A NEW CHURCH AT KILBIRNIE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 721, 21 January 1910, Page 6

A NEW CHURCH AT KILBIRNIE.

COMMODIOUS BUILDING FOR ■; ROMAN CATHOLICS.

1 .-On Sunday, afternoon His' Grace Archbishop ' Redwood will', formally open tho new Roman Catholic. Church .at South Kilbirnie.> The'buildiiig, ; .\jhioh is erected on a . central and- convenient site , just off the. Evans Bay Bead, has been erected (on a site . presented by the late 'Mrs. Crawford aud Mr. J.' Burke) by, Messrs! Parkin Bros., from the plans of Mr. Yourelle, and though not remarkable tor any; decorative elaborateness, is. designed.; to ineet.the demands of. a' rapidly-growing district,-, and. as' such has ' given , every satisfaction, to those concerned.-'The'com-modious. wooden.structure is given a .touch of'the picturesque in 'the red 'asbestos tiled, roof, with which the tinted walls harmonise admirably. Good taste has also been- displayed in the; decoration of the whiehis' tinted a pale green with a four-foot dado of varnished rimii, ana- a vrhite-painted ceiling.';. The altar, plain but substantial, is of Celtic design, and is ouo that lends itself to floral decoration, so much a labour of love, to the ladies -of. the'• parish.'-,' The altar is so situated that it can be shut oil from the main part, of the church'by great sliding doors,i in order that the building may'be used for, secular purposes-^a-: school by day and a hall for. social work in the "evenings.'- The , lighting ; arrangements could hardly be improved upon. Ample light is thrown by a series of side windows in the daytime, and; at night ..the . church : itill\ be lighted •by three clusters of large Osram lamps, totalling 1200-can-dle power. At the rear'of the ohurch, is a diningroom and other apartments, for the use of the Sisters, of Mercy, who will have charge of the. day'school. , The church will be .attached to , St. Anne's, of , Newtown, and will be a chapeJ-of-easo for "the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, who 'for. a..time at least 'will celebrate, -Mass there at 9 a.m. on Sundays only. The services wilTbe increased-in number as the occasion demands. It is anticipated, that' thero will be an. attendance.'of : 50 children to oommence the school with. The contract price'for the church was .£650, in addition to which there is <£30 for extras, J!53 for seats, and £25 for . the altar. There is. a debt,, of some on the building, which tho' authorities, hope to reduce ,to .C2OO by . the . results of an art union and private donations. Later on, it is intended to raise'a more substantial edifice on tho site, but the pny sent edifice should servo the needs of the district for : a few years to. come.