AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 18, 17 February 1893, Page 31

AUCKLAND.

( From our own Correspondent.) February 10, 1893. HlB Lordship the Bishop celebrated Pontifical High Mass at St Benedict's on last Sunday week, tbe Rev Fathers Luck and Lenihan acted as deacon and sub-deacon respectively. The choir, nnder Dr Egan, performed Haydn's No 1 Mas?. The new altar abont which I ■poke in my previous letter was used on this occasion for the first time. I forward you a description given by one of the local papersIt it really a sight to see, and makes yon marvel at the contractive genias, ingenuity, and perseverance of Father Lnck. I really doubt if its eqcal exists in tbe colonies. Its cost is estimated at £400, and that is, I think, a very low estimate. In the evening Pontifical Vespers was given by tLe Bishop. Large congregations assembled both morning and evening. A new Catholic Church was also opened on last Sunday wpck at Swanson by the energetic pastor of the district, the Bey Father Egan. Rev Father Hackett, Adm., St Patrick's, bnd Father Gillan, P.P., Ponton by, exchanged pulpits on the evening of laat Sunday week. During bis lecent trip to Sydney tbe Bey Father Leniban spent some time with the Rev Father Tnckwell, formerly of St Patrick's, Auckland. The latter was delighted at seeing bis old friend, end could not do enough to entertain and make bis visit a pleasant and memorable one. Tbe Bey Father Monaghsn of Queensland has arrived here, and subsequently proceeded to the Rotorua sanatorium for the benefit of his health. His Lordship the Bishop celebrated second and last Masses at St Patrick's on last Sunday, and preached at the latter. In the evening he attended Vespers, and again preached an eloquent sermon, afterwards taking part in the procession, around tbe church, of the Blessed Sacrament. On tbe evening previous be was bearing confessions nntil 10 p.m. This is not a bad record. His Holiness tbt Pope's episcopal jubilee is to be celebrated with due ceremoDy in all tbe city churches on next Sunday. Chief interest will be directed to St Patrick's. Tht Bishop announced from the pulpit last Sunday evening that a special sermon, " St Peter and his successors," will be preached by the Bey Father Hackett, Adm. This should prove a treat. Tbe meeting of tbe Devonport parishioners, to which I referred in my last, wsb held on last Sunday after Mass. Father Hackett presided. The greatest unanimity was displayed. The rev chairman announced that a preliminary canvas had been made for subscriptions, and £110 had been assured, including £30 from bis Lordship Bishop Luck, and £10 from Mr W. J. Napier. It was suggested that the old cburch of St Fraocis de Sa!e« in the Symond Btreet Cemetery, Auckland ci'y, could be removed in sections, and af erward9 re-erected and renovated at a email out'ay, and that the Benedictine Fathers had offered it on most reasonab c and ea9y terms. A committee, consisting of Messrs B>ylan, Napier, Howerman, and Butler were appointed to inspect the chorch referred to, and report fn!!y to a general meeting as to the cost of removing it to Devonport, etc- This splendid meeting then adjoined nine die. Fixing tbe date of the next meeting was left to the committee. The annual picnic in connection with the Leaguo of the Cross Temperance Society, took place oa regatt* d>y at Northcote, and was largely patronised. This picnic is always most enjoyable. Sociability and mirth take full rein — tbe committee laying thems'-l yes out to propagate thip. It wou db j iavidixis to meiti >n nmn^s, there are so many, but I cannot refrain from mentioning Miss M. E.Nolan, who, next to tbe spiritual director, is really the acme and the nadir of tbe Society. It w»s a treat to witness Father Hackett, with a broad sun hat on, flitting here, there, and everywhere, imparting fun all around, especially among the young fry. Monsignor McDonald visited the grounds in the afternoon, and was at once surrounded by a b ,dyguard of friends. Young Mr Hickson acd Miss Hickson, and one of tbe younger daughters of our new Inspector, were thtre, and appeared to enjoy themselves well. Dr Egan and some of the Mariat Brothers were also present. On Monday last, February 6, Father Gillau, pending the erection of bis school, commerced gathering together the scholars of the parish in tbe Sacred Heart Cburoh, Ponsonby. There assembled ninety pupils, who were under the charge of three of tba Sisters of Mercy. Who, now, dares say that there is no necessity for another school in Ponsonby ? The local branch of the Irish National Federation held its first meeting after the receis on Thursday evening last in St Patrick* Hal). Through pressure of business the H nJ. A. Tole, president, was absent, bia place being taken by Mr John Callnan, J.P., who conducted the meeting. The secretary read the names of the 4 Subscribers to the appeal rtcect'y made by the bianch in aid of tbe Evicted Tenants, which amounted in all to £43 2s 6d. The list is to be sent to the Tablkt for publication. Mr W. Tola drew attention to tbe tact of the abseuce frW the public library of any of the Irish

National newspapers. The Irith Time* was there, aod, added Mr Tole, we, not only as Irishmen, but as citizens and ratepayers, should not rest nntil the Dub' in Freeman's Journal was also placed tbert. This was followed by several of the speakers, and from the spirit displayed, Mr Tole'a timely and patriotic suggestion ought to end in something practical. At the next meeting Mr W. J. Napier said that be would move, " It is now desirable that an Irish circulating library in connection with the branch should be inaugurated." Allusion was made to the forthcoming lecture upon an Irish topic to be delivered under tbe auspices of the branch by Sir Robert Stout. The chairman then read a most excellent and highly though tf a ( and original paper entitled " A few Reflections on tbe Question of Self-Government for Ireland," which possessed so many merits that I procured it for publication in next week's Tablet. The German warebip Bazsard now ia port, last week invited on board a large Dumber of tbe sons of the Vaterland resident here, and celebrated in great style the anniversary of the birth of the present Emperor of Germany, whom Mr Labouchere lately described as " a crack-brained Prussian lieutenant, an Emperor by tbe irony of fata who is flighty and unstable to an extraordinary degree." An inexcusable and blundering prosecution was lately entered into by tbe police against several prominent tradesmen for their alleged adulteration of coffee. After months of delay the cases were brought into court, when the sergeant in charge coolly stated that be was unable to proceed with the charges, aod then the corpulent officer, Macbiavel'i like, left tbe public to infer that the vendors nnder notice were not altogether guiltless, Glariog injustice ; but where seek redress ? Seven persons of unsound mind were last week sent to the lunatic asylum. An abnormally high and alarming peroenUge. Cynics would ascribe multifarious causes and effects for this phenomenon. Are we too fond of Bacchus, or are our heads turned from over-development at a cost to the country of nearly £1 per bead f The latter, combined with bounteous nature around, perhaps excite within us poetical strains, and Macaulay was of oppinion that "no person can be a poet, or can ever enjoy poetry, without a certain unsoundness of mind." Metaphysicians, here is a complex problem for you. The Anglican body in Auckland publishes a monthly organ called the Church Gazette, and in the February number it makes strenuous efforts to prove the existence of (and their right of sucession to) a flourishing Protestant church, anterior to St Augustine, which taught the same doctrine as tbe " Church by law established "is now doing. Tbe Gatette says :— " Any schoolboy knows that tbe first Roman missionary who set foot ia Britain was 8t Augustine, in a.d. 597. He was there met by seven bishops of the early British Church, who resented his interference with their worship and ceremonies. Obviously these bishops did not belong to, or come from, Rome." Early British traditions recorded in the Welsh Triads, tell us that Bran, summed "The Blessed," first preached the faith in Britain, On the defeat of Caractacns he was led as a hostage to Rome, there detained seven years, where he was instructed by the disciples of the A pestle?, and became a Christian. Afterwards set free tie returned co Britain witn el ad tidings of redemption to his countrymeo. "In tbe second century," Venerable Bede says, " whilst Elf utheriuß, a holy man, presided over the Roman Church, Lucius, a king of Britain, sent a letter to him, entreating that by his command be might become a Christian. He soon attained the effect of bis pious request, and tbe Britons preserved the faith which tbty bad received, uncorrupted and entire, in peace and tranquility until tbe time of the Emperor Dioclesian." So much for tbe erudition of tbe Gazette and its typical schoolboys. Emboldened the Gazette proceeds " moreover, the Council of Aries was held in the year 314 A.D , mire than 280 years bofors the arrival of St Augustine in England. At that council were present the Bishops of York and L-md >a and Lincoln. Where coald they have come from if the Rimm Church first brought Christianity to the shores of England / Here tha " Gazette " omits to state that the Pope, by his legates, presided at thisCouocil, and its decrees, at the request of the assembled bishops, were forwarded to him (the Pope) to be confirmed by his authority. When one'd origin is bad or lowly wa are apt to deny it, but in the words of tha humourist " a reputation ooce broken may ba repaired, bat the world always keeps its eye on the plac6 where the crack wa9," and on that big " crack " of the 16 h century from which AagliatnUm emerged a discriminating world will ever keep it* eye fixed . Sir Robert Stout is contributing a series of artic.es in the columns of the Herald entitled " A trip to Samoa." Ia the second article he is lavish in his praises of the Church of England, and what it has done for the Samoans. The Ralical knight has one fling at the Catholic Church. A friend ia B.n.'>a assured Sir R>bert that the Catholic Church thew wa< a " cuckoo." Pressed for a unaning this highly imaginative " friend " said the cuckoo was a bird which, upon the completion ot their nasts by other birds', quietly assumed possession thereof, Who the real cuckoos are no one know 9 better than the Radical with the title, but, inter alia, be kaowe what will " take," sod caters accordingly.