DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 12, 22 July 1898, Page 4

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

CFrom our own correspondent.)

Arrangements are being made, says a local paper, for an Australasian Roman Catholic Congress, to be held in Sydney, to mark the close of the century. Cardinal Moran, in speaking on the subject in Sydney recently, said they could not expect in a newcountry such as Australia to do much in such a congress, bnt they might hope in a bumble way to contribute a little to add lustre to Catholic truth, and to remove some of the prejudices of ig-norance and bigotry against which the teachings of Divine faith had always to contend. He expected that the Archbishop of Melbourne, who is at present in Ireland, would secure some valuable papers from the leading scientists in the Home Countries on such questions as the relations of the scientific progress of this nineteenth century to religion, the relation of the Church to education, the general sense in which the trite motto might be accepted— a free Church in a free state— and in general the distinction between true and false liberalism in religion. He hoped also that they would be able to mark the celebration by an exhibition of school work from all the Australian colonies, and that it might perhaps be also combined with a mus-eum or a display of interesting antiquities connected with the Church or her pursuits of science and history. It has been arranged that some of the leading representative men of all the colonies bhoulu be invittd to become members of the committee and to co-operate to ensure the success of the congress. On Saturday last, the feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel, three Sisters of the order of our Lady of Missions were professed at the Monastery of the Sacred Heart, Barbadoes street. The ceremony, which was very solemn and impressive, was presided over by the Vicar-General. The llev. Father Servajean preached a beautiful sermon, suitable to the occasion, on the words : ' So let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day that it may please thee.' The Rev. Fathers G-oggan and Marnane, all the Sisters in the convent, and a' few friends of the professed were also present at the ceremony. On Tuesday evening last the Rev. Father Servajean presided at the usual weekly meeting, which was held in the local school chapel, of the committee organised for the purpose of erecting a new church in Addington. The rev. chairman has modified somewhat the plan of a church submitted at a recent meeting, and the new plan was adopted. The now proposed church, which will be 55ft. long and 30ft. broad, will accommodate about 250 persons. The sanctuary will be lfift. square, and on each side of it there is a small room, one of which will serve for a sacribty and the other for a meeting room. The height of the walls will be 12ft.,and besides windows in o.her parts of the structure there will be eight Gothic windows on each side. The church will be matched-lintd and have a coved-ceiling roof, which will be of Gochic form and covered with iron. The rest of the church will be of wood, and the edifice will be placed oh a contrete foundation. The Rev. Father Servajean and the committee ure working very energetically in the matter, and it was decided at the meeting that an architect should be forthwith engaged to undertake the work. Subscriptions are being raised for the erecting of the church, and it is reported during the last few days not le=>s than £62 have been collected. On Sunday next the annual appeal will be made at all the services at the Pro-Cathedral for contributions towards the fund of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Tfiere is, unfortunately, at the present time not a few cases of distress and want in the parish, and it is therefore to be hoped that a handsome sum will be donated on the occasion. The new hall is being rapidly transformed into a very pretty and commodious theatre in which about 800 persons can be comfortably si-ati-d. In addition, therefore, to serving for a place in which to hold ( aroohial meetings, the hall will be well suited for conce ts and dramatic entertainments. The hall includes stalls drej«-ciroie, and even a pit, and the stage, which is a spacious one, is well :-up(.liod with excellent soenery. Most of the scenea have been remov> d from the Marist Brothers' School room, and the act-drop is a very pretty vievv ot the upper Lakes of Killarney. Great preparations are being made for the concert on the opening night, and it is expic:el the hall will be greatly thronged on the occasion.

This week's issue of the Canterbury Times publishes a brief notice and also a portrait of the late Admiral Fernand Villaamil, who was recently killed at Santiago. The photo is one of a man not young and not aged and possessed of a beautiful countenance, which is simply a faint reflex of his still more beautiful soul. Very great fegret, saya the notice, will be occasioned throughout the colonies by the news of the death of Admiral Villaamil, the genial and gallant officer who acquired so much popularity when he visited the colonies five years ago in command of the Spanish training ship Nautilus. Admiral Villaamil, who was recently appointed Commander of the Spanish squadron operating in Cuba waters, had a distinguished cireer in his pro'ession. He was for five years commander of the Spanish Royal yacht, and before that he was in the naval training ship. The fact that he was selected to conduct an important enterprise like the voyage of the Nautilus shows how highly he was estecmpd as a naval instructor. The important command to which he was appointed in connection with the present war is another proof of the high estimation in which he was held by his country, and the oath which he took to conquer or die before he left for the war, and which he justified to the letter, is a testimony to his heroic character. Throughout the colonies Admiral Villaamil obtained golden opinions from everyone with whom he came in contact on account of his urbanity, courtesy, and the general manliness of his character. In no place were these qualities more appreciated than here, as the Nautilus remained at Port Lyttelton for nearly two months, and her commander and his officers and men became extremely popular with all classes in this city. Admiral Villaamil warmly appreciated the kindness which was extended to him and his ship's company in the colony, and on his return wrote a ibook in which he expressed hearty thanks for the hospitable treatment accorded to them. The Nautilus is a sailing vessel, and was originally one of the famous China clippars, being formerly known as the Carrick Castle. The crew all told numbered 182, 50 of whom were cadets undergoing instruction as naval officers.