DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 36, 4 September 1902, Page 5

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own correspondent.")

September 1. Mr P. Pender and family are now settled on a property purchased at Redcliffe, near Sumner, and we are all particularly pleased to welcome them again in our midst. His Lordship Bishop Grimes, accompanied by the Very Rev. Dean Foley and Rev. Father Hyland, was at Oxford on Sunday last. An episcopal visitation to Leeston and Southbridge will be made next Sunday, September 7. Whilst at Rangiora on last Sunday week, the customary ceremonies of an episcopal visitation to a parish were oarried out by bis Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, and the Sacrament of f'onfirmation was administered to about 20 young persons, who had been prepared by the Rev. Father Hyland. After Mass the Bishop unfed the claims of the Cathedral upon the congregation and a collection was made on behalf of tho fund. In the afternoon hia Lordship visited Loburn where again Confirmation waa administered and donations received towards the Cathedral. The Bishop preached at Rangiora in the evening to a large congregation and announced that the collections during the day amounted to over £60. Dr. George Deamer is leaving Christchurch to take up the practice of hip profesrion at Featherston in the North Island. The Doctor and Mrs Deamer will be missed by a wide cirole of friends and acquaintances in this city. During a long residence in Chrißtchurch Mrs Deamer has devoted much time and energy to works in connection with the Church. Ab an organiper of entertainments of a high-class and artistic character in aid of many deserving objects Mr* Deamer has won for herself the enduring gratitude of clergy and people alike. Being a parishioner of St. Mary's, Manchester street, the greater portion of her devoted labors were there abundantly manifested and not likely to be soon forgotten. The Altar Society, St Vincent de Paul Society, and other organisations have all enjoyed a share of her self-sacrificing attention. Sincere good wishes will accompany Dr. and Mrs Deamer for their future welfare and success. At Rangiora on Friday evening last the children o the parish schools gave a most meritorious concert in honor of the Bishop. His Lordship was welcomed in ' prose and verse,' and presented by the children with their own savings, and the proceeds of the concert as their contribution towards the Cathedral Building Fund. In thanking and congratulating them and their teachers (the Sisters of the Missions) on their brilliant success, he expressed hia appreciation of the vocal and instrumental treat afforded. The Bishop alluded to the sacrifices their parent bo generously made in common with tho Catholics generally of New Zealand to impart to their dear children something more than a godless instruction. Referring to the spasmodic efforts made by certain tections of the community to have Bible reading and shorn prayirsinthe State schools the Bishop &aid he ould not fail to see and deplore the evil of a system whioh th^y owe to their own supin^nes.* and unwillingners to unite with their fellow Ca^holie colonists in recuring the advantages of denominational education. At the meeting held last week in the interests of the Children's Aid Society some uf the speakers, amongst whom was the Anglican Bishop Dr. Juliup, championing the ' boarding-out ' system, spoke somewhat disparagingly of the institutions where children weie congregated together. The Right Rev. Dr. Grimes, who was present as one of the selected speakers, felt it his duty (and most effectively performed it) to take up the cudgels in defence of the noble band of self sacrificing rtli^ious who so ungrudgingly devoted their lives for the welfare of so many of our poor and ht lpless children. Hip Lordship added that he could speak from personal experience (which it is very evident few if any other of those preser.t could) and Hpsure them that in this Colony and elsewhere he had seen numbers of poor little children, lovingly fed, fostered, and trained in our (Catholic) institutions as if they were in the beet boarding schools, and he knew of numbers who, thanks to the good, solid religious and secular education they had received therein, became excellent members of society. The publication of our Bishop's opportune remarks and the subject leading to their utterance, were studiously avoided by the local press.