Diocesan News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 1, 3 January 1901, Page 6

Diocesan News.

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.)

December 29.

Despite the unseasonable weather the earlier Masses at the ProCathedral were well attended on Christmas morning. Pontifical High Mass was celebrated at 11 o'clock by his Lordship Bishop Grimes, the Very Rev. Father Le Menant dea Chesnaia, V.G . being assistant priest, and the Very Rev. Dean Foley and Rev. Father Leen deacon and subdeacon respectively. The music was Beethoven's Mass in C, well rendered by a full choir and orchestra, Mr H, H. Loughnan conducting and Miss Funston presiding at the organ. The soloists were — Soprano, Mrs A. Mead; alto, Miss A.Bryant; tenor, Mr W. McKay : and bass, Mr D. Roche. Novello's setting of the ' Adeste Fideles ' was sung at the Offertory, Mrs H. H. Loughnan taking the alto solo. The iiishop preached on the Feast of the day. At Vespers his Lordship again pontificated. The high and nide altars were tastefully adorned with choice flowers, and in the sanctuary there was a profusion of pa^ms and pot plants, kindly supplied by Miss White. The body of the church was adorned with garlands and festoons of evergreens, the work of Mrs A. Mead and Mieses White, Bryant, Kearney, and Hay ward. The crib was nicely arranged by Mr Frank Geohegan. Masses were also celebrated at the outlying churches. At St. Mary's Church, Manchester street, Masses were oelebrated at 7 and 9.30 a.m. and High Mass was celebrated at 11 o'clock by the Rev. Father Marnane, who preached an instructive sermon on a text from the Gospel of the day — ' And the word was made flesh.' The musicwas Haydn's Mass No. 2, well rendered by the choir, assisted by an efficient orchestra, Mr. H. Rossiter conducting and Mrs. W. D. Cronin presiding at the organ. The various solos were given with good effect. The high and side altars were profusely decorated with flowers and foliage and presented a particularly pleasing apperarance. At the earlier Masses the greater portion of the congregation received Holy Communion. Masses were also oelebrated in the suburban churches attached to the parish. In the evening there were Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. A crib was arranged in the church in a very devotional manner. St. Joseph's Church, Lyttelton, was decorated for Christmas Day by the Sisters of Mercy in a very tasteful manner and Mapses were celebrated at (> 30, 8, and 9 a.m. by the Very Rev. Dean Foley, and in the evening there were devotions, sermon by the Dean, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Good congregations were the rule throughout the day. The Church or the Holy Nan:* 5 , Ashburton. was very effectively decorated for the great festival, and numerous members of the congregation approache 1 the Holy Table at the early Masses celebrated by the Very Rev. Dean ODonnell and Rev. Father Crotty. At Rangiora large congregations attended the Masses celebrated by the Rev. Father Hyland, the decorations being particularly tasteful. The members of St. Mary's choir, at the invitation of the Rev. Father Mirnane, adjourned to the presbytery, Manchester street, after the services on Christmas Day, when Mr. H. Rossiter, on their behalf, presented the organibt, Mra W. D. Cronin, with a purse of sovereigns on the occasion of her retirement from the position so long and ably rilled in connection with the church. The Rev. Father Marnane expressed his great regret that ill-health compelled Mrs. Cronin to relinquish her duties, and spoke in complimentary terms of the gre*t service she had rendered and the material assistance given by her on all occasions. His Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes presided at the annual vacation entertainment and distribution of prizes in connection with St. Mary's Convent of Mercy High School, Colombo street, when the following excellent programme was well rendered by the pupils : — Pianoforte duet (2 pianos), Misses N. Turner, H. Flynn, G. Bodington. N. Bower ; chorus, pupils ; violin solo, Miss fl. Flynn ; action song, infants ; pianoforte duet (2 pianos), Misses M. Flynn, V. Cameron, E. Harris, D. Marks ; drill, 12 little boys ; pianoforte 8010, Miss M. Flynn ; chorus, pupils ; violin duet (2 violins), Misses P. Bain and H. Flynn ; vooal solo, Miss Hutchison ; pianoforte duet (2 pianos), Misses G. Smith, M. Brown, L. Joyce, L. Bain ; drill, young ladies ; pianoforte solo (2 pianos), Misses M. Flynn and E. Thompson ; chorus, pupils. The prize list was as follows :—: — Christian Doctrine — Hilda Flynn 1, May Wood 2, Lennie Mobb, 3. Good Conduct — Maud Hine. Arithmetic — Peggie Bain 1, Hilda Flynn 2, Alice Nelson 3, Jane Donnelly 4, Gordon Procter .">, Bernard Murray 6, Vernon Hay don 7. Grammar and Composition — Muriel Brown 1 , Nellie Turner 2. Writing — Lilian Simpson 1, Frances Flynn 2, Grace Plummer 8, Horace Hunt 4, Stanley Lloyd 5, Alfred White 6, Willie Stronts 7. Reading and Recitation— Nellie Turner 1, Lucy Fleming 2, Muriel Simpson 3, Gwendoline Procter 4, Leah Selig 3, Irene Lane 6, Perl Lloyd 7. Geography — Hilda Flynn 1, Alice Nelson 2, Lucy Fleming 3, Carl Plummer 4, Cyril White 5. Spelling and dictation — Frances Flynn 1, Dorothy Proctor 2, Vida Rayner 3, Nellie Goggan 4, Victor White 5, Basil Hawkins 0, Willie Goode 7, Arnold Roche 8. Drawing — Landscape, Lilian Bain ; freehand, Lizzie Joyce, Peggie Bain, Herbert Wood. Needlework — Muriel Brown 1, Lilian Bain 2.

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French — Muriel Brown. Shorthand and typewriting — Lizzie Joyce. Mufdc (instrumental)— Maggie Flynn 1, Percy Augarde 2, Lizzie Joyce 3 ; violin : Hilda Fiynn 4, Nellie Turner 5, Nessie Bower 6. Music (theoretical)— Nellie Turner.