DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 51, 19 December 1901, Page 5

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

(From our own correspondent.)

December 12. Rev. Father Colgan, 5.. T., Sydney, is at present in Auckland He proceeds south immediately in order to preach retreats to several religious communities. The three new branched of the H.A.C.B. Society, viz — St. Patrick's (Wai mate), St. Columbkille (Denniston), and St. Canice's (Westport), have been registered under the Friendly Societies Act. Rev Father Kehoe (Parnell) has gone away for a holiday for the benefit of bis health. Meanwhile the parish will be attended by the priests from St. Benedict's parish, who have now the assistance of the Rev. Father M'Guinness. The Very Rev. Dean Lightheart, Superior of the Fathers of St. Jopeph, arrived from the north last Friday in order to await the arrival here from Europe of two additional Fathers of his Order who are to labor in the Maori Mission, That most worthy organisation, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, has benefited to the extent of over £10 by the matinee given lately in the Hibernian Hall by the members of the Pollard Opera Company, to whom too much praise cannot be given for assisting in so good a cause. To Mr. William O'Brien, M.P. for Cork City, has been sent from the Auckland branch of the Irish National Federation, to his Australian address, a ' Ceud Mile Failte 'to our city. It is to be hoped that, despite his answer to the Wellington branch of the Federation, he may yet come across to Maoriland. The dismissal of Mr. Murray by the Auckland Education Board, by seven votes to two for refusing to instruct the pupils to salute the flag under his charge at Kerikeri, continue? to produce in the columns of both local dailies a very acrimonious correspondence in which the majority of the writers declare the sentence a harsh one and tinged with the spirit of jingoism. St. Benedict's parochial committee have arranged a series of monthly progressive euchre parties, the first of which came off last evening in St. Benedict's Hall, and proved to ba highly successful. There were 11 games played, and in the final four ladies and five gentlemen were left, each having won 10 games out of 11. The lady winner ultimately was Mrs. Boaworth, and the gentleman, Mr, W. E. Hackett. Some miscreant, or miscreants quite recently smeared with tar the fence in front of the. Bishop's palace, Ponsonby, which had just been newly painted white. From end to end of the whole frontage the vandals' work was to be seen which showed it was no accident, but designedly and maliciously carried out What a pity the perpetrators could not be caught, and example made of them. Mr J. J. O'Brien, J.P., of this city, intends leaving next month, accompanied by Mrs. O'Brien, for a trip to Europe by way of Australia, leaving there next March. Mr. O'Brien is busily engaged in gathering a choice selection of New Zealand mineral products and rare woods which he intends to show at the forthcoming Cork Exhibition. I nave seen Borne of them, and they are very beautiful. Ireland's welfare to Mr. O'Brien is a matter of much concern, though he has never seen the land of his forefather*, and his action now is prompted by a crue spirit of patriotism. His Lordship Bishop Lenihan on last Sunday evening at the Sacred Heart Church, Ponsonby, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to a very large number of children. Hia Lordship addressed the children and explained what was expected of them now that they had become soldiers of the Cross. From that day forward they should steadfastly maintain the promises just made, and thus give proof of the faith that was in them. The Very K,ev. Dr. Egan, and the Sisters of Mercy in charge of the local .schtool, had been for some time assiduously preparing the candidates, and with moat satisfactory results. A number of children of St. Patrick's Cathedral— boys and girls — made their First Communion at the 9 o'clock Mass last Sunday morning. The Rev. Father Patterson briefly addressed them, and dwelt on the important event in their lives which had taken place that day, and counselled them to always remember it, and no matter what temptation might befall them they would triumphantly overcome them. Breakfast was served for the children in St. Patrick's hall which was generously provided by the teachers of the catechism classes and supervised by Miss Gough and a willing staff of helpers. The girls were under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, and the boys under Brother Basil, and the Marist Brothers.