DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 16, 20 April 1905, Page 5

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

(From our own correspondent.) April 13. Bazaars are in hand in aid of St. Benedict's and Avondale parishes, and the ladies in each of the churches are hard at work to ensure success. Rev. Father Benedict, 0.P., continues to progress slowly at tihe Mater Misericordiae Hospital. Last Sunday the prayers of the people were asked for his speedy recovery. At the Church of the Assumption, Onehunga, last Sunday his Lordship the Bishop announced that he had offered charge of the parish to the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly. If the widely respected Monsignor should accept the charge — and I have been informed that it is possible he may— then the people of Onehunga may be heartily 'congratulated. Ei#ht young ladies were received into the Order of the Sisters of Mercy at St. Mary's Convent, Ponsonby, on Saturday last. The Right Rev. Dr. Lenihan presided, and was assisted by the Very Rev. Dr. Egan. The Rev. Fathers Holbrook, Cahill, ana Dignan were also vprestent. The names of the ladies who recened the white veil are :— Miss M Madden (Blenheim), in religion, Sister M. Dym'pna ; Miss M. Gullen (Stockton, N.S.W.), Sister M. Cala.s<anctius ; Mis,s Francis McCabe (Pamrell), Sister M Josepha ; Miss Nora Shine (IpsJ/ich), Sister M. Elizabeth ; Miss- M. Ryan (Brisbane), Sister M. Cyril : Miss May Wilkinson (Ipswich), Sister M. Paulina ; Mass (1 Price (Ipswich), Sister M. Casimir ; and Miss V. Mulqueeny (Coromandel), Sister M. Blanche. The Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed, and after the service the parents and friends of the novicesv-elcct were entertained by Hhe Sisters. At the conclusion of ten o'clock Mass at the Church of the Assumption. Qnehunga, last Sunday morning, the Right Rev. Bishop Lenihan "addressed a crowded congregation. In the course of his remarks he said that the people of the parish had suffered a severe loss through the death of the Very Rev. Mgr. Paul. He could well irniaghie their thoughts, deploring the loss of a holy man who had spent 48 years in Onehunga working for his people, not only ministering to their spiritual wants, but from the early days providing them with churches, schorols, and buildings which could not be surpassed in any part of New Zealand. His loss was great indeed, not only to them, but to the diocese generally. 'He was known and revered by all for his virtue, but it was not by public instruction. No, it was because (he had lived a model life. He had by example for 48 years proved his lbve for the people of Omehunga, his example had been blessed, and his name should, and he ■hoped would, be perpetuated by the congregation practising his virtues. His Lordship concluded by announcing that, in terms of the late Monsignor Paul's will, what little he left was to be devoted to religion and education for the people of Onehunga, and he appealed to them to erect a monument or tablet to a great man's memory by subscriptions from the parishioners only. He expected to be able very shortly to announce the successor of the late Monsignor Paul, who would nrobably be the Right Rev. Mgr. O'Reilly, of the Thames. During the Bishop's address his hearers were visibly affected. In July next Monsignor Paul would. have celebrated the 50th year of his priesthood, and a committee had been farmed to make some public recognition of this event. This recognition was to take the shape of an address and a purse of sovereigns to be presented ' to him as a fitting memorial of his jubilee day. It was realised tlhat as his health was so precarious he might noft live t|o see his jubilee, but it was agreed that the collection should be continued, and in the sad event of his death occurring before July, some lasting memorial he erected to hold his name in perpetual reverence.