N.Z. CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 29 May 1919, Page 27

N.Z. CATHOLIC FEDERATION

! - CHRISTCHURCH DIOCESAN COUNCIL. .= ■ The annual visit to the Barfield parish was made- f , \ on Sunday, May 18, under very pleasant weather con- ; i, ditions; * The party consisted of the Rev. Brother : Jus- ' •i tin," Messrs. W. Hayward and : F. J. Doolah -(diocesani secretary). -The' genial < pastor of the : parish (Rev. J. ’ | Han rah an) and Mr. P. • Morrison, the energetic secreij tary ; of the ’ parish 1 committee,‘ welcomed • the : visitors, ° f and : arrangements were made to address 1 the 1 ’ cohgrega*-^ I tion immediately after the? 11 o’clock Mass. ' ;i > Speaking | to a crowded congregation, Mr. ’ Hayward explained - 1 | the forking of ' the Federation, and-' the 'necessity ' of T !; all becoming inembers if the work is to be successfully 5 |icarried oh and stated that the promoters purposely made \ the/: annual subscription a-modest' shilling, ' anticipating I that 1 every: ’ Catholic man, woman, and ! child : throughout vr | the ? Dominion would join up, and thereby secure Suffix' 1 | finances nfori'huri- organisation. Referring to the 5 | work: of the hostels, he eulogised the K good ;workH^©^- ? || were -doings and warmly commended' the Christchurch '' I hostel to the generosity ■ - of the people, ‘ as although a

surplus was shown over working expenses,}last year, there is still a debt of several thousands on the property. J nhKaeltj -h ; .. ;. .. > >dr In dealing very fully with the scholarship scheme he’ pointed out the absolute necessity, of - higher,; education for i our boys, and of the -efforts ;of > the 1 Federation in this 1 diocese to provide at least two scholarships each year, sufficiently well endowed to permit of three years’ college 1 education. 1 The conditions as explained showed that - the financial arrangements were entirely dependent - : on the membership of the Federation in the diocese, and thus increased membership meant increasedscholarship facilities.. hi.- : . r; i V '"i, Idir, Mr. F. J. Doolan, in his opening remarks, thanked Father Hanrahan for his invitation to visit the parish, and expressed appreciation of the services rendered by the parish secretary and committee during the past year; In commenting on the Field Service Fund, and its probable closing at an early date, he pointed out that close on £BOOO had been collected, and the chaplains had placed on record the vast amount of good accomplished by. it, and of the. incalculable assistance, it had been to them in their trying duties. A, letter was read from Surgeon-General Henderson, Director of Medical Services, who, previous to his departure from the Dominion, conveyed in glowing terms his warm appreciation of the work carried out by the Field Service Fund among the soldiers in the camps and hospitals. This fund was initiated and administered by the officers of the Federation free of any expense to the fund, which speaks volumes for the up-to-date methods of our organisation. ’• In dealing with the education question, reference ■was made to the remarkable growth of our system, to the number of primary and secondary schools and colleges, together with the number of pupils attending them, and to the devoted band, of priests. Brothers, and Sisters engaged in teaching. The speaker congratu-

lated the parish on the satisfactory increase in membership for the past year, and in conclusion urged : the practical assistance of all in the parish in. carrying on the work of the Federation in the future.

Father Hanrahan, in proposing a vote of thanks to the speakers, congratulated them on their interesting addresses and warmly advocated visits to branches such as’the one under notice, which tended to bring members directly in touch with the officials and with the .workings of the Federation. Knowing something now of the work carried on during, the past year, he could (he said) assure the visitors that his parishioners and himself would do everything, possible to assist a movement which was so conducive to the interests of the Church and her institutions. .