Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 21 April 1910, Page 613

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) April 16. . The parishioners of Island Bay are to hold a euchre party and musical evening in the Tutanekai Hall, Berhampore, in aid of St. Francis’ Church, Island Bay, on Wednesday next. - The house-to-house collection for the month of March for funds, towards the erection of new schools in Te Aro parish amounted to £35, which makes the sum received since the commencement of the collection in July last year £4OO. Another burning question is close upon us. The clergy (says the Times ) are determined to put in school committees at the coming election who favor the Bible being read in schools. They are influencing their people from the pulpit. Last Sunday evening at St. Joseph’s Church, Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy, S.M., Rector of St. Patrick’s College, gave an instructive address on devotion to the Sacred Heart to the raetnbers of the men’s branch of the St. Joseph’s Sacred Heart Society. The children from the Catholic orphanages and adults from other charitable institutions enjoyed the play 1 Peter Pan,’ to which the management kindly invited them to be present last Saturday afternoon. There was a large attendance, who were delighted with the play. * The members of the choir of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Hill street, gave a sacred concert last Monday evening. The items, which included Mendelssohn’s ‘ Lauda Sion,’ were very highly appreciated by those present. The concert was held in the Basilica. Mr. J. Flanagan acted as lion, secretary. The H.A.C.B. Society, Lower Hutt, took part in a friendly societies’ demonstration, organised with the object

of raising funds in aid of the proposed Jubilee Orphanage, which was held on the Recreation Ground, Petone, on last Sunday afternoon, April 10. The gathering was addressed by Messrs. T. M. Wilford, M.P., J. W. McEwan (Mayor of Petone), E. J. Bunny (Mayor of Lower Hutt), and officers of the friendly societies. The marriage of Miss Mildred May Me Anally to Mr. John Joseph bourne, both of Wellington, took place last Wednesday at St. Mary’s Church. The Rev. Father Venning, S.M., officiated. The bride was given away by her brother, Mr. Percy McAnally. The bridesmaids were Misses Nina Carroll and Margaret Kelly. Mr. Alec Moller was best man and Mr. R. Duigan groomsman. A reception at the Hotel Windsor was held after the ceremony, the guests being received by Mrs. Gaw and .Mrs. Hilton (sisters of the bride). After the usual toasts had been duly honored Mr. and Mrs. Weybourne left for the South Island. The building fund for the erection of the Catholic church at Wadestown has been augmented by about £520, the proceeds of the Easter Carnival, recently held in the Sydney street schoolroom. The promoters are well satisfied with the support given. The drawing of the art union took place on the last evening of the carnival, Friday, April 8. Great praise is due to the committee of management, with Mr. P. Verschaffelt as secretary, who worked so hard to make the carnival a success. There was a very large attendance of boys at the usual weekly meeting of the St. Vincent’s Guild, held at St. Patrick’s Hall on Friday evening. Two new members gave in their names for enrolment. Mr. Alf Jackson, of the Defence Department, addressed the boys on the recent new regulations regarding compulsory military training. In the near future it is intended to make application to the Defence Department for the formation of a senior cadet corps. The boys are keenly interested in the suggestion, and they are working hard among their Catholic boy friends to get them to join the projected St. Vincent Cadet Corps. Master Arthur Sievers, winner of the club’s swimming handicap, was presented with a splendid maltese cross medal by the president of the guild. Six brothers of the St. Mary’s Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, supervised the meeting during the evening. Mr. E. A. Connelly, who secured fourth position in the New Zealand Times Voting Contest, was tendered afarewell social at the Drill Hall, Lower Hutt, on Wednesday evening, 13th inst. About 400 well-wishers were present. Mr. E. P. Bunny (Mayor of Lower Hutt), in a short address, referred to the good fight Mr. Connolly had put up. Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P. for the district, presented the guest of the evening with a purse of sovereigns. Mr. Connolly’s position in this contest,’ he remarked, is one of which his friends are proud.’ By his persistence and energy he had worked his way into fourth place. Such qualities were characteristic of the men in , the district in which Mr. Connelly was born and brought «p, and the Hutt wou.ld yet be proud of their friend, who had put up such a splendid fight. Mr. Connelly is a prominent member of the Lower Hutt H.A.C.B. Society. At the monthly meeting of the men’s branch of the Sacred Heart Society, held at St. Mary’s Church, Boulcott street, last Sunday, there was a fair attendance of members, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. The Rev. Father Gondringer, S.M., of St. Patrick’s College, preached a very instructive sermon. Before Benediction two new members were received into the society by the spiritual director (Rev. Father Venning, 5.M.),. who "exhorted all the members present to strive hard and obtain new members for the society. After the devotions tr meeting of the heads of the guilds was held, when it was arranged to keep more in touch with the members of the society. It was decided that if a member is absent on two occasions a circular signed by the head of the guild be despatched advising him of the day fixed for the next monthly Communion and meeting. Mr. Wm. Frost was elected as secretary of the society. The quarterly general meeting of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was held last Sunday afternoon in St. Patrick’s College. The meeting was attended by about 50 members from the various conferences, including representatives of the Ladies’ Guilds of Mercy under the jurisdiction of the Particular Council of Wellington, and a large number of St. Patrick’s College students. His Grace the Archbishop, who was supported by, Bro. Martin Kennedy K.S.G., president of the Particular Council, presided! There were also present the Very Rev. Dean Regnault S.m! (Provincial), Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M., V.G./ Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy, S.M. (Rector of St. Patrick’s College) and several of the local clergy'and college Fathers. Favorable reports of the work done by the various city conferences were given by Bro. O’Leary (St. Mary’s Conference), Bro. Ellis (St. Joseph’s Conference), Bro. Gamble (St. Anne’s Conference), : Bro. Verschaffelt (Sacred Heart Conference Thorndon), Bro. Jackson (St. Patrick’s Conference for Seamen), Bro. Reichel (Conference of Immaculate Conception, Brooklyn), Bro. Casey (St. Stanislaus’ Conference), and Bro. Linehan (Sacred Heart Conference, Petone). r The Rev. Father Venning, S.M., reported on St. Mary’s Conference (Foxton), and St. Patrick’s Conference (Palmerston North). He also exhorted the members of the different conferences to take on the great works Patronage

of Boys and the distribution of the Catholic Truth Society’s pamphlets. He also mentioned that the ladies’ branches are doing splendid work among the poor. The Te Aro parish ladies’ branch will now be divided into two branches, the St. . Mary’s and St. Joseph’s, as the work is increasing rapidly. His Grace was pleased to hear of the good work which was being done by 'the various conferences of. the society. It was decided to form a conference among the students at St. Patrick’s College. A committee has been formed by the St. Patrick’s branch of the Hibernian Society to bring up a report on the advisability of forming a Hibernian Band. At present there is no Catholic band in the Empire City, and some of the members are of the opinion that now is the opportune time for the Hibernians to fill the breach and supply a long-felt want. However, it is a question of funds, and it is for the committee to go into this matter. The quarterly meeting of the society was well attended, and a good deal of business was put through. The receipts amounted to £96. The Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M. (Provincial), was present, and congratulated the members on the prosperity of the society, and assured those present that he would always, no matter where he was, further its interests. The president (Bro. J. W. Callaghan) and the secretary of the delegates’ reception committee (Bro, J. McCusker) were complimented on the manner in which the arrangements for entertainment of the delegates at the recent meeting were carried out. . ' Sergeant McGuire, who was shot at Palmerston North on Sunday night, succumbed to his wound on Thursday morning. The remains were brought to Wellington. A Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, on Saturday at 9 o’clock. All the members of the police force who knew the late Sergeant McGuire and a very large circle of friends and acquaintances in private life will hear with of his death. He was only about 41 years of age, and he had been a member of the force for sixteen years. He was born on the West Coast of the South Island, his father being Mr. B. McGuire, now living in Wellington. Some three years ago he was married to Miss O’Brien, of Newtown; there are no children. He joined the police force in 1894, and after serving in Dunedin for some time did duty, chiefly in plain •clothes, in the Mount Cook district. Twelve years ago he came to the central depot on Lambton quay, and until the end of last week did duty in the district office, where he had attained the position of chief clerk. 'Four years ago he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Quiet and unostentatious in his demeanor, Sergeant McGuire earned the reputation among his superiors and colleagues of being a zealous and efficient officer, of never-failing courtesy, kindly and considerate in his dealings with all manners of men, whether he met them officially or unofficially, and it was a cause of common remark among his fellow-men that no one ever , heard him say an unkind word of any one. When he left for Palmerston North only a few days ago he was accorded a hearty send-off by all sections of the force in the city, and it was hoped that his health, which had not been too good of late, would be benefited considerably by the change from office work to the more open-air life of outdoor duty. He was an esteemed member of St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, being vice-president of the local conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Mrs. McGuire was president of the St. Mary’s Ladies’ Guild of Mercy. Sincere sympathy is expressed for Mrs. McGuire and the deceased’s father in their very sad bereavement. —R.I.P.