CATHOLIC HOLIDAYS.

On Friday last the pupils of the Sisters of Mercy held their annual feast in honor of St. Patrick, in the beautiful and airy grounds of the Convent, Mount St. Mary, Freeman's Bay, where about one hundred and fifty children passed the day in agreeable recreation. Great credit is certainly due to those who so abundantly provided the refreshments on this occasion, to which the children did ample justice. At two o'clock his Lordship the Bight Hev. l>r. Pompallier, Bishop of Auckland,, accompanied by the Very Rev. Dr. McDonald, Vicar-Gene-ral, visited the pupils, and imparted to them his episcopal benediction. In the evening the bon-ders and pupils of the select schools entertained themselves with music and other little amusements.

On Monday the pupils of the Sisters of the Holy Family, Nazareth, Mount St. Mary, celebrated tiie vigil of St. Joseph. At three o'clock they wero visited by the Uight Uev. Dr. Pompallier, Bishop of Auckland, accompanied by the Very liev. Dr. McDonald, V.G., the Very I?ev Walter McDonald, private secretary, and the Kev. Patrick O'Beilly, when an address was read iu English by Miss Mary Johnson, a halfcaste, another in Maori by her sister, Miss Annie Johnson, and one in French by one of the sisters of the convent. His Lordship replied in each of the forementioned languages, inculcating the necessity of the pupils conforming to the rules of holy obedicuce to their parents and lawful superiors. After which several sacred hymns were sang, accompanied on the pianoforte by one of the sisters, the whole being rendered with much taste.

His Lordship then gave his episcopal benediction, and the many ladies who were present were shown through the institution by the Mother Superioress, and they expressed considerable satisfaction at the numerous beautiful specimens of needlework executed by the pnpils under the direction of the sisters.

St. Patrick's Day occurring (his year on Sunday, the annual feast in celebration of that day given to tho children of the Catholic schools of the city and suburbs, took place on Monday last.

At half-past seveu o'clock a pontifical high mass was celebrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral, the celebrant being the Right Rev. Dr. Pompallicr, Bishop of Auckland; assistant priest, Very Hev. Dr. McDonald, Vicar-general; deacon, Yery Rev. Walter McDonald, private secretary ; sub-deacon, Ker. Patrick O'Reilly.

The efficient choir of the Cathedral sang with good effect the "Gloria," "Credo," "Offertory," " t-anctus Elevation Piece," and " Agnus Dei."

The Sanctuary pupils, who were vcrjr numerous on this occasion, performed their duties with much regularity and edification. The children of St. Patrick's assembled in their commodious school-room at ten o'clock, and were soon after joined by those of St. Peter's and a few from the military school. His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Pompallicr, Bishop of Auckland, accompanied by tho Yery Rev. Dr. McDonald, Y.Gr. ; the Yery Rev. Walter McDonald, Private Sec. ; and the Rev. Patrick O'Reilly, curate of the cathedral, visited the school at eleven o'clock.

After the children had sung a hymn with good effect, the following addresses were read, that on behalf of tit. Patrick's School by Master William Scott, the son of Mr. William Scott, of abercrombie-street; and that on behalf of St. Peter's School by Master.Anthonv Patrick Martin, the son of Mr. Anthony Martin, of Hobson-street.

St. Patrick's Cathedral School, The Feast of St. Patrick, 1867. To the Bight Ker. John B. Fr. Pompallicr, Lord Bishop of Auckland. My Lord Bishop.—Tho scholars of St, Patrick's School, with delight and gratitude, most hutnbly thank your Lordships for the very many blessings and benign care wo liavo enjoyed during tho past year under your Lordship ovur anxious affection lor our welfara. In tho fulness of our young hearts we thank your Lordship for the great favour shown us on this grand anniversary four patron saint, by your Lordship visiting us in our school. My Lord, we cannot fully understand, nor can our young memory record, the very many great advantages bestowed upon us by your Lordship. Once more we tender to your Lordship our most heartfelt thanks for your fatherly visit on this anniversary of tho glorious Apostle M. Patrick, to whoso apostolic labours we may compare your Lordship's most arduous mission.

Most humbly entreating your Lordship's apostolic henediciion, and fervently imploring tho Almighty that we may on very mtny futuia anniversaries of this great feast be blessed with your Lordship's moat welcome, beloved, and venerated presence, Signed on behalf of self and fellow-scholars of St. Patrick's School, Wiliiam Fcott.

To the Bight Rsv. Dr. Pompallier, Bishop of Auckland. My Lord.—lfc is wi'h great pleasure that wo moot your Lordship o'a this festival of tho holy patron of your Lordship's Cathedral, as it gives us another opportunity of presenting our respects to you, arid of thanking you far the many bone/its that you havo conferred upon the Catholic children of yo r diocese, and which, wo trust, we may continue to deserve and receive.

We cannot allow this occasion to pass without remarking tho resemblance of your position in this colony and that of St. I'atrick in Ireland, both Belf-exiled from tho land of Gaul to preach tho glorious truths of Christianity to a foreign people ; and wa hope that tho future generations in these islands may venerate tho memory of your Lordship, as much ai the childron of Iroland do that of thoir holy patron. "VVe conclude, begging your Lord-hip's holy benediction upon ourselves and studiep, and in return, we will beg the intercession of tho Blessed Virgin and St. Patrick, that grace may bo abundantly given unto you to enable you to fulfil tho arduous duties of the Episcopacy for many years to come. Signed, on behalf of the pupils of St. Peter's School, by Anthony Patrick Maetin. Auckland, March 17th, 1867. His Lordship made a suitable reply, more particularly impressing upon the youthful minds of those present the duty of doing unto others as they would be done by. He then gave them his episcopal benediction and departed amid the plaudits of the children, about oue hundred and fifty in number, who were then conducted under the care of their respected teachers, Messrs. Francis Gibbons and Peter Leonard, to tho paddock of Capt. Dinnin, adjacent to his beautiful residence in the Ponsonby-road, which that gentleman had kindly placed at their disposal, where they were joined by tho Drake-street School, under the charge of Mrs. Francis Gibbons. Amusement then became the order of the day, until indications of appetite appearing, the children. were regaled with some of those things which young Aucklanders so well know how to appreciate. The refreshments, were carefully prepared and freely dispensed by Mrs. Francis Gibbons.

The Newton school, tinder the careful supervision of the Misses Taylor and Willis, also passed the day in an agreeable manner in a paddock near Shelly Beach, generously lent them ior the occasion by our esteemed fellow citizen, David Evitt, Esq., of TTpper Queenstreet. During the day both parties were visited by the Father Walter McDonald, who expressed himself greatly pleased with the arrangements, which had been so creditably carried out by the respected and devoted teachers of the children.

About lialf-past seven a goodly number of Mr. Francis Gibbon's evening scholars partook of tea and other refreshments in St. Patrick's school-room, and afterwards .amused themselves with music and singing. Thus concluded a feast that will be long remembered by many of the Catholic youth of this city, who had assembled to take their recreation on the above day, so memorable iu the history of Ireland.— Communicated.