ST. MARY'S RED CROSS CLASS, CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 17 July 1919, Page 21

ST. MARY'S RED CROSS CLASS, CHRISTCHURCH

The final meeting of St. Mary's Class (Catholic branch) of the Red Cross Society, was held in Ozanam Lodge on Wednesday evening, July 5. Thero was a large attendance, and among those present were Very Rev. Dean Regnault, Fathers Morris, Graham, Seymour, and Roche,- Dr. Ardagh, and Nurses Buckley, Fitzgibbon, and Hilda Flynn, recently returned from the Front. Mr. F. Delany presided, and an apology for unavoidable absence was received from Mrs. Ardagh. The assembly room was tastefully and appropriately decorated for the occasion. As a prelude to a choice musical programme, the "Marseillaise" was played in. honor of Dean Regnault (chaplain of the class) by Miss O'Brien. Mesdames Cronin, F.O'Brien, and McCullough, Misses O'Brien and D. Shaw, and Mr. J. Kingan also contributed items. V Miss Erin Riordan read" an address to the -Dean, expressive of the appreciation of the class members of- the practical interest he had manifested in their activities. This \ appreciation was shown in a more tangible manner by the presentation to the Dean of a parcel containing articles of comfort, and an initialled suede-bound blotter. The Very, = Rev. Dean, in expressing his grateful appreciation of the useful gifts, and of the thoughtful kindness on the part of the givers, outlined the worki of the class, in the interests of the Red Cross organisation, since its inception; which showed 'results worthy pf the highest commendation, i *J* • \ .:. ...

several hundred garments and 1133 pairs of socks, alone, being produced r | as s an outcome of the industry of members. The Dean recommended i the class to remain organised so as : to, be prepared for any emergency, or for, : any charitable work that may require assistance. 1,, In welcoming back the nurses; who were guests of honor that evening, Dean Regnault eulogised their self-sacrificing work' on the field cf action,; and extended to them 1 the 1 gratitude of all' for the loving' care bestowed by them on '- our ; boys, and thus i had been the means of saving many lives. foi He made sympathetic reference to the late-Nurses O'Gorman and Fox, personal -friends of his, who < lost their lives . in. the torpedoed Marquette. Father Seymour, added his. meed of praise of both the Red Cross class and of the nurses." Dr. Ardagh, in replying for. the nurses, gave a very 'interesting account of the conditions under which they were obliged to work, especially in the Passchendaele area. These were easily, said Dr. Ardagh, the worst experienced by our nurses, medical officers, and men during the war. He .related incidents which showed that privation, suffering, and. hardship had not altogether dulled their sense, of humor, and the funny side of things could still appeal to them. During the supper interval advantage was taken of the occasion to present Mrs Kingan with a beautiful framed picture of the Sacred Heart, in recognition of her arduous duties, so well performed, in connection with the class. The presentation was made by Dean Regnault, and Mr. Kingan, in suitable terms, acknowledged the gift.