 18 January 1912, Page 21

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON x (From oar own correspondent.) ; / , * January 13. Mr. and Mrs. TrDwan, who have been on a holiday visit to Australia, returned by the Moeraki on Wednesday. . The Sisters of Mercy will hold a garden fete at the Upper Hutt early in February, the object of which will be to provide funds for St. Joseph’s Orphanage. Mr. T. J. Lawlor, son of Mr. D. R. Lawlor, of this city, who has v spent some years ?at Valparaiso, Chile, and who has been on an extended visit to Wellington, left on Friday, by the Moeraki -for Sydney. The Yen, Archdeacon Uevoy, S.M., of St,- Anne’s, Wellington South, has secured the old organ ;of the* Timaru Church for use at St. Anne’s. It is now being overhauled and will be. erected at an early, date. .; j The ladies of Thorndon are interesting themselves in the Marist Brothers’ new school, now being- erected in that parish. To raise the amount necessary to furnish then school a sale of work will be opened in the new school, which will be then finished, on February 1. • Owing to the halls in Wellington South now being utilised for pictures, the parishioners of St. Anne’s find it practically impossible to organise any form of social or entertainment; / Also, on the social side, it is felt that if these socials or entertainments were held it would be the means of bringing the parishioners in touch with one another. At the present time the South Wellington .Catholics possess a small hall which "is at present used as a club room. As there is plenty of 1 ground available a movement has been set on . foot to ' enlarge St. Anne’s Hall to such an extent that it will no longer be necessary to depend on outside halls;' It is proposed to have the enlargement- completed in ; time' for Easter, when the hall will be opened with a bazaar and art union. " * " ■ . 'i. ~

By the Moeraki on Wednesday. there arrived in Wellington, accompanied by the members of his concert party, Mr. John McCormack, who is the most famous; ballad tenor in England at the present day. He is "ah Irishman, and when he , arrived at the , Grand Hotel on - Wednesday afternoon he was accorded an enthusiastic welcome by a “gathering of representatives’ of the Hibernian : Society in Wellington, among those present 4 being’ the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, .Very Rev. Father O'Shea, Rev. -Fathers Hickson, Segrief, and J. Herring, Drs.

Martin, Cahill, and Pollen, and Mr. Martin Kennedy. The principal speakers were Dr. Cahill and Very Rev. Father O’Shea, each of whom referred in glowing terms to the distinguished career of their, young fellow-country-man. A telegram was also received from the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), who regretted that prior engagements prevented his attendance at the reception. The half-yearly meeting of St. Mary’s branch, No. 3, of the Hibernian Society, took place in St. Patrick’s Hall on Monday evening. There was a very large, attendance of members, over which Sister F. O’Flaherty, 8.P., presided. Among the visitors were Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M., V.G., Rev. Father Venning, S.M. (chaplain), and Bro. P. D. Hoskins (St. Patrick’s branch). The election of officers for the ensuing six months resulted as follows; —President, Sister F. O’Flaherty (re-elected) ; vice-president, Sister D. McGrath (re-elected); treasurer, Sister E. McMahon (re-elected unopposed); secretary, Sister G. O’Flaherty (re-elected unopposed); warden, Sister E. Malone; guardian, Sister A. McAleer; sick visitors, Sisters Craig, McAleer, and Delaney ; auditors,. Bro. Hoskins and Sister D. McGrath . (re-elected unopposed) ; trustees, Bros. J. W. Callaghan, Feeney, and H. McKeowen. One new member was initiated and one proposed. Sister G. O’Flaherty was awarded the prize for introducing the most new members during the past year. Several visitors spoke in glowing terms of the great progress of the society, fiftysix members having joined during the past year.

Mr. J. E. Ferguson, District President of the Victorian District of the Hibernian Society, was formally welcomed , by the local Hibernians on last Sunday afternoon at St. Patrick’s Hall, Boulcott street. The Wellington District Deputy, Bro. J. W. Callaghan, presided, and there were also present Bros. J. McCarthy (Petone branch), McErlean and Giles (Newtown), Darby (Thorndon), IT. McKeowen, M. Walsh, W. . J. ; Feeney, McPhee, Hoskins, and McGowan y (City), Sisters Robinson, P. P. and G. O’Flaherty (Ladies’). Bros. Callaghan and McKeowen and Sister G. O’Flaherty, on behalf of Hibernians in Wellington, extended to Bro. Ferguson a hearty, welcome. Bro. Ferguson thanked them for the hearty welcome. It was not only an honor to him personally, but the district over which he presided, and which consisted of 10,000 members. He said he was glad to hear of the progress of the society in New Zealand. He was also glad to inform them of the progress of the society in Victoria, eight branches being opened during the year, two of which were ladies’ branches. Bro. Ferguson also stated that the great work of Catholic Education was taken up by the H.A.B.C. Society in Victoria where, as in New Zealand, it is found very difficult to maintain the schools, but he was glad to inform them that the Government had at last made a concession to them of ten scholarships to be competed for by children attending Catholic schools and tenable in Catholic colleges. Another great work which the society, in conjunction with other Catholic societies, had taken up was the launching into existence of the Catholic Federation, which promised to be a power for good in the future. Its principal planks will be the defence of the Catholic Faith against attacks by the dissemination of Catholic literature, Catholic education, suppression of intemperance, 'vice, the uplifting of Catholics generally and the removal of religious bigotry. In Victoria the membershop is expected to reach 60,000. On the motion of Bro. McGowan, Bro. Ferguson was heartily thanked for the interesting information which he had given them during the course of his speech. An adjournment was then made to Kelburjie Kiosk, * where afternoon tea was partaken of and the party photographed. Masterton (From onr own correspondent.) The annual meeting of the congregation of St, Patrick’s Church was held last Sunday evening, there being a large attendance. Very Rev. Dean McKenna read the balance sheet for the year, which showed a very satisfactory state of affairs, the church and school

being now free of debt. The Dean • stated that four stained glass windows would be placed in. the sanctuary, during the coming year. The windows, which would cost <£Bo, were the gift of individual parishioners. The following Church committee were elected Messrs. H. J. O’Leary, J. Bradbury, H. J. Cassin, J. Savage, J. C. Caspen, J. - O’Dowd, W. Redmond. Very Rev. Dean McKenna gave an account of the purchase of the fish-ponds property, consisting of 12 acres, for church and school purposes. Loud applause followed the Dean’s remark that he.intended giving .£250 from his own pocket towards the purchase of the property, which will cost just over £2OOO. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Dean for his foresight in securing the property. The annual national concert usually held on St. Patrick’s Night, will this year be held on the Wednesday following, March 20. Several singers and musicians from Wellington will -assist. Wanganui " The first half-yearly meeting of the Hibernian Society took place on Friday evening, • January 5, in St. Mary’s Hall, Bro. A. McWilliams presiding. The business paper of the annual meeting, . to be held in Auckland on February 24, was read and discussed, as was also the Government Actuary’s ■ report on the society. The usual half-yearly elections resulted in the following: President, Bro. A. McWilliams; vice- president, Bro. J. G. O’Brien; secretary, Bro. F. J. V. Wilson; treasurer, Bro. McTubbs; warden, Bro, F. Bourke; guardian, Bro. A. Kelly; assistant-secretary, Bro. R. W. Setter; sick visitors, Bros. J. G. O’Brien and F. Bourke; auditors, Bros. Power and Harker; trustees, Bros. C. O’Leary, D. Gaffaney, and D. Martin. Bros. C. O’Leary and P. Keogh resigned their positions of vice-president and warden respectively, on account of business ties. Their resignations were received with regret. It was resolved that after next meeting on' January 19, a social gathering be held among the members in honor of the newly-elected officers.