DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5, 1 February 1900, Page 19

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.)

Thursday, January 2.">. The Rev. I\ith< r Gillan. preached last Sunday evening at St Patrick's.

Tlu' Rev father Herbvr, S.M.. of Wellington, arrived here on Sunday from Syd-i.-y He h staying for a while at St. Patrick's presbytery.

A splendid concert, at which the best available local musical talent will a-,M«, t . is to tike plj.ee in St. Benedict's Hall on Friday, February 25. Tin- p-oceeds are to be devoted tj the improvement of the Catholi; c.-me-ery m Syinond street. l\n Lordship Dr. Lenihan, in se.ver.tl letters written from London, and which wen: received by the last inward Trisco mail, makes it known that he fully expects to leave for New Zealand some time in March. An enthusiastic .mi whole-hearted welcome awaits our good Bishop irom his devoted and admiring people. A memorial Mass for the repose of the soul of our late beloved Bishop was celebrated at St. Patrick's on Tuesday, the anniversary of his death, by the Very Rev. Dean OR illy, assisted by the Rev. 1- a,thers Buckley and Kamp. The choir, consisting entirely of the clergy, uuder the Very Rev. Dr. Egan, who preside 1 at the organ, rendered the solemn music in a most devotional manner. The committee ot the St. Patrick's Day Commemoration met on la^t l'ciday evening, and did a large amount of important and pnctioil business Aco ninunicttio-i was read to the meeting Irom Mr Chu--y, hon. sec. of the Bendigo S.. Patrick's Day Celebration ('■nuia.Pee. from wh ; ch th<* local committee gained son.c g iod and pi-actual hints, which are to be put inti operation in Auckland.

At the adjourned meeting to consider the most appropriate means oi celebrating the orolden jubilee of the arrival in this Colony of the Sisters of Mercy, the Very Rev. be-in () Keilly presided. There were also present the Very R^v. Dr. f^an, O S.B . and the Rev. Fathers Buckley, O Mara, and Hennessey. After a lengthened discussion it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Dr, Bakewell, seconded by Mr. J. J. O'Biien, ' that a meeting be

called, to be held in St. James's Hall, in order to arouse public interest, in the establishment of a Convalescent Home, and to place before the people of Auckland the proposals of the Sisters of Mercy for the celebration of their golden jubilee.' It was also decided to hold a public meeting, and that several prominent citizens be invite 1 to address it, and it take place on the evening of Friday, February 23. The programme is to be part musical, and this portion was left in the hands of the Very Rev. Dr. Egan. The institution is to be non-3ectarian. The prospectus, showing where it is proposed to erect the building and all particulars in connection therewith, will be presented to the public meeting. It is to be hoped that this noble and highly-philanthropic effort of the good Sisters of Mercy will be crowned with that sucoess which it deserves.

Slattery and his bogus-nun have finished their ' shows ' in Auckland. The Catholic priests and people maintained towards them a policy of silent contempt. In this the local Press followed suit, with the exception of the Observer, which, in its editorial column, slashed the precious pair in true sledge-hammer style. The pamphlets of the Catholic Truth Society (England), forwarded very timely by the N. Z. Tablet, were distributed throughout the city. One of them was handed to the scurrilous orator while he was holding forth upon the stage of the Forester's Hall. 'Oh! 'he interjected, ' I am charged here with being a drunkard.' As if this charge were new to him. ' I defy anyone now,' he said, ' to say I drink.' At his last lecture he appeared in vestments, and beforehand made his intention to do so known by posters. It fell flat, however, his audience was small, and in the height of his chagrin, he petulantly said, ' the Roman Church in Auckland subsidized the local Press to ignore him, and the Observer to attack him.' Hia ' show ' here was a lamentable and ignoble failure. The exposure of him in the N. Z. Tablet, of the 18th inst., completed it.