DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 46, 14 November 1907, Page 23

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) * November 11. The Rev. Father Leen, Ahaura, has sufficiently recovered to - resume duty, and" Rev. Father O'Hare, who proved of great help to him, has returned to the Cathedral. The Yen. Archpriest Le Menant des Chesnais, S.M., who was relieving at Wairrate during the absence of the Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M., Provincial, has returned to Leeston. At St. Mary's Church, Manchester street, on Sunday lasl the children, numbering over sixty, made their First Communion at the half-past nine o'clock Mass, which was celebrated by Ihe Very Rev. Father Marnane. The Rev. Father Bell preached. In the evening there was renewal of baptismal vows, a sermon appropriate to the occasion being preached by Rev. leather Hoare. St. Mary's Tennis Club held a "very successful opening last week by playing a match between the -members and their friends. There was a very large attendance. Afternoon tea , was dispensed by the lady members of the club, and was greatly appreciated. The prospects of the club for - the ensuing season are Very bright, as a number' o f v new members have joined. The championship tournaments ' are to commence next week, and promise to be fairly exciting. It has been decided to send a mixed team to play against the Timaru Catholic Club on Anniversary Day December 16. ' Rev. Mother de Pazzi, Superior of the - Sisters of Nazareth, leaves by the ' Warrimoo ' on Friday on a visit to Ballarat on business, the outcome of a recent Chapter of the Order held in London. The Sisters are anxiously awaiting the completion of preliminaries in connection with the commencement of their new institution, especially in view of the overcrowding of their present accommodation. Although now housing eighty persons old and young, the Sisters are besieged with applications irom all parts of the diocese. Their inability to accede to all dem-ands, under the circumstances, is keenly felt by them, and this cause of anxiety they trust to speedily see removed. On the feast of All Souls, the chapel of the Holy Souls in the Cathedral was, with befitting solemnity opened by his Lordship, who celebrated Mass therein for the first time. The Mass offered was for the departed faithful, a great number of the friends of whom approached the Holy Table. The names of those contained m the • intentions ' fox the month were read out by /the Rev. Father Peoples. The altar of the new chapel is of marble appropriately inlaid with specimens of black, and was designed and executed by Hardman n Birmingham, a firm with a reputation- for artistic ' Catholic work. The altar steps are of Carrara marble and the floor of the chapel of tesselated tiles white ana black intermingled. A fine painting of an ' approthe chapel C ° VerS a grßaler portion o£ one of