INTERCOLONIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 14, 5 April 1900, Page 15

INTERCOLONIAL.

„ jf. new Catholic church was opened at Jerry's Plains recently by the Right Rev. Dr. Dwyer, Coad j utor-Biahop of Maitland, assisted by the Rev. Father Roche.

The Rev. E. O'Brien having gone from St. Mary's Cathedral to Mosmans and Neutral Bay his place at the Cathedral has been taken by the Rev. Father Michael Fitzpatrick, late of Lewisham. The Rev. Father Egan, of Moruya, takes the place of Father Fitzpatrick at Lewisham. The Rev. Father Bnnbury, of Paramatta, goes to Moruyo, and Father Donnelly of Surrey Hills to Paramatta

Says the Sydney Freeman's Journal :— ln connection with the Feast Day of the Apostle of Ireland it is of interest to note that the exterior decorative Btonework on the eastern side of the cathedral, now being finished, includes heads of St. Patrick and St. Columba. On either side of the window of the Irish Saints the clever sculptor who is doing this work has also successfully carved in stone 'portraits' of his Holiness Pope Leo XIII. and his Eminence Cardinal Moran. The main eastern entrance to the cathedral iußt above the presbytery now presents an exceedingly rich and artistic appearance. From this out the Pope and the Cardinal will keep guard as silent sentinels over the eastern side of the building. In connection with the plague in Sydney his Eminence Cardinal Moran has issued the following circular :— lt is pleasant to find that although the plague has been threatening this city and the surrounding districts for some weeks, it has not Bpread to any extent amongst us. We may trust that a merciful Providence shall listen to the prayers of the Church and avert this calamity from our Australian colonies. Entering, however, into the spirit of Holy Church, I deem it a duty, in regard to the city and suburban parochial districts, to dispense with the Fast and Abstinence otherwise prescribed for the Lenten Season. The usual abstinence on the Fridays of the year will, of course, remain in full force. I would request the faithful who may avail of this indulgence in the law of the Church regarding the Lenten Season, to renew their fervour of piety, and by their persevering prayer to endeavour to appease the wrath of God against the sinfulness that is so widespread throughout the world at the present day. The prayer of the humble and faithful heart for mercy shall not be made in vain, and we may trust that instead of the chastisements of Divine Justioe the blessings of God's bounty and love will abound amongst us.

Writing with regard to the forthcoming Catholic Congress in Sydney the Rome correspondent of the Freeman '» Journal sayß :— Mgr. Kelly, Rector of the Irish College, is, as you know, sending a paper which will be heard with much attention. It is some notes on temperance. Mr. M. E. Mulhall will contribute what must be a fascinating paper on Catholicity studied according to statistics. He is the wizard of statistics, the wizard and yet the treasureholder ; the magician and the store-house. In his Dictionary of Statixtu'j, the standard authority on the subject, ia to be found the prices of goodbtuffs in the Lime of Alexander tho Great, and so forth. From bis hout,o et KiJlicey Peak, near Dub. in, he comes every winter to live in Rome with his wife, a j^if ted writer, to take his tunib of t-ervii c in the Papal Court as Private Chamberlain of Cape and Sword. Another Irish-Roman, bather David, 0.F.M., will send a paper on mine point of Apologetics. F.uher David, after being Provincial of tho Friars Minor in England, was called to reside in Rome at the mother houpe of Sant' Antonio, which replaces that of the Ara Coeli destroyed to make room for the monument of Victor Emmanuel. The fact that ho was a Scotist did not prevent his having a very exceptional call, that to be Consultor of the Holy Office of the itomau and Universal I< quisition. He is a cheery denial of the austerity of that revered tribunal.

For some time the Yen. Archdeacon Slattery, who has had charere of St Mary's pariah, Geelong, for many years, hag been unable to do but little work, and consequently tho care of the parish fell on the shoulders of the senior pnct, the Rev. Father O'Brien. His Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne, with the advice of the Diocesan Council, has (nays the correspondent of the Frceman't Journal) conferred a compliment on Dean M'Kenna, V.G-., who so ably acted as administrator of the diocese during the absence of the Archbishop in Europe, by appointing- him to the responsible position of parish priest of !St. Mary's, Geelon«f. It is understood that the very rev. gentleman retains the title of dean and vicar-general. The Rev. E. O'Brien has been appointed Rector of St. Joseph'B, Collingvrood, a large parish, where he will find full room, and an extensive outlet for his zeal, energy, and ambition in the noble work of saving souls. Rev. P. Phelan, Collingwood (brother of the Rev. Father Phelan, S J., one of the foremost preachers of the Irish Church at the present day), has received well-earned promotion by his appointment to St. Patrick's Cathedral, in the room of Dean M'Kenna. The Rev. T. Brazil, who has done good work in the Northcote mission, has been given the rectorship of St. Mary's, Williamstown. Tbe other changes announced are : — Rev. T, O'Sullivan, from Clifton Hill to Geelong ; Rev. M. Costello, 8.D., from East St. Kilda to Flemington : Rev. P. A.Francis takes Father Coßtello's place at St Kilda ; Rev. P. Fitzgerald, from Els tern wick to Fitzroy ; Father Norris (recently ordained by the Archbishop) takes Father Fitzgerald's place at Elsternwick,

The railway authorities notify that excursion tickets for the Easter holidays will be issued, from any station on the Hurunui- Bluff section from April 11 to April 16. Theae tioketa will be available for return up to and including Tuesday, May l f and can be extended on certain specified conditions.— *%