DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4, 25 January 1900, Page 6

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.) Thursday, January 18. St. Patrick's Day Celebration Committee is to meet to-morrow evening to take tteps to ensure the success of the next national festival. The Rev. Father Patterson is now enjoying a needed rest at Te Aroha Hot Springs, but returns at the end of this week to resume charge of Monsignor McDonald's old parish of Pan mure and Howick. A grand vocal and instrumental concert in aid of the cemetery improvement is to be given in St. Benedict's Hall on Friday evening, February ( .>tb. The Marist Brothers returned to Auckland yestesday from their annual retreat. There is one change made in the staff. Brother Borgia, so long and very favourably known in Auckland, has been transferred to Wellington. Dr. Darby has been appointed by the Government to the position of gaol doctor in Auckland The appointment was received by the genial doctor's many friends with manifestations of great pleasure, and numerous and warm congratulations were tendered to him. At the adjourned meeting of the ladi s and gentlemen which was called for the purpose of celebrating the jubilee of the Slaters of Mercy Order in New Zealand, it was decided to inaugurate a convalescent home to worthily celebrate the event. The Very Rev. Dean O'Reilly presided. Particulars will be made known later on. Mr. Ronald McDonald, a Catholic well-known in Auckland and the Thames district-, was killud accidentally at Wai hi last week. His remains were brought to Auckland and during lust Friday night they reposed in St. Benedict's Church. On Saturday morning at eight o'clock a ll'tpunn Mn-s was celebrated by the Very R-jv. Dean O'Reilly by whom deceased was long and intimately known. The cortege left the church at 1 1 am. for Symond street cemetery, where the Dean officiated, and spoke in feeling- r« rins of the maiy good qualities of the deceased, and asked all present to pray for the repose of his soul. — H I.P. Ex-priest Slattery and his wife are holding forth in Am-klpi'd The notices of him in the local Press cun only be discovered with the aid of a microscope and search-warrant. They are reluctantly reported in an obscure corner. The V.M C. A. people refused them the use of their hall, and further refused to allow their Bible Depot to be defiled with his dirty books. He wrote to almost every Protestant minister in Auckland asking to announce his lectures, and several of them he bagged to preside at his meetings. From ALL of them he received a curt ' No.' He publicly referred to this, and

said Auckland Protestants were a week -kneed lot. Outside the hall in which he lectures is a lar^e portait of himself taken in vestments. Piotestants of all shades are to be heard expressing their de* p disgust; whilst the Catholics look on with utter contempt upon one who could fall so low for money. The Very Rev. Dean O'Reilly preached last Sunday evening at St Patrick's, and the sermon was noticed by the two local papers. 1 give a brief outline of it. The Dean took tor his text, 'Go forth and teach all nations,' etc. He referred to the ancient glories and struggles of the early Church in Christianising the great Roman Kmpirf nnd ponplpu going to the East and West spreading the great truths of Christianity and subduing the passions of the barbarous people^. He cited si number of martyrß who had shed their blood for the propagation of the Gospel. In every quarter of the globe they were to be found. Even in our own adjacent islands the blcod of the martyrs, the seed of Christians, was freely offered to God. He spoke of the demise of the Very Rev. Monsignor McDonald, and the widespread sympathy evoked fr >m all classes, the Governor, the Premier, and other Ministers of the Crown, and clergymen of other religious denominations. There was one discordant note, however. A reverend gentleman, from a pulpit in the city, could not express sympathy without having a fling at the Church of Rome, stating that she consigned all Protestants to perdition. This was absolutely untrue. The Church recognised all who were validly baptised, no matter by whom, as in a certain sense her members, and taught that those who in good faith observed the commandments of God. and practised Christian virtues, could be saved, although not openly recognising the authority of the Roman Pontiff. The Dean spoke of the many noble sacrifices made by the priests and nuns in the cause of suffering humanity, particularly mentioning Father Pamien, and those heroic nuns who braved everything on the battle-fields in various parts of the world, and particularly to-day in South Africa. And yet there could be found those who hold up to ridicule and vilify and traduce these good messengers of peace, and who for mercenary motives tickle the ears of the prurient to rake in the dollars. He concluded by saying that he desired and prayed that the prediction of our Divine Lord would be fulfilled, quoting these word.s . ' Other sheep I have which are not of this fold ; them I also will bring in, and there shall be one fold and One Shepherd.'