Blenheim

New Zealand Tablet, 9 December 1909, Page 1939

Blenheim

Jg£|ipm our OAvn correspondent.) The neAmving, Avliich Avas recently added to^Sl. 9TosMh'saCQiiverit, 'Avas^s'olemnly; blessed and opened on I 'Silnday7* K No-' k ventiM>-21, by the Rev. Father Holley, assisted by Rev. Fa^af^'Fay, in the presence* 6iL a t iSxge of^-Qie parishioners and , A very succesj|ul^arden party in connection with the opening of the newl^ing was held fill J th'e^convent grounds on' November, 24.// The total cost (of? the,, 'additidns,; '.which include a pretty^eh^pel^Avas about £1000. The chapel occupies the top Storey of i the new ,\v.ing,- andois^mojielled, after that of th i e-Re,demptorist Fathers af Wellington.' rßaoxged'r ßaoxged' round the ' chapel are| the stalls for the Sisters, Wilt of polished rimu. ---The "-floor and ceiling-are of matai, the floor; polished^ anaithe ceiling -paijlted.; >>< The altar rails are of brass,;\sur;"mouiited-by'[a!;cedar top, and look very rich and handsome from the body of the chapel. The old girl pupils. of.= the -convent, intend' : to mark the jubilee . of * the ' convent i next, year by presenting a neAy altar. A handsome ■ Imperial organ graces the chapel, this being a preseirtr'to ' the consent , by the Rev.^Father Holley. Patent" dusV-pfoof ventilators/ ure; fitted jthr.oughout,- and the evening lighting is obtained from; disc -incandescent burners, Avath globes of shaded glass, in ( keeping with the general color scheme of the-, infjOr.io ; K. v The Avindows are of cathedral glass, in shaded ■ colors.' , ; . >.---- At tlie conclusion of the blessing and opening of the w.ing,,vthq. Rev-; Father Holley delivered an" eloquent address, iri;tlip ■.cpurs.e of which he referred to, the inestimable value ofotho gif,ti,of Christian education, such ias AA^as' imparted at ); "the convent by the Sisters of Mercy. Father' Hqlley read.,the report. on the examination of the Catholic schodls, and L chal\enged' anyone to go through the State schools and.. fiudU.a 'bettor.,. ' This. ,(jpajd he) is proof conclusive that wftilst-jTYo'fliave safeguarded our consciences we haA^e also maintained .under tho heaviest handicap and without any assistance- from, the State the highest standard "of pro- ' ficiency, in secular knoAvledge. And to whom do aa-o owe this? After, God, to the able, earnest, zealous,' selfsacrificing Sisters of .Mercy, who liave by voAA r devoted themselves by: irrevocable engagements' to the education of the .child, , soul and body, and that, a thing which the AA'orld knows* not of and caunot understand,, without any hope of earthly reward. __^_, '