DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 22, 29 May 1902, Page 4

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.) May 26. a The Eev. Father Galerne found it necessary to' break his journey at Napier, where he remained for a well earned rest. ••• ■ The special devotions appropriate to the Feast of Corpus Christ* which occurs on Thursday next are to be observed on the Sunday following in an especially impressive manner at the Pro-Cathedral, it being the patronal feast of that church. Great success has attended the Coronation Carnival at the Colosseum during the week. The building has' been thronged nightly, and the managing committee will apparently have abundant cause to congratulate themselves on the financial result,' There has been a change of programme each evening. Any notice' of the carnival would be incomplete "without reference to the energetic secretary, Mr. W. H. Corrigan, whose ,keen perception, business tact and organising ability have gone far to make the event the unqualified success it certainly is. • ' r By the Warrimoo, which arrived last week from Melbourne, Sisters Mary and Clare, members of the Order of the Sisters-of Nazareth, came to Christchurch on business connected with the. establishment of a Nazareth House here. During their stay in this city the visitors were guests of Mrs. A. J,. Vthite at.Opawa, and returned to Melbourne by the Talune on Friday. One of the Sisters is Mother Superior of the home which has been established by the Order in Ballarat, Victoria. They are, I understand,' very pleased with the possibilities and prospects of establishing a branch home in this city, and have met his Lordship the Bishop' 'in conference. They will," it is stated, report favorably to the Central Council on the matter. In the course of an interview a Lyttelton Times reporter elicited the following interesting fact? from, the visitors as to the aims and objects of the Order : — The Sisters of Naz reth are an ent-rely unsectarian body, and have their headquarters in Hammersmith, in London, where they have a large house. The object is to receive and provide for the aged and indigent of both sexes, as well as for the young who may have been left on the world without proper provision for their maintenance. The children are educated, and as soon as they are fit to go out into the world are helped to get suitable employment. The girls are mostly placed in domestic service, while the boys are generally sent into the country the ages of 13 and 15, "after which they are in most cases apprenticed to any trade? for which they Bhow aptitude. Persons are received into the homes without any questions as to their denomination, and the whole of the work is done by the Sisters including the nut sing of the sick and the education of the children. The Order has homes in various parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland, as well as in South Africa and Australia. The home at Ballarat has now been established about 14 years, and has about 300 inmates at'Mhe present lime and has in addition a hospital for incurables. ...Here are to be found the tu&o extreme?, youth and old age, for the youngest inmate is under 12 months, whilst the oldest is a man who is over 100 years of age. The medical men take a considerable interest in the institution, and the doctor?, oculuta and dentists who attend to the patients are all honorary. The institutions are all supported by voluntary contribution?, and the only assistance rendered by the Victorian Government ia the supplying of free passes on the railways to the extent of £50 per annum, which enables the Sisters to vititthe various portions of the diocese. Should any of the children who have been brought up- in the institution afterwards ba out of employment, they are encouraged to return, and always look upon it as a temporary home. The Order has homes and hospitals at Johannesburg, 4 Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban and Kimberley, and when the Smth African war broke out, permission was given to the Sisters to leave the country, but they all elected to remain, and they gave great assistance in nursing the Bisk and wounded. Mr Cecil Ehodes was a considerable benefactor to the Order, and was very good to the Sisters during the siege at Kimberley. Both he and Lord Roberts spoke highly of the work done by them.