Diocesan News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 12, 23 March 1899, Page 3

Diocesan News.

+- ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON. (From our own correspondent).

March 18.

Owing to the inolement weather last Sunday evening, the sacred concert which was to be held in St. Joseph's Church was postponed until next Sunday evening. The annual meeting of St. Mary of the Angels' choir was held on Friday evening, March 10, at the Presbytery. The Very Rev Father Devoy, S.M., V.G , the president, was in the chair. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. The election of officers for the year resulted as follows :— President, Very Rev Father Devoy (re-elected) ; conductor, Mr. F. J. Oakes (re-elected) • secretary and treasurer, Mr. O'Connell (re-elected); committee, Messrs. Eller, Dwan, Kenny, and O'Connell. The prize for most regular attendance was taken by Mr. Oakes. The Sisters of the Convent, Hill street, celebrated in a fitting manner the feast of their beloved Superioress, which fell on bt. Patrick's Day. As usual, Mass was celebrated in the Convent Chapel. During the day congratulatory telegrams were received v° m « parts wishin £ ncr evei 7 happiness. Among other presents, the Rev. Mother received from the orphans a ciborium, bet with precious stones, for use in the Convent Chapel. The following was received by the Rev. Dr. Watters, in a letter from his brother, in London, giving an account of the Very Rev. Father Cummings' last illness. It might be of interest to the readers of the 1 Ablet so I append it : — ' Yesterday poor Father Cummings was laid in the same grave, at Leyton, that already contained the remains of poor Father Kearney. You must have had the news of his death the very day after he died, for the New Zealand Press Agency here telegraphed the news to Christchurch. He, poor man, had such hopes of getting well, he never gave up till the last. You have heard that before Christmas he went into a private hospital, in Manchester Square, where he remained under a specialist for three ' weeks, but no good came from it ; he nearly died there. When we brought him here on December 30 we got him two Bon Secours bisters, who remained with him till the end. Three weeks ago he rallied somewhat and was able to walk about the corridor, and he spoke of going to Paignton, Lourdes, but I saw it was only allast effort. On Monday evening, 23rd January, he had a free and copious hemorrhage from his mouth. This weakened the poor man considerably, and he sank gradually until death. He had every consolation spiritually, and every caie that human aid could receive, were he a prince of the land he could not have more attention, solace and tender nursing. He was unconscious for some nine hours before death, and as the fatal hour approached his breathing became more and more belaboured. He departed at 2.30 a.m. Sunday, 29th January.' Rev. Fathers Carew and Ainsworth returned from Rotorua yesterday in the Mokoia greatly benefited by their trip. A number of the clergy are expected next week for his Grace's silver jubilee. The Act under which Victoria College was founded provides that each year four members of the council shall retire, and for the hrst two years the member to retire from each class shall be decided by drawing. The first year's drawing caused some merriment at the last meeting of the council. Just before it was taken the Very Key. Dr. Watters, S.M., had been granted six months' leave of absence to allow him to visit America, and consequently the fact of his name being the first drawn very much amused the members Dr. Wallis, Anglican Bishop of Wellington, condoled with Dr. Watters, who laughingly thanked him for his sympathy. At the M Co^vr > draW Dr ' Walliß> name came out and amidst great laughter Mr. O Regan, M.H.R., suggested that as two clergymen had already b «3B sacrificed, the Rev. Mr. Evans should be "fired out" on the third draw. So it happened. The drawing for the fourth retire-

ment impressed on the mind of one member the adage : " He laughs best who laughs last," for amid a regular uproar the pressman who had charge of the drawing called the name of Mr O'Regan The Very Rev. Dr. Waiters leaves by the Rotoiti at six p.m. this afternoon to pin the 'Frisco mail boat at Auckland.