DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 41, 12 October 1899, Page 6

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.) October 5. Mr. P. Foley, of the Survey Department haß been transferred to Wellington, and leaves for the capital next Wednesday. In the Hibernian and Catholio Literary Societies here Mr. Foley has been a most useful member, and great regret is expressed at his departure.

• v^-P 1 ? Crown Lands sale, held in the city last Friday, a section m Kihikihi township was purchased for church purposes by the Rev. Father Croke. St. Patrick's Day Celebration Committee is to meet next Sunday afternoon to consider the celebration of next St. Patrick's Day. A widespread feeling exists that some innovation is neccessary in the mode of carrying out the festival. The annual meeting: of the Children of Mary in the Cathedral parish was held last Monday evening. Miss Kate Rist was reelected president ; Miss Louie Smith, hon. treasurer ; Miss Cassin, hon. secretary. Rev. Father Buckley, spiritual director, and Sister Mary Ligouri, directress were present. The Boys' Club in connection with the Sacred Heart parish, Ponsonby, gave one of their monthly entertainments last Monday evening in the parish- school. The Very Rev. Dr. Egan attended, and rendered valuable assistance to his young charges. The programme was an excellent one, and concluded with a laughable farce taken from ' Handy Andy.' A meeting of St. Benedict's Club was held on Tuesday evening. It was decided, in order to keep the members together throughout the year, to arrange for a literary and debating branch in connection with the club, to hold its meetings during the summer evenings. The following officers were elected : Rev. Father Darby, president : vice-presidents, Messrs. J.Corbett, and J. J. A.Callaghan ; secretary, Mr. J. B. R. Stead ; librarian, Mr. James Mahon. At St. Mary's Convent Chapel on laßt Friday morning at 8 o'clock, Sisters Mary Mercedes and Ambrose were professed, assuming the black veil. Mass was celebrated by the Very Rev. Dean O'Reilly, assisted by Rev. Father Gillan. Father Purton also attended. The ceremony was performed by the Dean. Rev. Father Gillan, during the week preceeding, preached the Retreat, and also delivered a fine discourse at the conclusion of the ceremony. At St. Benedict's a movement is on foot to hold, on a large scale, a Plain and Fancy Fair during next Christmas holidays. Last Sunday night week a meeting, with this object in view, was held, at which Mr. Maurice Casey was elected ohairman, Mr. Patrick Brophy hon. treasurer, and Messrs John J. A. Callaghan and Jas. Knott joint hon. secretaries. Last Sunday night the committee again met, when the Rev. Father Gillan and a large and influential number of lady and gentlemen parishioners also attended. The greatest enthusiasm and unanimity prevailed, one and all agreeing to unite and make the forthcoming fete worthy of St. Benedict's parish. A public meeting was held a few days ago in Auckland to carry out a most laudable object. Ministers of various denominations attended. At the meeting a committee was elected, at the head of which a prominent Catholio was chosen. Next day one of the com» mittee— a clergyman, by the way— called upon the Catholic member of the committee. • Mr. ,' he said, ' I regret that our committee is likely to fail, as the Rev. Mr. — takes strong objection to its composition.' ' Perhaps,' said the Catholio gentle* man, it is because I, a Roman Catholic, am a member of it.' The answer was : 'lam very much afraid that that is the reason.' Upon this assuranoe the representative of the old Faith at once sent in his* resignation. Words are cheap. These are the very people who preach toleration from the house-tops, and raise a grand ' halloo ' against the Boers, yet do what lies in their spiteful little power to make Catholics the Uitlanders of New Zealand. Sunday last, the Feast of our Lady of the Rosary, was the day chosen for the children of the Cathedral parish to renew their Baptismal vows. Solemn High Mass was celebrated at 11 o'clock. The Very Rev. Dean O'Rielly was celebrant, Very Rev. Canon Franklin deacon, and Rev. Father Purton sub-deacon. The renewal took place at three in the afternoon. The avowal was nicely read by Miss Evelyn Quinlan. Dean OReilly addressed the children and explained to them the significance and meaning of the ceremony in which they were taking part. Benediotion of the Blessed Sacrament followed, the children supplying the musical portion. The girls, who were nicely dressed in white, with veils to match, and bearing appropriate banners, mustered with the confraternities of the Children of Mary and Guard of Honour, at the Convent School, Hobson, marching thence in procession to the cathedral. The boys, in red sashes, also mustered there and joined the procession, the whole forming a striking spectacle. The girls were in charge of the bisters of Mercy, the boys under the direction of the Marist Brothers. After Vespers in the evening a procession, through the cathedral, of the Blessed Sacrament took place. The children formed around the altar rails, and sang a hymn to our Lady. During the service a fine ' Magnificat,' composed by the Rev. Father Kehoe, of Parnell, was well rendered by the choir. The Very Rev. Canon Franklin preached a most effective sermon on the Holy Rosary. The Canon told the story of how fifteen young Protestant students of Oxford College, some of whom now hold high positions in the Catholio Church, were brought to the true fold by uniting when at the famous University in the recital of the Rosary. It iB estimated that fully 1400 people attended this service in the evening. {fiiocetan News is continued on page 18.)