Diocesan News. DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 49, 8 April 1898, Page 5

Diocesan News. DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.) The reports which are abroad in connection with the Very Rev. Father Cummings, V.G., and the transfer of the Rev. Father Le Menant des Chesnais to Christchurch are incorrect. On the return, however, of the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes to the diocese, very probably the Vicar-General will go to Europe for several months for the benefit of his health unless it greatly improves in the meantime. On Wednesday last the Rev. Father Bogue went to Ashburton to assist the Rev. Father O'Donnell with the solemnities during Holy Week. On the same day the Rev Fathers Barry and Mangan (C.SS.R.) arrived in Christchurch, and they will hold a triduuin in the Pro-Cathedral preparatory to Easter. In obedience to a call irom their superiors, the Rev. Father Bingham, who was in this city during the week, has left for Ireland, and the Rev. Father Burke, who was in Christchurch a little over four years ago, has gone to England. (From our Timaru correspondent.) On Thursday last a solomn dirge and Rcquinn Mass were sung for the repose of the soul of Mr James Tubman, of Ballinamore, County Leitrim. Ireland, and father of our devoted Father John Tubman, of Timaru. Such a number of ecclesiastics never before assembled together in our church. There were prssent in the smctuary the Rev. Father Cumminers, Vicar-general, who presided at the Office ; the Very Rev. Dean Mackay (Oamaru), who celebrated the Requiem Mass ; Fathers Foley (Leeston) and Regnault (Waimate) acting as deacon and sub-deacon respectively ; Father Bowers (Geraldine), Master of Ceremonies ; the Very Rev. Father Le Menant des Chesnais (Temuka) ; Fathers Marnane (Christchurch), O'Connell (Waimate), Perkins, McDonnell, and Tubman. The church, which was draped in mourning, was taxed to its utmost by a crowded congregation anxious to show their sympathy and respect for Father Tubman, and to assist at the solemn Offices of the day. Dean Mackay and Father O'Connell were the Chanters, and the rendering of the Requiem Mass by the choir, assisted by the Marist Brothers and the boarders of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, was most devotional and impressive. Miss McGuinness preBided at the organ. After the Absolutions the Very Rev. Father Cummings, V.G., preached from the text, '• Blessed are they who die in the Lord, for they shall rest from their labours." The preacher said: They were gathered to-diy in this House of God and around His holy altar to pray for refreshment, light and peace for the soul of Mr. James Tubman, father of their devoted pastor. It afforded him much pleasure to travel so far to show his esteem for the pastor of Timaru and give him at least a small token of sympathy in his recent bereavement ; to perceive from North Canterbury to the extreme south of the diocese and beyond it, even from Oamaru, buch expresbions ot sympathy which must necessarily solace the heart of their p.istor. The Vicar-General said Mr. James Tubman etemplified in his lite he qualities marked out by St. Paulr. Justus ex fide v'wit. His

life was one of solid and edifying 1 faith. His sincere ambition was that hie children should be gifted by God with a religious or ecclesiastical vocation. Of his family of eight children two are priests — Father Thomas Tubman, P.P., of Virginia City, Nevada, and Father John Tubman, the respected pastor of Timaru. After quoting the text, " The death of the wicked is very evil, the Lord will redeem the souls of his servants " (Ps. 33), the preacher drew a striking contrast between the death of the sinner and that of the just. The Spirit of God has revealed to us only one way of preparing for death, and that is by a good and holy life. At the advanced age of 82 Mr. James Tubman received the message of the Angel of Death, and, filled with the consolation of a well Bpent life, he was able to exclaim with the Pcalmist : " I am rejoiced with the things that are told me. I shall go into the house of the Lord, my God, and dwell with him for ever." He prayed through life that the Kingdom of God might couie, and it has arrived. The slave rejoices when the hand of his deliverer strikes away his fetters, throws open wide his prison gate, and sends him forth to liberty and life. The mariner rejoices when a fair wind brings him through unknown seas into a haven of peace and rest. The Very Rev. preacher continued with an eloquent description of the human being's last vision of this life and of the soul's first contact with eternity. He exhorted his hearers to imitate the life of Mr. Tubrnan. He directed words of solemn and earnest exhortation to the children of the congregation — to be true and steadfast in the practice of their religion, so as to realise the fulfilment of his text : " Blessed are they who die in the Lord, for they shall rest from their labours." The " Dead March in Saul " was played as a dismissal, and concluded one of the most impressive and solemn ceremonies witnessed in the church of the Sacred Heart at Timaru. On Palm Sunday the Rev. Father Tubman expressel his sincere thanks to the reverend fathers, who had assembled at much inconvenience to assist at the Requiem Mass on Tuesday last, also to the congregation for their practical sympathy with him in attending the solemn ceremonies in suoh large numbers. (From our Greymouth correspondent.) The following reached us just after we had gone to press for our last issue : — The weather for St. Patriok's holiday was, unfortunately, very wet ; consequently the attendance at the races was not large. However, those who attended were plentifully supplied with cash, nearly £6000 being put throngh the machine. Trotting races have also caught on here. The attendance at the Park in Greymouth, where the races are held, was, despite the weather, very large. Thus another means has been devised for easing the populace of their spare cash. Of these matches the least said the better, evidently the amount of money on the totalisator controls the running of the horses, and it is such an easy matter to make a horse break into a gallop, when a pull-up is the rule, that the stewards have difficulty in detecting crooked running though the circumstantial evidence of such taking place iB very strong. Many poor men who have travelled from other parts of the colony to Barrytown, in search of employment, have been grievously disappointed. It is well that it should be known that there are plenty of men residing in this district who cannot obtain employment ; so it is useless strangers coming here looking for work. There was a large attendance at High Mass on St. Patrick's Day which was celebrated by Father Carew, The panegyric on the saint was preached by Father Bingham. 'Tis an old story — the life and triumphs of the glorious apostle — but still how interesting when told by the gifted Redemptorist. In glowing language the reverend, preacher spoke of the peaceful conversion of the Irish people, of their missionary zeal, their trials and sufferings for their Faith. Concluding, Father Bingham paid a high tribute to the Catholic laity of Australasia, who, though small in numbers, have accomplished such marvellous results. After finishing at Barrytown, where he is at present giving a mission, assisted by Father Malone, the reverend gentleman will leave for Canterbury. If we may judge by Press reports there seems at last a desire on the part of the Conservative Government to mete out justice to Ireland. The Local Government Bill, which has received from all parties such unstinted praise, should remove muoh of the existing bitterness that has arisen from centuries of persecution. To get an idea of their persecution ana unfair dealing, all should read that valuable work, the '" Orange Society," which was reviewed a few months ago in your columns. In turning over the pages of this able exposure of a society that lives on bigotry, one is amazed at the depths of the villainy of these bigoted men. Indeed their practices would raise a blush on the " heathen Chinee." The Rev. Father Cleary deserves the thanks, not only of Catholics, but of all h ne^t men who believe in toleration and lair play. As this work may be obtained for a trifle, it will, no doubt, be soon found on the bookshelves of every Catholic house. [Our correspondent's account of the death of Mr P. Lynch appears elsewhere, under the heading " Obituary." J