MARIST HOUSE, MT. ALBERT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1926, Page 19

MARIST HOUSE, MT. ALBERT.

To-morrow afternoon at 2.30 p.m., his Lordship, Dr. Cleary, Bishop of Auckland, wil open the new presbytery erected in Mountain Road Mount Albert, for the Marist Fathers, of whom the Very Eev. Father Gondringer, S.M., M.A., is the Auckland Superior. This event is of historical!.importance. It ie now seventy years since the Marist Fathers, who were the first Catholic Missionaries to come to New Zealand, and were the first pastors in the city and province of Auckland, removed to undertake further pioneering work in the Wellington province and in' the South Island. Last year, at the invitation of Bishop Cleary, the Society of Mary returned to Auckland and were put in charge of the parishes of Mount, Albert and Whangarel. The Marist House to be opened to-morrow, will thus commence a new era in the- society's, history in New Zealand. Over 100 young New Zealanders are priests of the Order in New Zealand and in Australia. They are mostly Old Boys of the society'; two large colleges, St. Patrick's at Wellington, and St. Bede's. Christchurch.