ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 49, 5 December 1901, Page 6

ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

CHRISTCHURCH PREPARING.

(From our own correspondent.)

A numerously attended meeting was held in the Boys' Schoolroom, Barbadoes street, on Sunday afternoon, for the purpose of devising means to fittingly celebrate the feast day of the great apostle of Ireland. UU Lord°hip the Bi«hnp presided, there being present also the Very Revs. Vicar-General and Dean Foley, Rev. Fathers Marnane, Richards, Cooncy and McDonnell. The Right Key. Chairman in opening the proceedings dwelt upon the importance of celebrating the event not only aa a great religious festival but also with civil or national rejoicings. He referred to the wish he conveyed from the West Coast, (whilst there), and frequently since, of his ardent de«ire to have the feast of Ireland's patron taint regarded ami celebrated with far more enthusiasm, and in a manner more comprehensive than hitherto in this city ; so fittingly indeed art to rival similar celebrations of the day, now almost universal throughout the English-speaking world. From what ho could c mjejture, in view of the large gathering present in response to the invitation, a celebration out of the ordinary would undoubtedly be the result. Hence would naturally anse the question, wh.a «hall the proceeds be devoted to/ According to resolutions whi. h in due, course would be placed b'jtore the meeting, the object proposed was one strongly appealing to every member of the community The object which it was calculated to benefit by the o> lebration was one he (the Bishop) and his dioce-an council had kept steadily under notice awaiting the chance of favorable c-irt um-tanees foryeais, onealxo which those who were more intimately engaged in -ocial work, notably the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, had frequently advocated, namely, the establishment of an institution for the aged, distressed, and infirm, and for orphans, etc , where a suitable home with every comfort and convenience would be provided. He had received apologies from several, verbal and written, for unavoidable absence, including a most kindly and sympathetic letter from Sir George Clifford. The remarks ot his Lordship were frequently applauded. Mr. W. Hoban moved 'That the 17th day of March, IHO2, the Feast of St. Patrick, the gloriou- Apos-tle of Ireland, be celebrated by all the Catholics of the city of Christchurch and suburbs, not only as a great religious festival, but also with civil rejoicing?, consisting in something of the nature of a picnic or sports during the day t.na a grand concert at nigh.' Before -peaking to the resolution, he wither" su<.ge-t tint in connection with civil rejuicng- they should endeavor to ge r , to help th- in on the committee people who weie not Catholics but who could most heartily sympathise with the ..bjeot cxplan-t-d by hi* Lord-hip. The work was one that must commend it-elf to them all, and he hoped to see it warmly support* d. Mr. G. J. S. liars seconded the mo' ion, and said that there were two points in the resolution— viz , the religious and tbe national celebration. The ii: k forged by St. Patrick when he nr*t set foot in Erin had never bn-n 1. o^ed so far as Irishmen and Irishwomen were concerned. Through the bravtry of the Irish force* in the Transvaal they had b en granted on last St. Patrick's Day the right to wear the shamrock. As Irishmen they should support the resolution because it proposed to inaugurate a great work. This was a work iv which they could all take part, and he hoptd they would set their shoulders to the wheel and make the celebration a success. The re=olution was carried uninioi< usly. His Lordship said sonic years ago representatives of an Order, renowned throughout the world for their charity to the poor, had asked his consent to their establishing a house of their Order in the diocese and he had gladly consented. Through circutnstinces over which they had no control this was not carried out, but he had felt that it was a thing which should be carried out as speedily as possible He had consideied the matter, and had taken counsel with his Vicar-General, his priests, and others, with the result that the second resolution was framed. Mr. H. 11. Loughnan s nd that he would like to ask them for a moment to consider the po-ition of their public charities, as there were many cases they must know for which no provision whatever was made. They had a number of charitable institutions, which were doing good. work, hut there was, as the. Society of St. Vincent de Paul had pointed out. a numb.-r of the aged poor who get no attention, paiticularly those upon whom disease came at the end of a long life of hard work. The hospitals had no place for chronic cases such aa these ; the public institutions did not go deep enough to fiud them, and thus it fell out that these people who should receive the utmost care were not in any way provided for. These were the cases which the members of the Hospital Bor.rd found the hardest work to provide tor. There were, they knew, numbers of cases in their own community— not a large one— who were bedridden and unable to do anything for themselves. It was principally for such cases as these that the resolution intended to provide for. He now moved the second resolution as follows :: — '■ That the time has come when we ehould have in our midst a home for the aged, poor and infirm, for orphan and destitute children, irrespective of creed or nationality." Mr. R. Hayward seconded the resolution, and said he thought the proposal was one which would appeal to all clashes of the community. The class of nuns— the Sisters of Nazareth— which his Lordsnip had referred to, worked on the fame lines as the Little Sisters of the Poor. They had made themselves beloved in every community where they had established homes, and when they came here they would, he felt sure, remove fn m the minds of the community the very erroneous ideas which existed as to Catholics and the work done by Catholic institutions The resolution was carried unanimously.

His Lordship said the none who had spoken to him were the Little Sisters of the Poor. The work of the Sistt rs of Nazareth was upon wider lines than that of the Little Sisters of the Poor. He might say that one of the moat respected members of their community, the late Mr. A J. White, had offered to finance the bringing of the nuns here. The Sisters of Nazareth devoted themselves to the very class to which Mr Loughnan had referred, and they would be a great blessing to the whole community. Mr. M. Donnelly said the last resolution which had been so unanimously carried would not be of much practical use without being followed by the wohit'ort which he had now the honor to move. There was a deep need for the introduction of the Sisters referred to by his Lord«hip. Re felt that they, as Catholics, had rather neglected their duty in no!} having- sooner established an institution such aa the resolutions carried that day sought to establish. He had always felt that so far as their own Churoh was ooncerned prevention was better than cure, and that their endeavors should be directed to the prevention, so far ac was possible, of the coming into being of ca«es such as those referred to by Mr. Loughnan. But whilst they did this they must also provide for the cases which existed, and, therefore, he welcomed with considerable warmth the steps which were being taken for the establishment of such an institution. He thought that the Order which had the widest scope was the one they should get here. He moved, ' That his Lordship the Bishop be requested to procure the aid of a religious body of women whose special object is to devote their lives to the wants of such afflicted members of society.' Mr. E. 0 Connor seconded the resolution with great pleasure. With regard to children who were brought before the Court from no tault of their own, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul took nieanß to provule for their future training. But they had no place where the children could be put till forwarded to Nelßon. But if they had a community of the Sisters of Nazareth this would be obviated, because they could be taken care of. He trusted to see the celebration of St. Patrick's Day next year a record one, because they had a great object in view. The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. John Barrett moved the next resolution as follows : — ' That the proceeds arising from the St. Patrick's Day celebration be set aside an the nucleus of a fund for the establishment of the home.' He held tint all the English-speaking race had a claim upon St. l'atrick as much as the Catholic community, and, therefore, as the population of Christchurch was composed of the united races of English. Iri«h and Scotch, he hoped to see the Mayor of Christchurch and other leading citizens going out to celebrate next St. I'at-iek's Cay. Mr. P. Burke seconded the motion, and expressed the hope that all would help the great work which had been set on foot that day. If they went into tbe work heart and soul, they would, he felt sure, make the very greatest success of the celebration of St. Patrick's Day next year, having in view the grand work to which the funds were to be devoted, The resolution was carried unanimously. Rev. Father Marnane moved, 'That a committee of the ladies and gentlemen here present, with power to add to their number, be now formed to carry out all that is necis.sary to secure the success of the celebration ' Mr. G. R. Hart seconded the motion, which was carried. On the motion of Mr. E. 0 Connor the following Executive Committee was appointed, with po-ver to add to their number: — His Lordship the lsi-hop and the clergy, Messrs W. Hoban, G. J. Sellars, 11. H. Loughnan, E O'Connor, K. Hayward, M. Donnelly, J. Barrett, P. Burke, J. Cassin, It. O. Duncan G. R. Hart, Wotherppoon, and J. J. Wilson. A vote of thanks to th ■ Bishop closed the proceedings.