NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 49, 8 April 1898, Page 17

NEW ZEALAND : GENERAL.

We would earnestly urge friends who send us Press correspondence, news cuttings, ice, to forward them to us at the earliest moment. Lengthy reports should be in our office on Tuesday mornings. Short and scrappy news items should reach us at latest on Wednesday morning-. Items of intelligence that, when fresh, would be of interest to our readers, are frequently rejected when they become old and stale.

The following, from our Christ church correspondent, reached us on Wednesday morning-, too late for insertion in its proper place : On Sunday last the services at the Pro-Cathedral were of the usual solemn character suited to Palm Sunday. The palms, blessed by very Rev. Father Cummings, V.G., were distributed. Fathers Rafforty. Huault, and Coonoy also took part in the ceremonies. At the 11 o'clock service, after the final distribution of palms, the Vicar»eneral began to celebrate High Mass. Feeling-, however, much indisposed, the revered priest withdrew from the altar shortly after he had commenced the sacred rite, the strain of the long ceremonies and the late Mass being too groat for a fragile constitution such as his. Father Raffevry recited the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin instead. There was a large congregation present. Great anxiety was shown for the welfare of the Vicar-general lam pleased to say that the latest account of his state of health reports that he is much better. At St. Mary's the services were conducted with great solemnity by the Rev. Father Marnane. Appropriate and excellent music was rendered by the choir, under the direction of Mr H. Rossiter. There were .also large congregations present at all the

serrices, and at Vespers in the evening the Eev. Father Goggan preached a very instructive and impressive sermon. On Low Sunday (April 17) the Redemptorißt Fathers will give a mission at St. Mary's. The mission will continue two or three weeks. On Wednesday evening 1 next a concert will take place in St. Mary's School Hall in aid of the parochial bazaar.

The services at St. Mary's Cathedral on Sunday last (says the JV. Z. Times) had special features associated with Palm Sunday, and were numerously attended. The blessing and distribution of palms by the Archbishop in the morning was followed by High Mass. The Rev. Father Lewis was celebrant, and the Rev. Fathers Hills, Mahoney, and Holly were deacons. During Mass the Passion was very finely sung. At vespers the sermon was preached by the Rev. Father Lewis. In the evening, at St. Joseph's Church, Buckle street, His Grace the Archbishop of Wellington and Bishop Vidal, of Fiji, were present during the service, the latter giving the benediction, assisted by Fathers Moloney and Clancy. A sacred concert was held in aid of the organ fund, an excellent programme being given. The solo given by Miss May Sullivan, " Laudate Pueri Dominum," was greatly appreciated, as was the selection " I Know that My Redeemer Liveth," by Madame Eveleen Carlton, but the feature of the evening was that lady's solo in " Inflammatus," assisted by the choir. Mr. M. C. Rowe was heard to advantage in his tenor solo, " Cujus Animam," and Mr. C. J. Ellison's " Pro Peccatis " was admirably rendered. Other items were a chorus and solo, the latter being sung by Mr. G. Girling-Butcher ; " Tantum Ergo," by the choir, the soloists being the Rev. Father Murphy, 0.5.8., and Miss Segrief ; choruses, " Divine Praises " and " Adoremus and Laudate " ; " Cherubim " by Mr, Rowe, from " Aye Maria," and " 0 Salutaris" by Miss May Sullivan and Mr. Griffen. Mr. Kearsley presided at the organ during the evening and gave three selections, " Moderato Divoto," "Allegro Sinfonico," and a march, "The Hallelujah Chorus " (Handel), the last named being excellently rendered. Mr. H. McCardell conducted the concert, which was listened to by a crowded and appreciative congregation. The fine statue which was presented to the Catholic Church in Queenstown by the Very Rev. Dean Burke, of Invercargiil, has been placed in its position on the fagade of the building. It is made of selected Oamaru stone, and is life-size, measuring sft 9in high, and is a splendid and striking adornment to the sacred edifice. We understand that the fine new church, in which the zealous Father O'Donnell takes such a keen and practical interest, is almost complete, and will be opened in May. We learn that six pupils of St. Francis Xavier's Academy, Wellington (Misses Yohrab, Skerret, Plimmer, Sexton, Wright, and Atkins), passed the Junior Civil Service examinations this year ; three (Misses E. Casey, E. Yohrab, and Stevens) passed for Matriculation ; and 33 passes were secured at the Musical Theory examinations. Attention is directed to the advertisement which appears elsewhere in our columns for a Catholic teacher for Lincoln.