DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 12, 23 March 1899, Page 17

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN.

JJih Lord chip Dr. Verdon will administer the .Sacrament of Confirmation in St. Joseph's Cathedral on Sunday next. Tim Kolemn ceremony of prnfe^ion took place in the Dominican Convent. Duncilm, on March It!, when Miss Miscall, of South Dun edin. made the vows, of religion. His Lordship Dr. Verdon officiated a^wted by the Rev. father Murphy, and the Rev. Father Ryan' The music on the occasion was most impressively rendered. ' The Right Rev. Dr. Verdon celebrated Pontifical Hiah Mass ai 'ht. Patrick's Church, South Dumedin. on St Patrick^Dav' "Rev lather O'Dormell being deacon, Rev. Father Coffey subdeacoii and Rev. Father Murphy master of ceremonies The Rev. Father Ryan preached the panegyric ot the Saint, delivering a very fine discourse which was listened to with the closest attention by a large cono-re-gation. s Tin; Affi, Brisbane, says :— TheX.Z. Taiu.lt gives an interestin-r description of St. Patrick's, Hall, in the city of Dunedin The total Catholic population of the whole of the diocese of Dunedin is ™w 20,000, and St. Patrick's Hall is a grand example of what can be | done by united and whole-hearted energy of the Catholic body with the co-operation of the clergy, The Aye regrets that there is no Catholic hall in Brisbane Many years ago a number of the leading Catholics made great efforts to secure a hall for Brisbane Much credit is due to them, and it was not their fault that they were not successsul. It hopes that in the early future another eflort will be made, and that it will be crowned with success. Tm: Oamavu Mud on the Dominican Star -—The first issue ia an excellent production and well calculated to score a ' possible ' upon the target aimed at. It contains something for all fistes for the old for the young. There are stories, poems, science jottings letters from far fields, literary essays, and chatty miscellaneous papers. Last, but by no means least, numerous illustrations brighten its pages and add piquancy to its contents. The printing ana general make up ot the book are far superior to most colonial work in the depaitment, and the Caxton Company are to be congratulated on the excelli nee of this work. The Dominiran Star is brightly edited, and judging iroin the number before us it has arrived to join the M.-t, company of -fixed stars.' Copies in ay be had from any bookseller or troin the convent, and the book should nnd a place on every • home ' bookshelf.

An Invercargill correspondent writes : — The Very Rev. Father Vincent, C.P.. commenced a mission here on February 27 aid closed it on March 12. He was unwearied in preaching and hearing confessions, with the result that about 700 approached communion — a very large number lor the place. Another happy rtsult of the mission was that many adults and children who bad lefc m,hool. were amongst the 10". persons admitted to confirmation by his Lordship the Bishop on Sunday, March .".. The Bishop congratulated tbe people on tbe strong spirit of religion which so evidently pre\ai'ed amongst them ; the perfection to which their schools were coining and on the societies and clubs established to unite the young grow-ing-up population into a strong Catholic body. If, he said, tbe congregation po^cs«ed a i-hnrch worthy of the place, then they should have everything that was to be desired. At the last service ot the mission the Very Rev. Dean Burke returned fa-vent thanks to Father Vincent for his zealous labours in the place. He said th-tt it was not alone by his constant preaching and by his other labours, which began at early morning and went on far into the night, but also by his extreme kindness and fatherly attractiveness of disposition that the venerable missionary had kept such numbers about him during the fortnight. He knew that he was expressing the foremost wish of the large congregation present, when he said that they all hoped to see Father Vincent and a few Fathers of his congregation giving another mission, a few years hence, among«t them in Invercargill. A Winton correspondent writes : — The progress of Catholicity in this district, within the last few years, is worthy of record in our Catholic organ. The zeal and energy of the late lamented Father J Vereker will act as a standing monument to his meinoiy. At the death of the good priest many of the Catholics shed tears of sorrow, thinking a worthy successor could not be found, and while the Catholics of the district desire to commemorate their love for Father Vereker, by erecting Stations of the Cross, which have been ordered from France at a cost of Ll.">, their respect for their present pastor, Rev. Father O'Neill, is none the less. As soon as Father O'Neill arrived here he .set about introducing the Sisters, and all the people now acknowledge that in doing so their dear and worthy parish priest did the right thing. By great exertion. Father O'Neill succeeded in building a school and providing- a comfortable house for the Sisters, and although some predicted ruin and debt s at the time, they must now admit that everything is progressing in a very satisfactory manner, and that there are no signs of bankruptcy apparent. His Lordship the Bishop paid this district a \isit recently, and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to upwards of 70 persons. On that occasion fir.st Mass was celebrated by the ! Right Rev. Dr. Yerdon. and the second by Rev. Father O'Neill, after which his Lordship delnered an impressive discourse, taking his text from the gospel of the day. Before administering the Sacrament bis Lordship delivered an exhortation to those about to be confirmed, and after tbe ceremony spoke on the value of Catholic literature, and recommended all to subscribe to the N.Z. TAr.hET. It must have been giatifying to his Lordship to see the devotion rnanifc-ted by the people ot Winton on tbe occasion of his visit.