ST. BENEDICT'S CLUB, AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 28 August 1913, Page 51

ST. BENEDICT'S CLUB, AUCKLAND

V (From the club correspondent.) ' ", -..The-half-yearly meeting of St. Benedict’s Catholic Club was held in the club’rooms on Sunday, July 20. The president (Mr. A. . J. Fernandez) occupied the chair, and there were present Right Rev. Mgr. Gillan (patron;, Rev. Father Forde (chaplain), Rev. Father McLaughlin, and a large number of members. The report on the work of the club, presented by the secretary, showed it to be in a very prosperous condition, and the fact that all the members on the roll are financial augurs well for its future. Monsignor Gillan spoke at some length on the benefits of Catholic clubs, and exhorted the members to stand firmly together, and thereby. assist in upholding the position a Catholic club should occupy. - / Rev. Fathers Forde and McLaughlin also addressed the members. ' On the motion of Mr. J. J. Sullivan it was decided to form a special guild for the club members in the sodality of the Sacred Heart in St. Benedict’s parish. The election of officers if or the ensuing term resulted as follows:—President, Mr. J. G. Foy; vicepresident, Mr. D. Roe; treasurer, Mr. R. H. Owens; secretary, Mr. N. D. Mahoney; assistant secretary, Mr. C. Evans; custodian, Mr. D. Slade; librarian, Mr. N. Earlly. A vote of thanks to the retiring officers was carried unanimously.

1 Qreymouth

(From our own correspondent.) Last Sunday a collection was taken up at both. Masses, for the church extension and presbytery fund. There was a capital . response, close on £3OO being realised. The annual games tourney between the club and' the members of the Young Men’s Club was held in the latters’ rooms on Friday last. A very pleasant evening was spent, the club representatives proving successful. The annual debate between the, St, Columba and Trinity Clubs was held on Monday last in Trinity Hall. The club team — C. Rasmussen (leader), A. McSherry, M. Keating, and A. Frazerupheld the negative of the question, ‘ That the Asiatic races will dominate the world.’ Mr. Sargent acted as judge, and gave his decision in favor of Trinity. At the same time he congratulated the club team, and said that it was the most interesting debate he had ever listened to. On Sunday last and during the past week all the Masses have been celebrated in the Columba Hall, the accommodation being severely taxed on several occasions, The contractors have the additions to the church well in hand, and are working energetically to have it ready by next Sunday. The alterations provide for an extra 20 feet in width, the two side walls having been demolished. It was found imperative to lay down new flooring, as white pine was used when erecting the church, and the floor was found to be almost eaten away. New seats will also be provided for the main body of the church., When completed, the seating accommodation in St. Patrick's will be second only to the Christchurch Cathedral, and, as Dean Carew pointed out last Sunday, the whole work will run to close on £6OOO. The usual meeting of the Hibernian Society was held on Sunday, the 17th inst., a large number of members being. present. A transfer was granted one brother to the Christchurch branch. At the conclusion of the ordinary business, Bro. Quinlan (president), said that a very pleasing duty devolved upon him. The success which attended the last sports and. art union was in a great measure due to two members— Bro. J Deere and Bro. M. Ryan,—and members felt that the society should recognise, in some way, the efforts of these two worthy brothers. In asking Bro. Deere to accept a very handsome P.P. collar, suitably

inscribed, and Bro. Ryan an illuminated certificate; suitably framed, he hoped the recipients would accept them as tokens of esteem and acknowledgment of valuable services rendered. , Both brothers suitably responded. ' ■

Gisborne ■■ ■ (From our { own correspondent.) ~ August * 17. This was a red letter day in the lives of fifty' of our Catholic children, . who received their First “ Communion. . St. Mary’s Church was crowded at the 8 o’clock Mass, which was celebrated : by. Rev. Father Lane, and appropriate hymns were sung by the children's choir. Father Lane, addressing the children, urged them to ever treasure the memory of that' happy day. Speaking again at the second Mass,'Father Lane referred in scathing terms to the illicit supplying of liquor along the line between Gisborne and Matawai. It was a common occurrence to see youths, some of them barely sixteen years of age, under the influence of the vile stuff, sold as spirituous liquor. In concluding his address, Father Lane said: ‘To-night, whilst the Blessed Sacrament it exposed, I will ask every boy and girl to promise to abstain from intoxicating liquor until they are 21 years of age. The Children of Mary provided a bountiful breakfast for the children who made their First Communon, the Sisters of St. Joseph carefully trained and prepared them for the very important event in their lives. At Vespers,, all the children, of the parish renewed their Baptismal vows. . : 4During the next two weeks Father Lane will be absent from Gisborne,' visiting the coastal district. Rev. Father Finn, of Ormond, will celebrate one Mass each Sunday at 7.30 o’clock.