DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 25 February 1915, Page 26

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) February 22. The orphan children of Mount Magdala were treated to a delightful outing in motor cars to Waikuku Beach, and generously entertained there by members of the Automobile Association on last Saturday week. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd express their grateful appreciation of the kindness extended. Favored with suitable weather on next Saturday the excursion to Ashburton, under the auspices of the Cathedral schools’ committee, promises to be most successful and enjoyable. Members of the committee have worked hard to perfect arrangements, and as this is the first similar Catholic outing at such a distance for a considerable time, it should be largely patronised. Arrangements have been completed for the opening of a Sunday school at Linwood for the large number of Catholic children in the district, who reside at too great a distance from the Cathedral to avail themselves of the opportunities offered to attend the Christian doctrine classes there. The kindergarten schoolroom in ilolleston street has been secured for the purpose, and already about .thirty children have given in their names. The Sunday school will be conducted by the Sisters of the Missions and assistants. Of the fifty nurses that are being sent by New Zealand for service in the Ijeld under the direction of the British War Office, eight will be supplied by Canterbury, and the whole eight ladies who have been chosen were trained at the Christchurch Public Hospital. The first mentioned among those on the published list is Nurse Fanning, one of a Catholic family in this city. Sister Rose Gertrude Fanning commenced her training in the Christchurch Hospital in March, 1905, and passed her final examinations and gained her certificates three years later. She was appointed a sister in 1909 and resigned that position in October of the following year to take up private nursing. During her sister-

ship she was in charge of the operating theatre ahd also of the women’s medical ward. Subsequent to leaving the Christchurch Hospital she was for some time locum tenens for a matron bn the West Coast, and since then has been nursing in Sister Beck’s hospital in*Gloucester street. . .. y ‘ The Rev. Father P. H. Fanning, M.S.H., who has been in charge of the Darfield parish for the past six and a-half years, leaves next week to take up work in Australia He will probably spend some weeks on furlough 'in Sydney, He will be much missed by his parishioners and the public generally. At a recent meeting of the Belgian fund committee, special reference was made to the work he has done in connection with that body; his" efforts having helped materially in making a success of the collections and entertainments organised. His place will be taken by the Rev. Father Richard Graham, M.S.H., of Sydney. Under the auspices of St. Patrick’s branch of the H.A.C.B. Society, a most interesting and enjoyable entertainment, described as ‘ An Irish night of scene, song, and story,’ was given in the presence of an audience, including several of the clergy, which crowded the Hibernian Hall to excess on last Tuesday evening. A musical and elocutionary programme, contributed to by Mrs. Commons, Miss Main, Messrs. Frank McDonald, P. J. McNamara, and A. MacDonald, and consisting wholly of items of a national character, met with much acceptaftce. Another popular item was an Irish jig danced by Mr. J. Gilmore, the whole programme being opened with a finely staged tableau, entitled ‘ Erin free,’ the central figure being taken by Miss Manuela Banfield, guarded by a detachment of the Marist Brothers’ School Cadets in uniform and equipment. During this scene, Mr. C. Fottrell sang ‘ A nation once again.’ Mr. P. Augarde played several pianoforte selections, and also the accompaniments. In a few brief but appropriate remarks, the Rev. Father Long (branch chaplain) introduced Dr. H. T. J. Thacker, M.P. for Christchurch East, who, after expressing his appreciation of being afforded an opportunity of contributing to the evening’s entertainment, proceeded to give an illustrated lecture, entitled ‘ A trip through Ireland.’ Numerous beautiful views were shown by the lecturer of places and scenes familiar to him from his youthful days when a medical student in Dublin. These evidenced a true sense of the beautiful and artistic in nature, and the constructive genius of an advanced people. As a matter of fact nothing better, or nearly so good in a similar connection, has been shown here, and their selection at once stamps Dr. Thacker as an ardent lover of his country. He, too, has evidently made a close and intimate study of the life, character, and tradition of the Irish people, and was thus enabled, not alone, to describe the various scenes and objects, but to clothe in local coloring incidents and experiences that had impressed him. Nowhere in Ireland (he said), with many years of experience and travels, over the length and breadth, and throughout the interior of the country, had he met with the grotesque individual pictured by the ‘ stage Irishman,’ neither had he ever met with any of the many other senseless and stupid things attributed to the country by her enemies. To those familiar with the Old Land, the scenes reproduced and described must for the nonce have transported them back to their dear homes and haunts of other days, whilst those of New Zealand birth certainly saw and learnt much that will not be easily forgotten. All, indeed, have reason to be exceedingly grateful to the genial. doctor for his able lecture, and for the pleasure and information derived therefrom. At an interval Mr. T. B. Pike led in the song ‘ Erin, beautiful Erin,’ the audience joining in in the refrain, and also at the end in the chorus, ‘ God save Ireland.’ At the conclusion, Dr. Thacker was very cordially thanked, as were also all those who had contributed to the programme. The stage was prettily and effectively decorated by Mr. J, Joyce, landscape gardener. ‘

LEWISHAM HOSPITAL. . ' ; • (From our Christchurch correspondent.) . On last Sunday afternoon the ceremony of laying the foundation'stone of . permanent additions to the Lewisham Hospital, Bealey avenue, conducted by the Nursing Sisters ■of the Little Company of Mary, was performed by his Excellency the Governor, Lord Liverpool, in the presence of a numerous gathering. With " the proposed addition of accommodation, provision will be made for a private ward for patients unable to' pay. These will be admitted free without consideration of creed -or nationality. Among those present were her Excellency Lady Liverpool, the Mayor of Christchurch and Mrs. Holland, several members of the Legislature and prominent citizens. His Lordship the Bishop, who welcomed the visitors, was accompanied by the Very Kev. Chancellor Price, Adm., the Rev. Mother Xavier> (Superior, Lewisham Hospital, Sydney), and Rev. Mother Boniface (Superior of the Christchurch Community) . After blessing the foundation stone, his Lordship Bishop Grimes said that on behalf of the Superior and the Community of Nursing Sisters, he was desired to tender their Excellencies, a very hearty welcome. Their Excellencies’ personal co-operation in hospital matters on Saturday and that afternoon showed their sympathy with the cause of the suffering human race. It was about twelve years ago that the good Sisters, with Mother Xavier, to whom they owed so much, with Mother Joseph and Sister Bridget, had come over with the idea of establishing a second Lewisham in Christchurch, and they had gone away delighted with the country and with Christchurch. It did not require any great efforts on the speaker’s part to induce them to come here and establish a foundation of their celebrated hospital. They came last year, and, by a strange coincidence, he had been struck down by sickness and became an inmate of the hospital. Providence, that arranged all things, arranged that he should be able to study the work of the Sisters at first hand, and he had no words strong enough to express the high appreciation in which he held their work, and he fully understood why the medical staff were so loud in their praise of the Sisters. Nursing was a noble profession, and demanded much skill, care, and devotion, but the Sisters looked at it as more than a profession; it was in their eyes a vocation, and they felt that every patient' that came into the hospital, irrespective of race or creed, was a representative of Him Whom they humbly wished to serve. The Bishop said that he was not a prophet, but he felt safe in predicting that the work of the hospital was certain of a successful future. Dr. A. B. O’Brien read apologies from the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, the Hon. Sir Charles Bowen, Sir Joseph Ward, Sir Geo. Clifford, Messrs. A. E. G. Rhodes and G. Rhodes, who were unable to attend, and added a warm eulogy of the scientific attainments of the Sisters. He pointed out that all the Sisters in the hospital were as fully qualified as any in any other institution, and the standard set in the Lewisham Hospital was second to none. In time it was hoped that the hospital would become more of a public institution, but that depended on the help of the public. At the same time, the speaker instanced many cases where those unable to pay had been cared for free of cost. His Excellency the Governor then proceeded with the laying of the foundation stone, amid applause. He said that" both her Excellency and himself had great pleasure in being amongst them there that afternoon, and for the second time assisting in such a deserving cause as hospital work. He heartily congratulated the Sisterhood on their undertaking, and the excellent way it was carried out. In Christchurch their minds would not only be associated with local hospital work, but would, most likely, be turned to Europe where so many thousands were suffering in the great cause. He could testify that the people of New Zealand of all creeds and classes had not been behindhand in assisting to alleviate suffering by means of the money for hospital work

“which had been so freely sent away to. England. He had been deeply grieved to hear that Bishop Grimes had been an inmate ol the hospital but he prayed in all earnestness that the voyage which his Lordship was about to take would make him well again and that he would return to his people as strong as ever. The formal ceremony of laying the stone was then completed, his Excellency declaring the stone ‘well and truly laid,’ amidst loud applause, and then the visitors were invited to inspect the hospital, and were entertained at afternoon tea. MOUNT MAGDALA. (From our Christchurch correspondent.) Under the heading of ‘ A Woman’s World,’ the lady contributor of the ‘ Women’s Column ’ in the Star writes as follows of the above great institute of charity : I paid a visit this week to that very wonderful place, the Magdalen Home at Mount Magdala. The name is familiar enough to everyone in Christchurch, who reads of unruly girls being sent there or sees the vans of its steam laundry, but the place itself is a revelation to anyone seeing it for the first time. Continuing on the Lincoln road, you leave the suburbs and come into the farm country, and there you see a farm with noble buildings peeping over great groves of trees. A picturesque drive from the road brings you to a really beautiful scene—the buildings grouped round a very beautiful church in the midst of a garden that is ablaze with flowers. The extensive establishment is a woman’s world, and as self-contained as the Sisters can make it, and they have the experience of establishments of their Order scattered all over the world to draw upon, doing the noble work of uplifting the fallen, succoring those in need of home and guidance, and guarding the penitent. The farm is ‘ run ’ by the Sisters and the girls, and produces fruit, vegetables, milk, butter, eggs, and other farm and garden produce. They make their own bread, and their own boots and shoes, their own clothes, and so on. The inmates consist of those who have been committed from the courts in various parts of the Dominion, from young girls to old women, of girls scut to them by parents because they had got beyond control, of orphans and children of parents who have met with misfortune or who desire them cared for for a time. These different sections are kept apart in their own dormitories and divisions and their work, and every care is taken that those who are older and not penitent will not have opportunity of corrupting others. There are over 200 girls and women in the reformatory and 80 children in the orphanage. The girls are to be seen all over the farm and garden, but the main hive of industry is the laundry. That is humming with machinery on the very best plans of that centre of steam laundry invention, Troy, in the United States. The machines are most ingenious and quite convert one to laundry machinery when you have seen them, for most people who do not know how perfect laundry machinery has become have a certain prejudice against it. Yet when you sec how it works and the cleanliness and ingenuity of it all the prejudice vanishes. In the laundry the rule of silence is observed for obvious reasons during working hours, as here different sections of the inmates come together. The laundry surrounds a great grass drying green, and when the weather permits the sun drying is done. When it does not, there is a great drying chamber, where the clothes are hung on sliding divisions and dried by hot air. A noticeable thing about the place is the number of pets. There are birds everywhere belonging to the Sisters or the inmates. One old lady has a family of canaries, a regular village of them, and she knows every one of them ; and there is among the pets a magpie, which is obviously on most friendly terms with its bright girl mistress. The twittering of birds and the sight of grass, trees, and flowers is everywhere. The chapel is really beautiful, a perfect refuge of peace and devotion, and

a monument, to the late Father Ginaty; who founded the institution, and practically died of work for it. His body lies buried before one of the altars, with a commemorative plate. What heart searchings and meditation and penitence the quiet and beautiful chapel has known ! But it is the spiritual refuge of the inmates, and many an unruly soul has sought peace there. : All through the institution there are beautiful pictures and examples of art work. Many of these things are done there. The lace and art needlework that is made at the institution is simply exquisite, and would delight any woman’s heart, and to some of the workers it is quite obviously a ‘labor of love.’ They take a genuine and very justifiable pride in its being seen and praised by the' visitor. A bridal veil that I saw was simply lovely. Altogether it is a wonderful institution, full of interest to anyone who has the welfare of their fellowwomen at heart. The institution has many benefactors who contribute help towards the work and upkeep, which no one seeing it could fail to do. Just now its greatest need is a new dining room, and the ground is being laid out for this. The building will have a dormitory on the first floor, which additional accommodation is also necessary, and anyone who could help the good work of the Sisters can contribute their mite to this, for which funds are urgently needed.