DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 38, 19 September 1907, Page 23

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) September 16. The Marist Brothers' School football team has again secured the public schools' football pennant for this season, together with the premier position in the seven-a-side tournament. To help in allaying any possible apprehension regarding the overdue ' Monowai,' the fact of the vessel's arrival at Sydney was mentioned in the Cathedral on Sunday morning. The following pupils of the Sisters of Notre Dame ■ des Missions, Barb adoes street, were successful at the Theoretical examination in connection with Trinity College, London, held last June :— Senior pass— Doris Amyes Vera Barker, Ivy Sheppard. Intermediate honors— Rita Buchanan,' Flo Lyford. Intermediate pass— Gladys Barker, Minnie McLean. Junior pass— Kathleen O'Connor. Preparatory pass— lda Grange, Gertie Reidy. At the musical examination in connection with Trinity College, London, held in June, the following pupils of the Sisters of Mercy, Lyttelton, were successful :— Junior -honors— Kathleen McConville, 90; Minnie Crocker,. 84. Preparatory— Mary Mulgan, 97 ;• Maud Blackler, 93. • The following pupils from the Convent of Mercy, Colombo street, were successful in passing the theoretical examination of the Trinity College of Music, held in June last :— lntermediate division— Grace Haughey, . 80 "(honors) ; Ruby Caldwell, 77 ; Muriel Simpson, 74 ; . Hessie Loughrey Holmes, 73. • Junior division — Annie. Snowball, 98 (honors), Lilian Burrow, 97 (honors) ; . Christina Cooper, 96 (honors) ; May Wood, 86 TBondrs) ; Iza Brodie, 77. Preparatory division — Ina " Pointon, 90 ; Florence M'Donald, -,77 ; Alan Payling, 73 ; Herbert Power, 62. Under the Associated Board- of the Royal Academy and Royal College of . Music the following pupils were successful :—: — Rudiments— Lilian Burrow, 98 ; Annie Snowball, 83 ; Christina Cooper, 74. Ida Tourell and AgaiJha Steinmetz" received recently the .third class certificate in . Pitman's shorthand. " ,At a public meeting last Thursday evening in the interests of the protection and preservation of infant

,iife, which was addressed- by Dr. Triiby King and others, it was decided on the motion of the Mayor (Mr. G. Payling) ' that -a society be. formed, to be called the Canterbury Society for the Preservation' of "Infant Life.' His Lordship Bishop^ jGrimes spoke as follows on the "subject after heartily thanking Dr. King and those who had - thrown themselves into the work :— The aims of J<he -Association should win the practical support of bvery lover of humanity. 'It .-.was to undertake essentially a Christian work, and the intensity of purpose and man- - ncr thrown into it would carry- conviction everywhere. There was a great need of educating "the parents. Public opinion, also, must be educated 1 to realise the gravity of the position _which called for. such a society as the one' about to be formed,, and especially , to give practical support and co-operation." The -doctors could do a great, deal, and he thought, .that they . deserved great praise for the work they were "already doing. He knew of many noble-minded medical men in Christchurch who had strenuously resisted both by:wor"d and- deed one of the most awful crimes on- the face of the earth, that of tampering with life in its very bud. It was a growing evil- against Nature, and its effect would always be felb, not only by those who were the cause, but by the victims. It was a great "evil, which all must "deplore, but should they not extend a helping hand to those who were more often the victims rather than the criminals, more often sinned against than sinning. Why should one of those unfortunate creatures, the weaker portion of humanity, be made to suffer the whole and sole disgrace of a fall which was so often Brought about by the unmanly, brutal, and cruel conduct of, those who called themselves the lords of creation ? Why should that junfortunate creature be. made to bear the brand of disgrace alone, and the innocent offspring b"e regarded as unworthy and despised" for what could only be its misfortune and not its fault ? .His 1 Lordship referred to the work of the Sisters of Nazareth and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, who he , said were doing a noble work in the' place of mothers. - They had as fine a little band of children under their care as one could wish to see, and a visit to their institutions would* well repay the trouble, of ■ going there. t Those devoted women had consecrated the whole energy of their being to the work, having before them a high ideal. They were doing a work which he hoped would be done to a greater extent among alf classes by the nqw-formed society for the preservation of infant life. In the Alexandra Hall on last Tuesday a musical evening, arranged by the promoters of the recent Span-ish-Columbian Festival, was largely attended by those who .participated in the various sections. • Mr. R. H. Rossiter's orchestra contributed several selections ; Miss Morrow, Messrs. C. Goggin and C. Hickmott songs, 'and -Mr. McNamara recited. Mrs. C. Goggin was accompanist. - Mr. E. O'Connor (secretary) read the statement of receipts and ' expenditure in connection with the festival, the result of the enterprise being received with great applause. In handing his .Lordship the Bishop a cheque for the handsome, amount realised, the . Rev. Father O'Connell said that some time had elapsedsince he had been requested to undertake the management of the bazaar, and on that occasion the confidence of the organisers in him had been shown when 'he had been given a free hand in the appointment of his executive committee and- in the general organisation of the bazaar. With a very sn-all executive he had had no difficulty in determining oil the Spanish-Columbian Festival. .The various societies of the Cathedral parish, the parishioners of St. Mary's, and the Addington congregation had ~ been approached, and all had "expressed their willingness to co-operate' in the work. He wished to thank the executive, ' especially Mr. O'Connor, who- deserved the greatest praise for his carrying out of the onerous duties of secretary. He also wished to thank his Lordship tlie Bishop, the ; clergy, the convents, the Marist Brothers, the various' societies, " the parishioners ol St. Mary's, the Addington people, the ladies who had assisted .at the ballots, the doorkeepers- and ushers, the orchestra, and the great host of. performers wHo, under the able leadership of Signor Borzoni, had contributed in no .small degree to the success of the festival . He had sometimes been asked what the Christchurch people had done for ".the Cathedral. He had answered by saying that they had subscribed liberally to the fund long before the. Cathedral was commenced, that the Polyorama had' netted £1223 12s J sd, and the art union in conjunction with it £35G 12s 9d. At the opening of the Cathedral and on the anniversary day, large sums had been subscribed, ancl it would be gratifying to point to, the Spanish-Columbian Festival, which had resulted in a net profit of £1240, to show that the' Catholics of Christchurch, when properly organised and working in unison, could not be beaten in

any part of the Colony for their loyalty and wholehearted liberality. His Lordship the Bishop expressed how deeply gratified he was at the success attending Father O'Connell's efforts in the cause of the Cathedral fund generally. The choice made of Father O'Connell as organiser of the festival proved a wise one, as the splendid results^ achieved was ample evidence. -In undertaking the duties he quite, understood the responsibilities of the position, and only those who were intimately connected with events ,of such a nature were aware of the difficulties encountered at every step.. He was evidently fortunate, however, in the able co-opera r tion of an efficient executive committee, and the spirit of concord and unity manifested by all connected with the festival was more apparent to him (the Bishop) than at any similar event in his experience. It was, indeed, a great undertaking brought to a close in a most harmonious, pleasing, and eminently satisfactory manner. He fully endorsed the meed of thanks tendered by Father O'Connell to all connected with the festival, and especially for' the zeal and earnestness on the part of the honorary secretary, Mr. E. O'Connor. He felt pleased and gratified, and proud of the Catholics of Christchurch for what they had done- by successful effort, which was but one more manifestation of their loyalty and generosity. To the many non-Catholic friends who had assisted so conspicuously and gene r rously he was exceedingly grateful personally, as he knew all his people were. On Sunday last, the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, patronal feast and anniversary of the dedicat-on of St Mary's Church, Manchester street, his Lordship the Bishop officiated there during the day. He celebrated the half-past nine o'clock Mass, and after "Vespers preached an eloquent sermon on the subject of the day's celebration. There was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament during the afternoon, followed by a procession in which various confraternities took part, prior to Benediction given by the Bishop attended by the resident clergy and the Rev. Father Bell, S.M. On last Saturday afternoon the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the fine new chapel for the Sisters of the Missions, at the Sacred Heart Convent, Barbadoes street, was performed by his Lordship the Right Rev. Bishop Grimes, who was attended by the Rev. Fathers O'Connell, Peoples, O'Dwyer, Bonnetto, and O'Hare. His Lordship used in the function a handsome silver trowel presented by the architects and contractor. The ceremony was not of a public character, such being reserved, it is understood, for the opening ;; the attendance therefore was confined mainly to the Sisters and their girl pupils, acolytes, and a few others. The new chapel is a building the main body of which will be 56ft long by 30ft wide. The sanctuary, at the eastern end, is 20ft by 20ft, and on either side of the sanctuary is a sacristy. building abuts on the southern wall of the convent, and in general design is ' based on the Byzantine order, having due regard to the possibilities of local materials. The exterior is in locally-made red brick, with facings of O.K. Oamaru stone, and yellow fire-bricks. The principal architectural feature is the western window, facing Barbadoes street. The arched stonework is richly carved, and the spandrels are worked in green Cippelino marble, with panels of fire-brick, laid herring-bone fashion between bands of chipped clinker. The north side windows are similarly designed, but on a less ornate plan. • Immediately adjoining the convent wall, and thus separating the chapel from the convent, is a covered passage-way, over which is placed a gallery overlooking the interior of the chapel. Two large arched openings are made in the wall screen between the gallery and the chapel. The interior of the chapel is panelled in figured rimu to a height of twenty feet, above which is a plaster vault, with a modelled plastered relievo. On either side of the sanctuary are niches, in which will b\e placed statues. The sanctuary steps will be of Sicilian marble, while the surround and aisles will be worked in tiles. The flooring is to He of -jarrah. Above the main window there, will be worked into the parapet a carved stone cross. The architects for the buildings are Messrs. Hurst-Seager, Wood, and Munnings, and the contractor is Mr. A. Swanston.

street.