Diocese of Auckland.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 23, 8 October 1897, Page 15

Diocese of Auckland.

(From our own correspondent.)

September 30th, 1897. At St. Patrick's Cathedral on Sunday next the children will receive their First Communion, and in the afternoon at three o'clock they will renew their baptismal vows, and after Vespers will take part in the procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

The alteration to the afternoon of the catechism classes at the cathedral has been most beneficial in increased attendance.

His Lordship Dr. Lenihan pays his first episcopal visit to the Very Rev. Father O'Reilly's parish, Thames, next Sunday where preparations have been made to accord him a ceud mile failte. On the Sunday following the Bishop pays his first visitation to Father Hackett's scattered parish, Paeroa, where he is sure to be received in a manner befitting his exalted station. A meeting of St. Patrick's parishioners is to be called on Sunday afternoon, the 10th inst., to devise means to reduce the debt upon the parochial presbytery. During the last twelve months it has been reduce 1 £200. It is to be hoped that the residue will soon be a thing of the past.

The use of the Domain Cricket Ground has been given the St. Patrick's Day celebration committee on St. Patrick's eve, on which day the out-door festivities are to be held, in consequence of that being a partial half -holiday. On the evening proper a national entertainment will be held.

The seminary fund collection is to be taken up throughout the diocese on Sunday next. The Bishop in a pastoral letter, coached in language that appeals to all that is noble in one's nature, eloquently pleads for assistance to further equip the spiritual corps for the benefit of his people. "Money spent on your pleasure" says the Bishop, " and for your personal delight never yet saved a soul. Have you ever denied yourseli anything to help to educate youth ? The sacrifice of a pleasure, of the indulgence of some needless taste, if only you would do this for the education of a priest you would feel happier, and the service of the Lord would be supplied."

An interesting religious ceremony took place at St. Mary's Convent, Ponsonby, last Friday morning, 24th inst, at 8 o'clock. It had been looked forward to for a considerable time, and every detail had been prepared commensurate with so important a function. A " profession'" and a•' reception "of Sisters took place. The former were Miss Ellen Leahy, of Blenheim, New Zealand, in religion Sister Mary Gonzaga Joseph ; and Agnes Parsons, Greymouth, New Zealand, in religion St. Mary Chanel Joseph. Those who were received were Miss Mary Avery, Newcastle, New South Wales, in religion Sister Mary Dominic ; Miss Geraldine Bourke, of Hamilton, New South Wales, in religion St. Mary Regis ; and Miss Mary Bunn, of Goulbourn, New South Wales, in religion Sister Mary Antony. His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Lenihan, celebrated Mass, being assisted in the sanctuary by Revs. Fathers Croke and Brodie. At the conclusion of Mass the Bishop performed the imposing and impressive ceremonies, the Rev. Mother directing every detail in the arrangements without a hitch or delay. The choir was augmented by the invaluable services of the Very Rev. Dr. Egan, 0.5.8., and Father Kehoe, and it is needless to say the rnusio incidental to the Mass, and subsequent ceremonies, was efficiently and pleasingly rendered. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was given by his Lordship the Bishop, and concluded the great and memorable epoch in the history of St. Mary's Convent, Auckland. Mr. F. G. Ewington, an Anglican Protestant, has, in an article in the local Press, eloquently pleaded the cause of the Little Sisters of the Poor, and has given them that unstinted praise to which they are singularly entitled. When one sees these angels of peace flitting unostentatiously from door to door in the city soliciting alms, not for themselves, but for the aged and needy for whom they perpetually slave, the conclusion irresistibly forces itself upon you that the age of religious chivalry is still with us, and that the Church which pjgducos and cherishes such Orders has that within it to commend it to the nations. Under, the heading '• Legal bondage," two articles have appeared during the last fortnight by " Colonus " in the Jtrrald supplement. More scandalous sentiments it would be hard to discover. " In many respects the writings are dangerous* in the extreme, and particularly are they so because of their cleverness and sophistry. The holy sacrament of matrimony is derided in the most flippant manner. and brought down to the low level of civil contract, a thing to be trafficked in as we would with a horse or a cow. History, ancient, medieval, and modern, teems with the terrible lessons following in the train of " marriage as you please," yet we find, in the face of all this, the odious doctrine of " easy divorce " promulgated on the rostrum, in the Press, aye, and even in the pulpit. As it is customary with these worldly gentlemen, they aver " the Bible tells me so." With this phase of the battle the old Church is well conversant, and in high and low places she has smitten it right and left. and will continue to do so until the crack of doom. Our suburb of Parnell has two streets within its borough named Gladstone and Balfour streets. What a combination of extremes is called to mind at sight of this trio of names : Gladstone Parnell and Balfour. ' ' The male branch of the Auckland Hibernian Society is recruiting largely in numbers. Initiations have taken place at every meeting of late, and at the last meeting eight were put through. This new life is imparted by the individual efforts of the members. It is a welcome and cheering sign, and let us hope it may prove contagious throughout the branches in the Colony. The Auckland Women's Liberal League has decided by over 100 per cent, majority that the Hon. McGregor's proposed alteration of the Divorce Law, making separation easier, is pernicious. If the result were otherwise it would have been strange, seeing that such legislation if carried would assuredly in the long run enslave and degrade the weaker sex.

Mr. John Daroy Connolly, United States Consul in Auckland, to-day relinquishes his office to his successor, Mr. Dillingham. For the last eight years he carried out his consular duties in Auckland. A profound feeling of sorrow and regret at the loss of Mr. Connolly has been manifested by the general public of all classes to whom he has endeared himself by his sterling manliness and unflinching' adherence at all times to his principles. To the old Faith he is inseparably bound, and to the land of his birth, dear old Ireland, he is equally attached. A democrat amongst democrats, he places implicit reliance upon the masses. He will be sadly missed in Auckland, where it will be a long time before an equal to him can be found. To Auckland, and the Colony generally, he has been of incalculable service by reason of his clear and intelligent consular reports in which Maoriland has been repeatedly and eloquently lauded. Though kind to us our climate has been cruel to him, because his health has suffered severely. Mr. Connolly stays with us until the end of the present year when he leaves for his home in Sonoma County, California.

Mr. John Campbell of Point Erin, Ponsonby, is, I regret to say, suffering at present from a severe illness. He has been visited by the Bishop, and a number of devoted friends. A widespread feeling of sorrow prevails at the ill-fortune that has befallen our worthy citizen, and the general wish is that he will soon, please God, be restored to his former health and vigour. Wellingtonians are unblushingly assertive. Napoleon strove to make Paris the capital of the world, and in a lesser degree, though not much, the denizens of the " windy city " are animated. Like a huge octopus they stretch out seeking to draw into the capital everything great and small which contributes to the advancement of the Colony. They worked themselves into a frenzy to secure the 'Frisco steamers calling at Wellington, entirely oblivious of the fact of thereby lengthening the journey from the Golden Gate. Foiled in this, they set about, and eventually succeeded in causing the Vancouver steamers to make a wide detour in order to call at Wellington. Finally they have commenced an agitation to secure for them the Union Company's Eastern Pacific steamers at the expense of Auckland, and this unmindful of the fact that it would add 150 miles more to the journey from Tahiti. To a perishable cargo this addition would not be good. Though centrally situated, Wellingtonians should know that their city, however devoid of beauty it maybe, is not destined to be the " hub of the universe."