LEESTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 41, 8 February 1895, Page 19

L E ES T O N.

(Fiom an occasional Correspond nt.) SUNDA.Y the 27,h Janu iry will be long remembered as a red letter day by the Catholics of the Ellesmere district, the occasion being the formal reception of the Sisters of the Mission, prior to their taking over the management of tha Lees on Catholic school. The announcement that the Right liuv Dr Grime", Bishop of Cnristchurch, would preach, drew a large congregation, the chur h being crowded. The Rev Father Uhervier celebrated Mass, at 11 o'clock, dun jg which the choir, under the leadership of Miss E. Holly, i n lered hymns suitable for the occasion. After Mass Mr M. O'Brien, on beh»!f of the congregation, read and presented his Lordship wuh «n ad iress welcoming him and the goad Sisters to the dmtnct. The follow ri'i is the address : — "To the Right R j v Dr Grimes, Bishop of Christchurcb, May it please your Lordship, — With mingled ferling of pleasure and pnd°, we, tbe Catholics of Leeston have much pleasure ia t xtending to you a c jrdial welcome on tuis, the occasion or y >ur visit to our parish. Ymr kin lly manner, aad your able admtnistra'i m as rii^n'tary of the (Jhurch sarve io make you an eateeme 1 and h nouic i visitor. My Lord, although joj have baen t ere before on many important occa-

sions, such as laying top foundation-stone, and openine of oar beautiul little church, w« rtjjice n hundredfold at the ohj->ct that bnnga you here to- Uy, viz , fie re-jpening of our school uu ier the care aod management < f the Sisters of Our La<iy of the Mi-iS'ons, whom we welcome ram' b artily, aad are mcMt happy to sen i i our midst. We assure your Lor I -.hip that we shall do our utmost to make their lives happy, because we are convinced that they will be a source of great blassings to us. By thtir arrival here our teaching? staff and education system is, I may bay, cimplete. The advantages to be derived from the influence and the holy tuition of the good Sisters cannot be over estimated. A good, Bound, and religijus training, combined with a liberal secular knowledge awaita the children of the parish. We must not here omit to mention the unflagging zeal of our devoted and beloved pastor, the Rev Father Cbervier, to vbose energy wa are chiefly indebted for our present favours, and who we are sure is now rej licingat ihe success of his labours. It c >nc union, mv L>rd, we tender you our sincerest thanks for your aid a id kindly influence in obtaining for us so great a blessing, for which wa ira tru y grate fnl. Please to accept our warnoest gratitude for ynui kindness, and be assured that we will prny Go 1 to spare you loDg in health to rule over m. Sn»nirt. on behalf of the congieja'i n :— M. O'Brien, W. Holley, W Snavh. P. O'Boyle M. 0N.i.1, M. S apiaon, J O'Bjyie, M. Need ham, W G ttinp."

Hi 9 Lordship thanked thra* present for the address and congrath"m on at l<-'ni;t i scum,'s cum,' hh er \c.s of iheSis'srsto prop-rly train and eduua c the c nklren ) fit them f >r their various walks in life. He s^iid he wis very gralcfu f.irthi- Knl words cjntiined in the addießS referring to himself, but it was scill more gratifying to him to hear that, they appreciate having the gcid 8 s era in their midst. He said he hoped aurl lelt su e tre pco t l' w >uld. &■> mentamed in the address, do their utmost to m ke their lives hippy and pointed out that they did not cxiect ary remuneration for their labouis in this world, as they Io ked for ibeir reward from above hereafter. His Lordship dwelt at considerable length on the advantages of a good, sound, religious eduction, aud contrasted the deplor able state of society in pouie countries where an irreligious system of educa l n pievailed. He concludP'l by urgint? the parents to send their children more regularly to scboo 1 , as no eff irts of the teachers could produce good results if the children were backward in attendance Li the evening the usual devotuns were followed by Benediction of the M st Blessed S*cram<nt.