DICESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 7, 14 February 1907, Page 14

DICESE OF AUCKLAND

(From our own correspondent.) '

February 7. „ -. The ceremony of- reception- took place at ' St~ Mary's- Convent, -Ponsonby, on Saturday morning, February 2, when live young ladies were received into the Order or the Sisters of %Mercy. The chapel was beautifully decorated for the occasion, and the convent choir rendered the appropriate music. His Lordship Dr. Lenihan presided a~nd preached an eloquent sermon. There were also present Rev. Fathers Buckley, Hills, • Holbrook, Cahill, Molloy,- and Williams. ' The names of the Sisters received are— Miss E. Kelleher (Ireland), in religion Sister , M. Antonia ; Miss Lizzie Delahunty (Australia), Sister M.. de Ricci , Miss Bridget Rist (Auckland), Sister M. Anselm ; Miss Mary Halloran (Wrey's Bush), Sister M. Kostka ; Miss Annie Creegan (Wrey's Bush), Sister M. Claud. " ■

The re-opening of St. Patrick's Cathedral is fixed for April 21, the third Sunday after Easter, and the feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph. In the meantime extensive structural alterations are being made, and great improvements are being effected at a cost. of about £6000. On Sunday' last a beautiful new stained glass" window was unveiled to the memory of Mr. Thomas Egan Payne and. Mr; /William Egan Payne, and erected by their mother.* It .is -the work of the well known artist, Alex. Booker, of- Brussels, and represents St. William of York .and St. Thomas of Aquin. The unveiling, ceremony ■svas performed at the -nine o'clock Ma.ss. In the evening a mural tablet of maroon marble Was unveiled to the memory of the late Mr. Michael Davitt. ,The p inscription, which is in gold letters, runs' thus : -* Of your charity pray for the soul' of Michael Davitt ; born at Straide, County Mayo, 25th March, 1346 ; died at Dublin, 30th May, 1906. "T o all my friends ~1 leave- kind thoughts ; to my enemies the fullest possible forgiveness." God's blessing be with his soul.' In addition to these two memorials the Rev. Father Holbrook, assisted by Rev. Fathers Murphy and Farthing, unveiled a new Station of the Cross. The group represents the VIII. Station, and was erected by _Bishop Lenihan to the memory of the late Mrs. Sarah McDonnell, of Thames, one of the benefactresses of the diocese.