Hibernian Society, Dunedin

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 42, 17 October 1907, Page 19

Hibernian Society, Dunedin

The annual Communion" of the members of St. Joseph^ Branch of the Hibernian Society, Dunedin~< took- place m St.- -Joseph's Cathedral "at-" the -nine" o'clock Mass on Sunday, when about. 12U- members.. in regalia approached the. Holy Table,- in addition to wEich several » received* Holy Communion at the early Mass arid also at St. Patrick's Basilica, South Dunedin. - The sight of so many men making public profession of their • fa_ith was most edifying; and gave a good example, "to the whole of the parish. His Lordship the Bishop .' who . was celebrant of- the Mass, in the course of, his' sermon expressed His pleasure at seeing such a large number of members of the Society present. The Society f rom its very .beginning, said his Lordship, had always .. given a good example, and- had always supported "the Church. He could not speak too highly of the Society, and his greatest pleasure would be to see all the young men . members of it, where they, would be encouraged- to practise their religion, to frequent the Sacraments, and to perform their other religious duties. It was one of the rules of the Society that the members should receive Holy Communion in a body; and thus make public profession of' their faith. As a benefit society the members had , temporal advantages", and were provided form time of illness. Again he congratulated the members on the good example they Had • given, and he prayed that God would shower His grace upon them. - ,At the conclusion of • Mass. the -members formed in procession and proceeded to St. Joseph's Hall,' where ' the annual breakfast was laid. His Lordship the BK shop presided, having on his right Bros. Butler (president) and Saunaeis (vice-president), and on his left Bro. J. J. Marlow (P.P.), District Deputy, who represented the District Executive. Justice having been done to -the excellent breakfast provided, Bro. Butler called upon Bro. Marlow to address the members. Bro. Marlow r in response to the request -of the president, dealt briefly with the history of the Society. In the first place he explained the significance of its name. ' it was founded as a, benefit "society, and as such it conferred on its members all the advantages of any other friendly society. Members and intending rrembers could rest assured that 4ts -financial position was thoroughly 5?o/?nn' t e i r own branch alone had funds amounting to £2000. In the first place the Society was Catholic, and here only they made a limit to admission, for' every candidate was asked if he were a practical^ Catholic Unless candidates were prepared to make open profes?o°Jk ° + t ? eir faith the Spciety did not want them. In ■1865 twelve Catholic "young men in Melbourne formed themselves -info a Catholic benefit society under the title of the St. Francis Catholic Benefit Society, which rapidly spread throughout the city. In Ballarat a +IT +ISOCie1 SOCie l y , Was formed > and another in ALbury. As these three boSies Bad the same object in view, and 325 w . orkln g on mucH.the same principles,' it was dei,n^S. a X a Co ,? ference > 1872 to amalgamate the three rStSnT-nn d . e f ßation of the Hibernian -Australasian SS^L^n S° Cle t 7 ' witE the a PP r oval of his Grace thr . ™S3L °° I d> iY h0 laia - down two conditions, that t v £/ should be practical Catholics, and thaf S nff s L od f ™* belon S to any secret society. - SSSLo-" 111 ?* ! W0 years the Society had made rapid - ESS S v, Au ? tralas ia, 3000 new memlbers having" tqht fi W « lIS * /27/ 27 ' 000 w ere added to the funds. In of WflhSr,,! 00 ? ty f T aS a PP r oached by the Ancient Order tL an w Of America wfCh the idea of affiliation. oi;t;; Was established about-200 years ago. That ' of membeShfnT.Sr 1111361 ' 811^ -° f 150 ' o ' o0 ' "» increase i?nSo o K n°nn three successi ye years being, 10,000, Ii ' &K i d 25 v£ 00 ' and reaching as much as 15,000 in" "£& h?^' + 7*? P^^ent writing some time ago f mpmSpf i?' eCte ? lnthe near future the societ y to have %£fi+S J? hiP ° f a quarter of a million - The H.A.C B S?L£™ n °T W afl \ Hat . ed wi *h great American Se ihl i?' & cc ° ncllldin g h e asked the members to S£*aM nf ?i!?r +^ ra?Ch What " ought t0 be ' as not o^ fvely CSI S MS^ s»iss rm^be o^ 0 srsr. the branch - sho^ cler^°tn T +T,f'Q u f se y' s ?olce .of the relations of the chaScte? h Hp S °T ty '^ hich were of the> most c ordial tfe JSntr' * referrea-to the great .interest - taken • -in • Who* S? l% ? u th + °- - Society - by - h^ s lordship the Bishop" ' who hacl at all times advis.ed Ihe young men of" the wf^V^™ ■#««• "1 H* ftaid a tribute t 0 thY le SoLl^T''^^ V '^¥ ( clja P lai «) on -Behalf ol: -£•

; Rev.'- Father Cbfiey, Adm., said he was '^very pleased at the excellent attendance of the" Society' at the Cathedral that morning, when" nearly;^2O' ; :,mem'bjers approacEed the Holy" Table, 'ifi"adaTftioh''*tb'-"'wWch were some^ who receive! Holy Communion in South Dunedin.Sucn- a manifestation, of their faith coufd ~iibt f ail -to - benefit the Society." Some eight or'-ninVyVars^agb^tie* branch had only a membership-of - '100,-now-it-had 270 names on.N.its books. Fully fifty more of the young men who had been at the nine o'clock Mass 'should; belong to the Society. He had always found the members of the Society to" £e good practical Catholics.-. The members... ,• were always ready, to assist .when called "upon by -the' clergy, and he trusted the Society -would "prosper -and increase in membership. - _- ;-o •'.■ Bro. J. B Callan, jun., spoke of the Catholic press r making=..special mention of the ' N.Z. Tablet ' to which they: were indebted for.; the publicity it had given to the reports of .the Society. The T Tablet ' had done miucH for the Hibernian Society, aitd the* members- - in return should support it and.extejid its influence in every possible way. • " ' • --'■=:-.." ;-'-, ■ Rev. Father Cleary replied. , - „...--„, Bro. O'Connor (secretary) announced " ; thalT Mr?'lviar- ■ low had been appointed District Deputy, for. O.tago^ and Southland by the District Board, an -announcement that was received • with applause. - His LordsEl P the Bishop .said- he. need scarcely- assure the members of the great consolation it was' to him to see so many men make "public profession of "\ their . faith that morning by "receiving Holy Communion 'it ' was a great pleasure to him to assist at the present function. He took a great interest in. .the. Society, and he thought it was of the utmost importance" "that all young men should lie enrolled in "Catholic societies, ..for,; by this means tney would be encouraged to persevere, and would .give a good exanr-ple -to^th'ose "a : botrt theiri! He was glad to hear that the closest union existed between the priests and members of the Hibernian * Society l and he hoped that union would always exist. The priests took .the deepest interest " in" the' "success "of" any- ' thing connected with , the congregation, and it was a gxeat consolation and a -great 'encouragement 1 to" knoV>" that the members of the congregation 'appreciated- their >" efforts, and in return were prepared to -help in any possible way. He was pleased to hear that the Hibernian, Society was prospering, and he trusted" it would continue to prosper, and so "long-as- they: were faithful- to their rules they might be- sure' the-Bishops. and. priests would take a great interest in the Society, and ' it would advance and in every possible <way prosper,, and succeed. ' -' «■ "• -- •-