DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1, 7 January 1909, Page 23

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

The Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., received a cable message on Monday from the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon announcing his arrival at Adelaide. His Lordship will probably reach Dunediu on Tuesday, January 19. In a private letter to the editor of the N.Z. Tablet his Grace the Archbishop of Hobart states he was unable to leave for Hobart as originally intended with the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon and the Right Rev. Dr. Higgins, as he was detained to "receive the pallium. His Grace was to leave Naples by the Oroya on Sunday last. In hit, letter Archbishop ' Delany states that his Lordship Bishop Verdon was enjoying excellent health. On Sunday there was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at St. Joseph's Cathedral from 11 o'clock Mass until Vespers. In the evening the usual procession took place. On Sunday at St. Joseph's Cathedral reference was made to the terrible earthquake in Italy and Sicily, and the prayers of the congregation were asked for those who had lost their lives in the catastrophe. A private note received by us conveys the information that the Rev. Father McMullan, of Ranfurly, has had an extensive and instructive trip through Continental Europe and the Holy Land. On November 22 lie reached Port Said from Palestine, and sailed for Australia by the Messageries steamer Yarra, reaching Melbourne on Christmas Day. After a stay in Australia, Father McMullan returns to New Zealand. The members of the Young Ladies' Club, South Dunedin, assembled in the presbytery on Sunday evening, and presented a set of jelly dishes to Miss Hannah* Sheridan, to express their good-will on the occasion of her approaching marriage. The presentation was made by the Rev. Father Howard, who referred to the success of the Young Ladies' Club, and attributed this to the constant, untiring efforts of members like Miss Sheridan. The members of the club felt grateful for her services, and asked her acceptance of the gift as a token of their esteem. Father Howard thanked her for the edification she had always given and the services she had rendered in various parochial works. Miss Sheridan, in responding, thanked the young ladies for their gift, good wishes, and the cordial feeling which they had constantly shown towards her. It was always a pleasure to her to join in Catholic movements, and sho wished for no other reward than the gratification experienced when she felt she had done something to help the work of the Church. In the course of a lengthy and interesting letter from Rome, the Bishop of Dunedin refers in the following kind terms to the Papal Jubilee Number of the Neiv Zealand Tablet : — ' I congratulate you on the appearance of the Jubilee Number. It is well got up indeed, is a credit to the office, and has been very much admired here by those who have seen it.' His Lordship, at the time of writing, had made arrangements to place in the hands of the Holy Father our special presentation, copy of the Jubilee Number. ' The papers,' adds his Lordship, ' gave a full account of the Eucharistic Congress at Westminster. It was undoubtedly a great success. There were a dozen Irish Bishops at it. Everything had been provided for, and the arrangements were remarkably good. . . The Duke of Norfolk gave a garden party at Arundel Castle on^ the Monday after the Congress. I was there. There were about 900 persons present. The weather was delightful, and a day in the country was very refreshing after all

the work of the preceding week.' The Bishop's two trips to the south of Ireland were marred by the unpleasant, dripping weather. ' When coming to Rome,' he writes, ' i sailed to Naples and had a delightful voyage in beautiful weather. I enjoyed 1 it greatly. Since I arrived in Rome we have had some very disagreeable weather. The Archbishop of Melbourne, the Bishop of Ballarat, and the Archbishop of Hobart 'are located in the Irish College. I shall leave Naples for New Zealand on December 6. I fear that I shall have to travel without any clerical companion, as, acting on medical advice, Bishop Higgins, of Ballarat, is to remain in Europe for some months longer, and the Archbishop of Hobart has not yet received his pallium. Rome is crowded with Bishops, priests, and pilgrims. The Papal High Mass on Jubilee Day ,was a glorious function. "We were at St. Peter's for three hours. The number of people in the great Basilica on the occasion was variously calculated by journalists at from 40,000 to 70,000 -or 80,000. There were 35 Cardinals and about 300 Bishops at the function. The ceremonies were carried out with great perfection. The singing was magnificent. The Holy Father went through the long function admirably. He seemed quite at home at the ceremonies, and his voice was universally admired. It is a beautiful sweet, well-cultivated voice. On Monday evening the illuminations were to a certain extent spoiled by the rain. Notwithstanding this, the papers state that about 100,000 people must have visited the great square of St. Peter's during the evening. Very many private houses were illuminated. I drove around the city in order that I might be able to judge of the extent of the illuminations. It is wonderful how the Holy^ Father is able to get through all his work during those days. JVTorning and evening, „day after day, he gives private "and public audiences to Car- . dmals, Bishops; priests, and. pilgrims. A couple of evenings ago I Avent to the Pope's apartments on some business, and I saw two French Cardinals, about 30 French Bishops, many priests, \and about 3000 French pilgrims going in for audience. On that morning tlie Holy Father had already given audience to about" as many more.. Thank God, the Holy Father is enjoying excellent health. Many visitors indeed have been surprised to see him looking so strong and active. The Roman papers have been sympathetic this week. The people conducted, themselves well, and there has not been t the slightest disorder inside ' or outside the churches. The Giordano Bruno Society hung out the black flag from their meeting rooms in the Borgo, but it looked very ridiculous^ as the windows all rouad were illuminated.' A letter from the Archbishop of Hobart informs us that the Bishop of Dunedin is in excellent health. ' The Jubilee illuminations throughout Rome,' says his Grace, ' are acknowledged to have been a very pronounced manifestation of personal regard for the present Holy Father. And he seems to be on as good terms with his (royal) neighbors as one can. well be with those who occupy his own house. '