Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 22 May 1919, Page 21

Diocesan News

11l 111 ■' Mt* ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON^ ' €a (From our own correspondent.) ] May 17. g,g The annual Retreat of ; the Marist Fathers of the Wellington archdiocese took place during the week at St. Patrick's College. Father Hurley, S.M., Adm. of St. Joseph's, who has been indisposed, is now convalescent. As a result of the mission given by the Marist Missioners at St. Joseph's Church,. Buckie Street, 20 new candidates applied for admission to St. Patrick's branch of the Hibernian Society at last Monday's meeting. The mission at St. Joseph's Church, Buckle Street, was brought to a close last Sunday, hundreds being unable to get within the church doors. The large church was packed, at 6.15 p.m. every available space being utilised, including the aisles, choir, gallery, the sanctuary, and sacristy, no fewer than 156 men being accommodated in the two latter places. Some of those unable to gain admission went so far as to place ladders against the windows so as to witness the final ceremonies. A unique record of the largest number to approach the Holy Table in any one Catholic parish in the archdiocese was established on Sunday morning", the total being 1287. This makes a grand total of 12,260 communicants during the fortnight's mission, which is a great tribute to the Marist Missioners, Fathers Ainsworth and McCarthy, and to the local parish priests, Fathers Hurley, S.M., and O'Connor, S.M. At the 10.30 Mass, and also at the evening devotions, the missioners congratulated the parishioners on their united response to the holy mission. After the sermon in the evening the solemn ceremony of the Renewal of the Baptismal Vows took place, and the Papal blessing was given. , His Grace Archbishop O'Shea thanked the missioners for their zeal and earnestness and the parishioners for their constant attendance at the mission. The Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., Adm. of St. Joseph's, expressed himself as deeply grateful to the missioners. The attendance at daily Mass, when it was difficult to find seating accommodation, even at that early hour, was (he said) most edifying. On Monday morning three Masses were celebrated, at 6, 6.30, and 7 o'clock respectively, for Hie repose of the souls of the Catholic soldiers who died during the ' war, the Catholics who died during the influenza epidemic, and deceased relatives of the parishioners of St. Joseph's parish. There were crowded congregations at each Mass. Fathers Ainsworth and McCarthy will next transfer their missionary labors to Gisborne, where they will commence a mission on May 21 at St. Mary's Church. The final meeting of the St. Patrick's Day Celebration Committee was held at the Catholic Federation p Rooms on last Thursday evening. Mr J. P. McGowan presided. Apologies for absence were received from the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy and Fathers Hurley, Smyth and Mahony. The balance sheet disclosed that the celebration was the most successful yet held, the net profit being £352, which sum has been handed to the Catholic Education Fund. Since the inauguration of the Catholic Education Board in i 1912 no less a sum than .£I2OO has been added to the Education Fund by this means. Votes of thanks were accorded to the officers responsible for the organisation of the celebration, to the Marist Brothers, the Sisters ; of Mercy, Sisters of the Sacred Heart, and the Sisters of the Mission, for their splendid co-operation, to the, '• ladies who, undertook the management of the stalls and tea rooms, and all who in any way assisted ft» make the j celebration a success. The advocates for the celebration ! ; of the day on the proper date had reason to feel elated, > V. for although the date this year fell on a Monday, the ~• p financial was greater than the year previous,.when " 5

it was on a Saturday, the gate receipts alone "being , nearly £lO more. The following executive was appointed to prepare plans for ; next year's effort:—Messrs. J. P. McGowan;? P. D. Hoskins, J. J. L. Burke, H. McKeowen, "and F. Whitaker. ;j'-' : 'i'/'■:] The Thomas Moore Annual Festival will be celebrated for the third time in Wellington on Wednesday, May 28, by an Irish national concert at the Town Hall, at which every item rendered will be from Moore's compositions. The previous concerts have ; proved a great success, and every effort is being made to attain a high standard. Concerted items will form the majority of the numbers on the excellent programme arranged. A male quartet and two mixed quartets, a trio, a duet, and solos will be rendered. Miss Teresa McEnroe and Mr. Kevin Dillon will also assist. In addition to this, a competition, for which, all the test pieces have been selected from Moore's works, will take place on Saturday, May 24, at the Town Hall, and the winners will repeat their items at the Wednesday night concert, thus providing the first part of the programme. For the choir competitions challenge shields have been donated, and handsome cups have also been presented for the elocutionary, items. The proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Catholic Education Fund, so that the true ideals of the Hibernian Society under whose auspices the festival is being held, namely, Faith and Fatherland, will be put into practice— Fatherland because the children are being encouraged by means of the competitions to love and make a study of Irish. music, while the financial results will help the Catholic Education Board to educate the young in the Faith by providing Catholic schools for Catholic children. These objects should appeal to every Catholic, and it is to be. hoped that the enterprise of the promoters will be rerewarded by a crowded audience. We note with pleasure the success achieved by Mr. J. J. Callaghan (an erstwhile executive officer of the v Wellington Catholic Club) in the recent municipal elections. Standing as a candidate for a seat on the Waihi. Borough Council, Mr. Callaghan polled 616 votes and was duly returned as a councillor.

Wanganui • (From our own correspondent.) May 14. . .. Father Bowden lias been confined to his room for a fortnight, but is getting better now. His Grace the Archbishop is staying in Wanganui till the end of the week, when he will proceed to Marton. Father O'Ferrall went on to Wellington on Tuesday to assist with parochial work during the days of the Retreat. The Very Rev. Dean Holley spent a few days here and renewed the acquaintance of many members of his one-timo flock. We are terribly scorched up here, and in need of a month's steady rain. Most people's tanks are dry, and the place is as dusty as in midsummer. However, we have a great deal to be thankful for, so our visitors tell us, as compared with other districts where there is no feed at all for the stock. '."' Mrs. James Farrell, Plymouth Street, a well-known and much respected member of our congregation, died during the week at her residence, after enduring a long period of general debility and ill-health. Mr. and Mrs. Farrell came to Wanganui well over half a century ago, Mr. Farrell being a member of the 2nd Battalion of the 18th. Royal Irish, one of the regiments which came ■ p to -these shores, to take a. hand ill the. troubles of the time, and a noble old veteran he is. The intervening years have been lived in Wanganui, where the large family was brought up, and some still, reside, to all of whom, as to Mr. Farrell, much sympathy is extended. v —R.I.P. ;-,; -,■■• ■ ,vuy-;.; qsi- rfm*-'■' On April 23 the marriage took place at St. Mary's Church of ; Mr! George Watt Mutch, second son of Mr. G. W. Mutch, vie Deers Hill, Aberdeen, Scotland,

and Miss Margaret Ella Roche,, youngest daughter of Mrs.* E. Roche, Keith Street," Wanganui. The bride was given away by her, .brother, . Lance-Corporal W. Roche,' and wore a** simple dress of ivory crepe-de-chine, veil and 7 orange blossoms; r and ! carried ‘ a I bouquet of whit© chrysanthemums ‘ and fern. r ' : She was' attended by her 1 two sisters as maids of honor, one in saxe blue crepe-de-chine and the other wearing shell pink. Both had black picture hats', and wore the bridegroom’s gifts —pearl J necklace and ring; Mr. Joseph Crowley was best man, and Mr. W. Roche groomsman. After the ceremony the guests were entertained at the residence of the bride’s mother, the young couple leaving by motor for the Main Trunk. The bride’s travelling dress was of grey tweed, and with it she wore a black hat and a set ; of'black fox furs, the gift of the bridegroom. - ’ ' On Sunday, May 11, his Grace Archbishop Redwood opened the new chapel at the Sacred Heart Convent, Mount St. Gerard, and before trying to describe the chapel and the ceremony I must mention how honored we, all felt. to. have his Grace in our midst, and looking so well. His Grace the Archbishop has directed the Sisters of St. Joseph right through their career, from the days of the little four-roomed cottage-convent in the Avenue to the noble buildings on the brow of St. John’s Hill, and it was one of the greatest joys of the community to have their precious, long-dreamed-of chapel blessed by the hands of the venerable Metropolitan. . The chapel, which is costing a pile of money, is really beautiful. In style, it is a blending of the Roman and Gothic architecture, and quite free of all fanciful decorations. The outside is brick, the inside of white plaster with lofty vaulted roof, graceful arches and exquisite panelling. The stained glass windows and marble altar were part of the old chapel. There is comfortable seating accommodation for at least 300 persons, but on Sunday room was found for, I am sure, 400. There is.a front entrance for ordinary purposes, and a covered way from the convent building for the use of the Sisters and the children. Provision has been made for the priest also, accommodation being in readiness for present use, and for the resident chaplain of “some day.’’ Messrs. Swan were architects for the building, and Messrs. Campbell and Bourke the contractors. The blessing of the chapel took place, at 3 ciclock, his Grace being attended by the Very Rev. Dean Holley, S.M. (Provincial), Fathers O’Connell, O’Ferrall, Menard, and McDonald ; after which his Grace addressed the congregation. The collection was then taken lip, something like ,£2OO being received. And then everything was quiet for a few moments till the faint . tinkling of the bell announced the approach of our dear Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. TJp the centre aisle', and through the rows of bowed heads, came the little procession of priest and acolytes, ui> to the altar where Solemn Benediction was given by his Grace, assisted by Dean Holley and Father O’Fcrrall. The Benediction service and hymns were sung by the convent girls. The whole ceremony was exceedingly beautiful, being one of those rare occasions when everything seems in keeping with the object. Sunshine, ideal surroundings, the little chapel filled to overflowing with folk wearing their best, all uniting to show that, at times at all events, the best of everything .is the very least we can offer.