DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 18 September 1913, Page 25

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.)

■September 15.

The annual appeal in aid of the Cathedral conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was made on last Sunday week in the Cathedral. The occasional sermon was preached at the 11 o’clock Mass by the Rev. Father Murphy, B.A. Writing, on August 3 from St. Bede’s College, Manchester, to the Very Rev. Chancellor Price, Adm., his Lordship the Bishop said that on August 4 he would visit Stonyhurst, where the famous Jesuit college is situated. From there he would return to Ireland, his movements thereafter being indefinite until October, when he was again due at Rome. He had booked his passage back to the Dominion by the Orient liner, Orsova, leaving Naples on November I,_ arriving home, all being well, before Christmas. His Lordship is to be accompanied to Christchurch by the Rev. Maurice Cronin, who has been associated with the diocese of Salford, and will be attached to the Christchurch diocese.

The musical recital given in the Theatre Royal on last Monday evening by Mrs Arthur Mead, Mr Ernest Empson, and a number of friends in aid of Nazareth House, was an unqualified success from every point of view. There was quite a crowded audience, the Very Rev. Dean Hills, 5.M.,. V.G., the Very Rev. Chancellor Price, Adm., and a number of the clergy being among those present. From the opening number, the 'Bridesmaids' chorus' from 'Madame Butterfly,' led by Mrs. Mead, and given by thirty of her young lady pupils, the whole finely selected programme displayed to the full the artistic attainments of the participants. A pleasing feature of the event was the fact, that, with but few exceptions, the concert was given by nonCatholics, and being so well supported proves how much the general public appreciates the noble work .being done here by the devoted Sisters of Nazareth. Reporting to the North Canterbury Board of Education on his recent examination of the Sacred Heart School, conducted by the Sisters of the Missions at Addington, Mr. W. Brock, the inspector, states: ' Satisfactory programmes are presented, showing a substantial measure of work for the period under review. The pupils are exceedingly polite and well behaved, take a serious view of their responsibilities, and in the main are bright and alert. The work in the upperclasses, Standards 111. to VI., is distinctly good, the pupils are well prepared, responsive, and pleasingly accurate. Written exercises are neat', and answers generally expressed in good form. Standards I. and 11. are satisfactory, giving a fairly creditable performance, and promising to develop into good classes before the close of the year. Singing is pleasing, the songs being well sung. Nature study has been made interesting by well-chosen experiments.' Timaru i (From our own correspondent.) September 15. A fortnight ago Rev. Father McCarthy, S.M., commenced a week's mission in the St. Andrews district. He was joined on Tuesday by Very Rev. Father O'Connell, and the services and exercises were attended by large congregations. It is said that a census of the Catholic population of the district could have been obtained at the closing ceremony.

The Rev. Father Taylor, S.M., is just now conducting a series of successful missions along the Pleasant Point railway line. A fortnight ago he was at Cave. During a part of last week he assisted Very Rev. FatUer O'Connell, S.M., at Albury. .The attendance at the various services was a practical illustration of the faith of the people, and of their increasing numerical strength. The Albury mission was concluded by. a Communion breakfast in the Albury Town Hall yesterday morning, to which over there hundred adults sat down. Rev. Father Taylor presided, and the proceedings were marked by a strong Catholic tone. f Father Taylor commenced a week's mission at Fairlie last night, when the church was crowded. \ The children's mission in the Timaru parish, preached by Rev. Father McCarthy, was concluded, on Friday last. It is some years since a mission has been given in the Timaru parish, and great interest is consequently taken in the one which was commenced yesterday at the 11 o'clock Mass by Very Rev. Father O'Connell. This zealous missionary gave an eloquent discourse on the necessity of profiting by the special grace attached to the exercises, and pointed out the means by which the mission could be made most profitable. Rev. Father McCarthy preached in the evening on ' The value of the soul.' On both occasions the sacred edifice was crowded, and extra seating accommodation had to be procured. The mission will last two Weeks, and congregational singing will be made a feature of the services. Rakaia (From our own correspondent.) The bazaar, for which the Catholics of Rakaia have been working so hard for the past nine months, was opened on Saturday afternoon by Very Rev. Dean O'Donnell, of Ashburton. On the platform with Rev. Dr*. Kennedy, the parish priest, was the Hon. C. A C Hardy, M.L.C. Q Dean O'Donnell, in appropriate and well-chosen words, expressed the pleasure it gave him to be once more among his old friends. He complimented the ladies on their artistic display, and said he heartily approved of the object for which the festival had been organised. Rev. Dr. Kennedy thanked Dean O'Donnell in his own name and that of the congregation for coming to open the festival, and at the conclusion of his remarks called for cheers for the Dean and the Hon C. A. C. Hardy. The bazaar was held in the Town Hall, a building admirably suited to the purpose, and the stalls were tastefully and artistically decorated. The pictures for the art union were on exhibition. The art union has been fixed for November 28. The stalls were divided amongst the ladies of the districts comprising the parish, and were as follow: Rakaia,—Mesdames J. O'Connell, A. J. Muller, P. Brown, and Misses Muller (2), Langley, Duncan,' Minis, and B. Hinds. Mitcham—Mesdames T. Moreland, J. Moreland, J. Brown, McAnulty, and Misses Hinds and McAnulty! Mesdames M. Dolan, P. Dolan, and Misses M. Hinds, Hoban, Dolan, and McCrenor. Refreshment—Mesdames Delargev, Marshall, Callaghan, Tully, and Hillgrove. Produce—Mesdames Dunlea and Sheehan. Flowers and Sweets—Miss J. Hinds. Miss J. Hinds was general secretary. A message from Mr. Dickie was read expressing his regret at his inability to attend, and wishing the bazaar every success. The result of the first afternoon and evening far surpassed the expectations of even the most sanguine, and everyone is confident of realising a sum large enough to warrant an early commencement of the projected school and convent.