COMMONWEALTH NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 27 February 1919, Page 30

COMMONWEALTH NOTES

. . NEW SOUTH WALES. Many Catholics assisted at the Divine Sacrifice of the Mass on Sunday, February 2, under conditions which will • remain long in their memories. As a health precaution, - the civil authorities had decided that all churches must be closed to large congregations and in accordance with the decision of the Diocesan Synod, as disclosed by his Grace Archbishop Kelly’s published letter to the Minister for Public Health, the Catholic Church authorities were prepared promptly to fall in with the requirements of the health administration. The result was that the usual Masses were not offered in the city or suburban churches. Permission, however, had been granted to hold open-air ceremonies, and although a cancellation of this permission was notified in the Sunday papers, no official intimation was received by the Catholic Church authorities that could warrant them withholding from the people the Masses which had been arranged. To St. Mary’s Cathedral, therefore, flocked several gatherings of devout Catholics, and, kneeling or standing reverently on the grass in the presbytery grounds, they were able to assist at the short Masses offered up during the morning. The sight was an inspiring and memorable one, and many Protestant passers-by paused and lingered a while, no doubt edified, certainly impressed, by the remarkable scene and its evidence of Catholic devotion. Arrangements had been made where practicable in most of the suburban parishes to hold Mass in the open air. Many priests were able to notify their parishioners, and in other cases where people visited their churches they were able to learn there of new arrangements. The result was that in most suburban parishes the people were able to hear Mass, advantage being taken of the open spaces which >n the majority of cases were available. Very Rev. Father M. Vaughan, of Crookwell, has been appointed Vicar-General of the Goulburn diocese, and will, in future, be known as the Right Rev. Monsignor Vaughan. The former occupant of this office was the Right Rev. Monsignor M. Buckley, of Wagga : and when the new diocese was created Monsignor Buckley remained under the new jurisdiction and took charge of Junee.

victoria:. His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix, has taken over the Advocate (says an exchange). The paper has completed its golden jubilee—the first issue came out on February 2, 1868. This action of his Grace is further proof, if proof were needed, of his pastoral zeal and solicitude for the best interests of the flock committed to his charge by the Vicar of Christ. In erecting, equipping, and staffing Newman College on up-to-date lines, he placed the coping-stone on the paramount cause of higher education for Catholic youth of both sexes, and in taking over the Advocate his Grace has taken a step the effect of which must be to lift the Catholic body to a higher plane and provide them with the first line of Catholic defence and offence. It must be gratifying to Mrs. Winter (who has watched the interests of the paper since the . death of her husband) to have the pleasure and privilege of handing the advocate to the prelate who sheds so much lustre on the mitre of the Metropolitan See of Melbourne, whose direction will raise the prestige of and give a fresh and invigorating influence to Catholic journalism in Victoria and Australia. A representative meeting was held in the Archbishop’s library, at the Palace, St. Patrick’s, on Tuesday evening, January 28. The Very Rev. J. Barry, who presided, announced that the Archbishop had decided that the proceeds of Shamrock Day would

this year be in, aid of-the Catholic Women’s University College (St. Mary’s Hall). J An indignant correspondent (says the Melbourne Tribune) writes to know if the “padre” alleged to have taken part in the “two-up” school on board the troopship Sardinia was a Catholic priest, and if not, why was the term, signifying “Father,” used without any qualifying word in the reports of the Sardinia inquiry? We quite agrees with our correspondent that the bare use of then word “padre” might be misleading, but we would point out that though the word has been in the past confined to Catholic countries, it has during the war come to be used in a general way to designate clergymen of all denominations. We can, however, assure our correspondent that the “padre” in the Sardinia “two-up” incident was not a Catholic priest. Our correspondent further asks us to supply the name of the Catholic chaplain on board the Sardinia, whose cabin was raided and £3O stolen. We do not know the reverend gentleman’s name, but we understand he belongs to Queensland. In connection with this incident, we have it on reliable authority that when the loss incurred was made known, it was promptly made up by the soldiers. QUEENSLAND. Rev. Mother Kathleen O’Donovan, of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Ipswich Road, died in the Mater Misericordise Hospital, Brisbane, the other day. A Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of her soul was celebrated at the Church of Mary Immaculate, Ipswich Road, after which the funeral took place at Nudgee Cemetery. Mother O’Donovan was a daughter of the late Mr. D. O’Donovan, C.M.G., formerly Queensland Parliamentary Librarian. She was educated in Brisbane and at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Rose Bay, Sydney, where she subsequently entered as a nun. When the nuns of the Sacred Heart went to Brisbane some two years ago she was one of the original community, and ever since then she had been carrying on educational work at the Catholic school attached to the Convent at Ipswich Road. She was beloved by the pupils, and her death has caused much sorrow among the people- of the parish. The deceased nun was 50 years of age, and in the twentieth year of religious profession.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Mr. J. D. Connolly, Agent-General for Western Australia, who has been created by the King of the Belgians Commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium, is a Catholic, and a Queenslander. He was bom in the Banana State in 1869, and is the son of the late D. Connolly, of Clifton. After receiving his education in a Catholic school, he moved West, and engaged in mining and contracting at Perth, Kalgoorlie, and elsewhere on the goldfields. Entering politics, he attained Cabinet rank as Colonial Secretary, Minister for Commerce and Labor, Minister for Public Health, etc. In 1912 he was created a Knight of St. Sylvester by Pius X. His notable work has be.en in the direction of health laws, the care of destitute children, the protection of aborigines, and immigration. He married a Victorian girl, a Miss Edwards, of St. Arnaud, and has a family of five daughters.