Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 11 March 1915, Page 35

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OP WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) March 6. His Grace Archbishop O’Shea left on Friday on & visit to Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa. 1 A garden fete at Mrs. Putnam’s grounds, Northland, is being held this afternoon in aid of the local church-school. Mr. Geo. Girling-Butcher '(general secretary and" organiser of the Catholic Federation) will commence his organising tour of the diocese of Christchurch at Akaroa on March 17. The monthly meeting of the executive of the Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Cricket Club was held at the Tasman Street School on March 2. Brother Donatus presided over a good attendance ■ of members. It was decided to send a boys’ team to play the Marist Brothers’ School at Wanganui at Easter. Mr. O’Donnell was appointed manager of the team, and it was left to him to make the necessary arrangements. Everything is well in hand for the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish Hurling Club will make its first appearance. Numerous side-shows will be on the grounds, and a special programme of sports and dancing has been arranged. A singing competition for, the boys and girls attending the Catholic schools will be held. The concert promises to be very successful, the principal contributors to the programme being Misses Mildred Wrighton, Teresa McEnroe, Agnes M. Segrief, and Messrs. W. Farquhar Young, and J. Jago. That the Rev. Father Gondringer’s Lenten sermons in St. Joseph’s Church are being appreciated was evidenced by the very large congregation present on the occasion of his discourse on ‘ The Church and Personal Liberty.’ The sermon was a masterpiece of eloquence and irresistible logic. He dwelt on the uplifting of the poor, the Church preaching the equality of man and the nobility of labor. He emphasised every point with facts, figures, or dates. His treatment of the question of slavery was very clear and convincing, and finally, he showed how the Church had exalted woman, and decreed that she was worthy of all respect. After the sermon, the choir, which has made great progress under the able

conductorship of Mr. . Bernard Page, sang with, much expression the oratorio, -‘ Lauda Sion.’ 5 • . The mission for the children of St. Anne’s parish, conducted by the Marist Missionaries (the Rev. Fathers Taylor and McCarthy), concluded on' Sunday afternoon, when the children renewed their Baptismal vows. The ’ adults’ mission commenced at the 10.30 o’clock Mass, when the Rev. Father McCarthy gave an impressive address. • In the evening the church was packed to overflowing, when the Rev. Father Taylor preached a fine sermon, taking for his text, ‘ What does it profit a man to gain the whole world if he suffers the loss of his own soul.’ The order of services is as follow: Masses at 6, 7, and; 9 o’clock, ' the first Mass being followed by an instruction. In the eAenixig the devotions consist of Rosary, sermon, and Benediction. The early Masses are well attended, and it is most edifying to see the large number of communicants. Each evening the church is packed to overflowing to hear the earnest exhortations of the zealous missionaries. On Thursday evening there were special devotions in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the occasional sermon was preached by the Rev. Father Taylor. The mission will conclude on Sunday, March 14, when missions will be opened at St. Patrick’s (Kilbirnie), and St. Francis’ (Island Bay).