ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, WELLINGTON
(From an occasional correspondent.) : The quarterly meeting of the particular council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society was held at St. Patrick’s, Hall, Boulcott street, Wellington, on Sunday, April 18. The attendance indicated an increased activity, and the reports from the various branches were generally most satisfactory. A special work taken up by the Council is that of .the spread of Catholic literature. The Catholic Truth Society’s penny publications are recognised by the Council as a most effective method, and arrangements are made to increase the circulation of these by the'various branches. The president (Bro. Reichel) congratulated the members on the increased activities generally, and in particular on the spread of Catholic knowledge by the Catholic Truth Society’s publications. He expressed regret that Bro. Walsh, who proved such an efficient and ardent secretary, had, on account of ill-health, to retire from that position. Amongst those present were the Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M., and Very Rev. Father O’Connell, S.M. Dean Regnault gave a most interesting address, detailing some of the efforts made by the French laity and clergy in the interest of Catholic education, the satisfactory results of which, he stated, were now very clearly in evidence throughout France. He instanced the work of reinstating 1184 colleges which had been confiscated or closed by the French Government. One institution of the Marist Order had 450 boarders. Schools were replaced in 5000 parishes. The teaching staffs were provided by priest-teachers and expelled nuns, who had qualified under the Government requirements as secular teachers by submitting themselves to examination boards and so obtaining teachers’ certificates, and took appointments as teachers in the various re-established schools. Soecial reference was also made to the work of the Assumption Fathers throughout France. The Dean gave verv interesting particulars as to the issue of Let Croix newspaper, whose offices the Dean visited. This newspaper, in the Catholic cause, is distributed throughout everv town in France. Twice it was confiscated by the Government, and twice was repurchased by a notable Catholic layman, upon which he expended two million of francs. The Dean’s remarks were of engrossing interest, and Illustrated the extraordinary revival .of Catholicity throughout France,’which is standing that nation in such good stead in the present crisis. Very Rev. Father O’Connell also addressed the meeting, and emphasised his desire that the society might assist in the distribution of Cardinal Mercier’s noble and beautiful Pastoral, which has already become a historic document. • * A very interesting paper containing suggestions as to the practical handling and distribution of the C.T. pamphlets was read.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZT19150506.2.63
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New Zealand Tablet, 6 May 1915, Page 43
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431ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY, WELLINGTON New Zealand Tablet, 6 May 1915, Page 43
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