Diocesan News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 2, 10 January 1901, Page 4

Diocesan News.

ARCHDIOCESE OP WELLINGTON.

(From our own correspondent.)

January 5. Rev. Father Piquet, who is to conduct the retreat for the Sisters of Mercy, arrived from Sydney on Tuesday. Rev. Father Holley made a short trip to Leeston this week. While there he celebrated the marriage of his brother, Mr. Frank Holley. Rev. Father Walsh, who recently underwent a Berious operation, has gone to Christchurch. He will remain there until after the retreat of the clergy of that diocese. Fathers Clancy and Bowden from the college, accompanied by Dean McKenna, are off for a cruise in the Marlboroogh Sounds next week. Rev. Father Herbert baa gone to Cbristchnroh. Professor W. Michell Clarke, MA., whose death was reported in your last issue, was buried on Saturday morning at Karori, where the funeral service was conducted by Rev. Father Holley. — R.I.P. Agriculturists in the Wairarapa and Manawatu districts are at present on the best of terms with themselves. Crops are farther advanced now than at any corresponding period in the last ten years, besides which grass is very plentiful and stock are consequently in first-class condition. Sub-Inspector Mitchell, for the past ten months stationed in Wellington, has been transferred to Auckland. He and Mrs. Mitchell take with them the bast wishea of a host of people with whom they have come in contact during their short residence here. The Te Aro Christian Doctrine Society held their annual picnio this year at Picton on New Year's Day. Accompanied by Rev. Father Goggan (president), the members went across in the steamer Tarawera and though, in consequence of a heavy well in the strait, several snfifered from mal de mer, the enjoyment of the time ashore more than compensated them for their discomfort.

Writing from Rome on the 10th November the Yen. Arohdeaoon Devoy says that he had just met the Rev. Father Kennedy, a son of Mr. Kennedy of Grey mouth. The young priest, who is expected to arrive in the Colony about the beginning of February to begin work in the Christohuroh diocese, was ordained in the Propaganda College on All Saints' Day. While at Turin, Italy, the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, Dean Carew and Father Keogh visited the Royal Chapel behind the high altar in the Cathedral, and there saw the shrine containing the Holy Winding Sheet. They aißo Baw the Palace Royal, the paintings and ceilings in which the Yen. Archdeaoon describes as ' truly magnificent.' They were at Milan on the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo and had the happiness of celebrating their Masses in the crypt, which contains the body of the Saint and is the only place in the Cathedral where Mass may be said with the Roman rite. Masses were celebrated by the visitors in the Holy House of Loreto where all the treasures of the church were seen. At the time of writing the Archdeaoon had no hope of a private audience with his Holiness, bat the three expeoted to be presented daring a reception of pilgrims about the middle of the month. To commemorate the closing of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th oentury, his Graoe the Archbishop, by direction of his Holiness the Pope, oelebrated Pontifical High Mass at midnight in St. Joseph's Church. The church contained one of the largest congregations yet assembled there. The Very Rev. Father Bower officiated as assistant priest, and Fathers Moloney and Clancy deacon and subdeacon respectively. The three choirs of the oity united for the oooasion and, considering there had not baen a practice of the combination, gave a very fair rendering of Mozart's Twelfth Mass, under Mr M. C, Rowe's oonduetorahip. The solos were well sang by Misses Sullivan, Bigg, and N. Drisooll, Messrs Bows, Loughnan, and Butcher. From the text, ' And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amengst us,' his Graoe preached a short sermon, and showed that the great mystery of the Incarnation was the very base of Christianity. His Graoe also explained that the objects of the special service were to thank Almighty God for the blessings bestowed on the Church during the century, and to ask that those blessings might continue, so that in the new oentury she should progress even more markedly. He contrasted the progress of the Church and the world in the 19th oentury. Man had, he said, made it one which must ever be regarded as a most marvellous age ; he had annihilated space and controlled many of the natural forces ; but while working these marvels, how had he fared spiritually ? He cited the bloody wara of the middle and end of the oentury, History contained, he said, no like record, and the unwieldy armies and navies of the nations were proofs that the world had not progressed, but was actually drifting back to a barbarism wherein not moral suasion but brute force must be the ruler. In oonolusion, he exhorted all Catholics to Btand by their Church and pray unceasingly that such a disaster might be averted.