DUNEDIN AND DISTRICT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 38, 21 January 1898, Page 18

DUNEDIN AND DISTRICT.

Father M'Mullen is to be congratulated on having secured the services of the Sisters of St. Joseph for his school at Port Chalmers. Funds have been collected by Father M'Mullen, and the foundress of the congregation, Mother Mary is at present engaged in furnishing the house, which has been rented for the Sisters, and in making other preparations for the early inauguration of their good work. Three Sisters are to take up their residence at the Port, and the schools arc to bo opened on Monday, the 21th instant. It is expected that some foity children at the Port will bo under the care of the Sisters, who--e success and popularity arc best evidenced by their rapid spread throughout the colonies wherever hard and self-sacrificing work is to be done in the noble cause of Catholic primary education. In Xew Zealand the Sisters of St. Jo^oph number close on fifty religious, their houses being situated at Auckland, Newmarket. Matatn, Temuka, Kerrytown, Waimate. Rangiora, Arrowtown, and Port Chalmers.

Another pleasing evidence of diocesan progress is the founding of a Convent of Mercy at Wrey 's Bush. Through the zeal and foresight of Rev. M. Walsh, parish priest of Riverton, a fine property of eighty acres of land with a house was secured in a fine situation at Wrey's Bush, and preparations are now far advanced for the advent of the Sisters of Mercy, four of whom will take up their residence there on Friday, the 28th instant, and begin the work for which their order is so well equipped.

The Rev. W. Ganly, Inspector of Schools for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, is at present staying in Dunedin, where he is the guest of the Most Rev. Dr. Vertfon. Father Ganly is recruiting his health after an unbroken period of such work as seldom or never falls to the lot of an inspector of schools. An idea of his labours may be gained from the fact that during the past -12 months he has inspected 109 schools scattered over an immense area of Victoria, and containing almost 25,000 pupils. In addition to this, Father Ganly has contrived to do a considerable amount of parochial work, has kept himself abreast of the best current literature, and takes a deep and practical interest in every phase of educational work both in and out of the colonies. There is probably no man in Australia that better deserves a holiday. The rev. gentleman preached at South Dunedin last Sunday morning on the intercessory power of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The discourse was developed from the incident recorded in the gospel of the Sunday — the miracle of changing water into wine at the marriage feast of Cana. After showing that the words of our Lord addressed to the Blessed Virgin, instead of containing acersure, as some non-Catholics assert, were words of love and affection, he proceeded to delate on the iniiuence which Mary has with her Divine Son, and concluded with an earnest exhortion to his hearers to cultivate a fervent devotion to Mary. In the evening Father

Ganly preached to a large congregation in St. Joseph's Cathedral on the manifestation of our Lord to the Gentiles. The preacher said that among the many lessons of instruction and edification contained in the portions of the Holy Scriptures set apart by the Church, for the consideration of her children on that Sunday, there was none which deserved more attention than the manifestation of our Lord to the world as the Messiah who was foretold by the prophets. On the feast of the Epiphany, whose echoes still sounded in our ears, the liturgy commemorated three manifestations. The first was at the baptism of Our Lord when the Holy Ghost descended on Him in the form of a dove, and a \oice was heard saying — "This is My Beloved Sod ; hear ye Him." The second manifestation was the miracle recorded in the Gospel of the Sunday, when Christ proved that He was the promised Messiah by working the miracle of changing water into wine. The third and most remarkable manifestation was the apparation of the Star to the Wise Men, who on that occasion were the representatives of the Gentiles, and whose history is therefore full of interest to us as the descendants of those peoples whom God had not originally chosen as the depositaries of his revelations. The firm faith, obedience to the voice of conscience, and unflinching perseverance of these wise men have been held up by the Church since her institution, as models to all true Christians. After developing the subject at some length, the preacher said that the great want of this age is faith. Outside the Catholic Church, the world seems to be rushing back to its ancient paganism. As the Catholic Church once before saved society, she will save it again by her loyalty to the doctrines of Christianity. The preacher exhorted his hearers to avoid all occasions which might be the means of weakening their faith — the greatest treasure they possessed — to strengthen it by reading good Catholic literature, pamphlets, newspapers like the Tablet, and by offering to Christ the gold of love, the myrrh of mortification and the frankincense of prayer. Father Ganly left yesterday (Thursday), by the s. s. " Waikare," for a trip to our farfamed West Coast Sounds.

The Rev. G. Buckridge, S.J., of Melbourne, is another visitor to Dunedin. He is at present engaged in conducting the annual retreat of the Dominican nuns. On the Bth of February he will open the retreat for the clergy of the diocese, at Seaview. On the following Sunday, at St. Joseph's Cathedral. Father Buckeridge will begin the exercises of a retreat for the Catholic women of the parish of Dunedin. It will close on the following Sunday morning, to be followed on the same evening by a retreat for men.

The following subscriptions to the South Dunedin Orphanage have been received during the week : — A Friend (Gore), £1 ; Mrs. Delargy (Waikaia). JCI. Contributions towards the Orphanage will be thankfully received by the Sisters of Mercy, South Dunedin, and by the Catholic clergy of Dunedin, and duly acknowledged in the columns of the Tablet.

Christian Brothers' School E^-pupils' Association. — A meeting of this Association Was held on Monday night, the 17fch, at their rooms. Rattray street. The Rev. Father Delaney took the chair. Before commencing the ordinary busine&s of the evening, Mr. P Hally congratulated the Rev. Father Delaney on his accession to the ministry of the Church, and stated that he was the first Dunedin boy who had attained to that high and holy position. After a number of '• old boys "had expressed their good wishes, the Rev. Father, in reply, thanked them for their kind expressions towards him. He stated that he would always feel proud of having once been a pupil of the Christian Brothers, and that with God's blessing it would be his earnest endeavour to do what lay in his power to carry out in a faithful manner the duties appertaining to the holy profession he had adopted. His remarks were received with applause. The business for the evening was then proceeded with, and resulted in the following gentlemen being elected to act as an Executive Committee for the ensuing twelve months : — President, Rev. Father James Delaney ; hon. secretary, Mr. P. Hally ; hon. treasurer. Mr. Alt'. Quclch : trustees, Messrs. F. Heley and C. Columb ; committee, Messrs. F. Cantwell, J. J. Connor, junr., W. Mulrooney, and L. Parletich. The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to the rev. chairman.

An accident, which happily had no very serious results, happened to the handsome carriage and pair which were presented to the Most Rev. Dr. Verdon some time ago. His Lordship's coachman was driving the empty carriage up Stuart street to the palace when the horses took fright at the sight of a hearse, and plunged violently, lurched the carriage heavily back and forward across the street, and finally threw the coachman (Michael Stedman) from the box. The driver, who was happily uninjured, held pluckily to the reins, and mado an ineffectual effort to control the horses by getting to their heads, when they broke, and started in mad career down the steep slope towards the Octagon. Had they succeeded in reaching the crowded thoroughfares of the city, serious loss of life might easily have ensued before their wild

race could have been brought to a close. As it was, they headed straight for the Octagon and dashed at a furious pace through the iron railing, which gave way before them, and horses and carriage rolled over on the grass-covered slope. The horses were speedily released. One of them was little the worse for his sprint. The other, a handsome animal, had his spine broken, and died in a short time. The carriage, which 'is a splendid specimen of Mr. Robin's work, escaped with comparatively little injury.

On Friday evening, January loth, a meeting was held in the Christian Brothers' School, for the purpose of taking btepn to duly celebrate Ireland's national festival of St. Patrick's Day, On the motion of Father Murphy, the chair was taken by Mr. Coghlan. A due celebration of the day, in general terms, was unanimously carried, on the motion of Mr. Connor (junior), seconded by Mr M'Cormack. At Father Murphy's suggestion Messrs. A. Harris and J. Marlow were appointed to carry out the preparations necessary to ensure the success of the evening concert. The proposal to hold a sports meeting in connection with the St. Patrick's Day festivities was discussed at considerable length. At the request of the chairman, the Rev. H. W. Cleary gave an account of the manner in which such sports meetings were conducted both in the large cities and the smaller towns of Victoria, detailing the varying degrees of success which they had achieved. It was ascertained that, despite many obstacles and difficulties that had arisen, last year's St. Patrick's Day sports had resulted in a fairly substantial profit. On the motion of Rev. J. Ryan, seconded by Mr. Liston, it was eventually decided to hold a sport's gathering at a date to be fixed. The following gentlemen were appointed to act on the general committee : — Rev. Fathers Cleary, Murphy, Ryan and Delaney, Messrs. J. Liston, M. Coupfhlin, H. W. Petre, J. J. Connor, N. Mulligan, Clancey, H. Molloy, N. Bradley, F. Foster, Mulquinn, J. Fitzpatrick, L. Pavelitch, Mr. W. E. Shields, D. J. Falkner, D. O'Mrhoney and Magorian. Finance Committee — Messrs Carolin, Liston, Deehan, James O'Neill, J. J. Connor jun,, E. O'Connell, H. M'Cormack sen., M'Gory, Rogers, J. O'Neill (Mornington), John Blaney, P. Hally, J. Hally, F. and J. Cantwell. D. W. Woods, J. Murray, C. Columb, and Fitzpatrick. — On Tuesday night the general committee held their weekly meeting, Mr. M. Coughlin occupying the chair. Messrs. H. M'Cormack junr. and J. O'Connor were appointed secretaries. It was decided to hold an athletic sports meeting on March 19 in the Caledonian Grounds. Messrs. W. E. Shields, A. iHarris, J. Marlow and W. Clancey were appointed to draw up a programme and submit it for the approval of the general committee at their next meeting on Thursday the 27th inst. The usual vote of thanks to the chair concluded the business.