DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 21 April 1910, Page 614

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) April 18. On behalf of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul the prayers of the faithful were asked in the Cathedral on Sunday for the repose of the soul of the late Sergeant McGuire, who was a vice-president of St. Joseph’s Conference and member of the Particular Council of Wellington, who lost his life in the discharge of his duty at Palmerston North; also for the late Bro. E. F. Troy, founder of the first conference in Adelaide, South Australia, and head of the society in that State until a short time before his death. —R.I.P. On last Friday evening the Cathedral Tennis Club invited the members of St. Mary’s Tennis Club to spend a social evening in the rooms of the Catholic Club. Mr. J. R. Hayward presided, and in a brief speech said that on behalf of his club it afforded him great pleasure to welcome St. Mary’s there that evening, and hoped they would spend many such pleasant evenings together in future. During the evening songs were contributed by Misses Brick, M. O’Connor, and Shannon, and Messrs. Moloney and Maindonald, a pianoforte duet was played by. Misses O’Connor and Payne, and, a pianoforte solo by Mr. P. Augarde. The accompaniments were contributed by Miss M. O’Connor. ) The members of St. Mary’s Tennis Club, Christchurch North, have had a successful season. A tennis tournament, consisting of four rounds for ladies and three rounds for gentlemen, was concluded recently, Miss L. Johnston winning on the ladies’ side and Mr. F. Aspell on that of the

gentlemen. At a social gathering in St. Mary’s schoolroom medals were presented to the winners by the Rev. Father _ Hoare, S.M. On Easter Monday St, Mary’s played the usual inter-club match against the Tiinaru Catholic Tennis . Club, St. Mary’s winning by one game. The local club entertained the visiting team to dinner and tea, and the meeting proved enjoyable in every way. In a match with the Christchurch Catholic Club on last Saturday week on St. Mary’s court— final contest of the seasonthe latter again won, although playing under the disadvantage of having to replace two of its best members. ; The London correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes:—A Solemn Requiem Mass was celebrated at St. Augustine’s Abbey Church, Ramsgate, on Tuesday, March 1, in memory of the late Dr. Lenihan, Bishop of Auckland, who was a former pupil of St. Augustine’s College, Ramsgate, and a fellow-student of the present Abbot and . President of . the college, the" Right Rev. Abbot Egan, who presided at the function, and in full pontificals gave the final absolutions. There was a large congregation present (college boys and staff as well), many of whom knew Dr. Lenihan personally,’ and the music of the Requiem was sung by the Benedictine Fathers, who had assembled in force for - the ceremony. It was this community of Ramsgate that had supplied the Auckland diocese with many missionaries, and a Bishop in the person of the Right Rev. Dr. Luck. The celebrant of the Mass was the Very Rev. Dr. Egan, 0.5.8., elder brother of the Abbot, assisted by the Revs. Anselm Fox and Adalbert Amaudolini, 0.5.8., all of whom had worked for, several years in the Auckland diocese. , . A brief discussion on the question of religious instruction in public schools (states the Lyttelton Times of the. 13th inst.) took place at yesterday’s meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery. The subject was introduced by the Rev. P. C. Durward, of Dunsandel, who said that the only opposition to be overcome by the Presbytery to the introduction of Bible-reading during the ordinary school hours was the disapproval of the North Canterbury Board of Education. He proposed that the presbytery should make a recommendation to the people that they should attend the annual meetings of householders on April 25, and elect school committees composed of men who were favorable to the adoption of the Nelson system of religious instruction, and who would vote only for those candidates for the Board of Education who also approved of the work. It was remarked that two members of the Board of Education who were opposed to religious instruction in the schools had been replaced by men of the opposite opinion, but there was still a majority of, the members opposed to it. The motion was carried. A general meeting of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was held on last Monday evening. The Very Rev. Father Price, Adm. (spiritual director), was present, and representatives of all the Conferences under the Particular Council of Christchurch and Association of Ladies of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. The president gave a summary of correspondence received since the last general meeting, and read a circular on the formation of boys’ guilds from the Superior Council of Sydney. Reports of a satisfactory nature on the various conferences were given by Bro. G. C. Hayward (president, Cathedral, Conference), Bro. A. H. Blake (president, St. Mary’s), Bro. H. Anthony (president, St. Joseph’s, Lyttelton), and Miss Wally (president, Ladies of Charity). The Very Rev. Father Price, in the course of an address, said there was no form of charity outsidethe sanctuary so refined as that practised by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and it seemed to him impossible for the pastor of any district to do otherwise than show sympathy towards, and encourage in every possible way, the society and the unmistakable good work done by its members. When on the first occasion he addressed the conferences it was with regard to the after-care of our young boys, which to his mind was the greatest problem we had to face. In the Cathedral parish plans for the welfare of the boys was receiving very earnest attention, and at no distant date provision would be made for them on the lines suggested by the leaders of the society. The reports given of the work of the society in the various conferences’ was indeed impressive, but it was sufficient that this should be known only among themselves. The rules of the society were explicit on this point, and the wisdom of these same rules, so minute in detail and so applicable to all times, places, and circumstances, won the admiration of all. In the Bulletin, the society’s own publication, all that was necessary and interesting to members and the general reader was . contained. At the weekly meeting of the Christchurch Catholic Club on last Tuesday evening Mr. E. L. McKeon presided. Three new members were elected. The following syllabus was submitted by the executive committee and adopted : April 19, billiard tournament; April 26, debate Would a canal to Christchurch be beneficial to Canterbury? May 3, social and progressive euchre tournament; May 10, mock trial. by jury; May 17, card and billiard tournament; May 24, debate— ‘ Would national prohibition be conducive to the welfare of New Zealand?’; May 31, competitive recitations; June 7, lecture on 'Astronomy’; June 14, social and progressive euchre tournament; June 21, debate—‘Should trial by jury be abolished?’; June 28, original speeches. Messrs. C. Lafferty and D. Edmonds were deputed

to select sides for the debate on April' 26. To work-up the trial by jury on May 10 Messrs. F. Rowe, J. M. Hickson, M. O’Reilly, M. Finlay, and F. G. Healy were appointed, a sub-committee; and Messrs. M. O’Reilly, 0. Fottrell, T. O’Connell, F. Quinn, P. and J. McNamara, J. S. Tullock, F. G. Healy, and A. Harberson a sub-committee to arrange for the social and . progressive euchre tournament in the club rooms on May 3. : The reading of letters to the, editor was the programme of the evening. One letter suggested the formation of a holiday bank ’ to encourage thrift among the members, and save by weekly contributions sufficient means -to cover the expenses of a holiday at the end of a year, or the money thus saved to be devoted to other purposes at the option of the contributor. It was decided to refer the proposal to the executive committee for adoption. It was decided -to , form dramatic and glee classes in connection with the club, members desirous of joining being asked to hand in their names to the secretary. During, the evening Mr. Sims, of the Dunedin Catholic Club was welcomed by the' chairman, who also announced that now the winter session had commenced, general meetings of the club would be held every Tuesday evening, at which members were expected to attend regularly. • J V.-- .: , Grey mouth His Lordship Bishop Grimes, accompanied by the Very Rev. Dean Carew, Rev, Father Hyland (Rangiora), and Rev. Father McCarthy, visited the convent school the. other day. On the arrival of Bishop Grimes a song of welcome was sung by the pupils, after which (says a local paper) the following address to his Lordship as read by Miss Eileen Green : ‘lt is with heartfelt joy that we assemble here once more to welcome your Lordship to our schools. We are well aware, my dear Lord, of the fatherly interest you - have always taken ,in our spiritual and temporal welfare,' and we also know that we cannot fulfil the desires of your Lordship’s heart better than by endeavoring to remain ever faithful to the instructions we are daily receiving. Many of us, my dear Lord, have seen, and all of us have heard, of the splendid Cathedral which will be an enduring monument of your Lordship’s zeal, energy, and devotion /to God’s honor and glory, and we sincerely trust that soon all your«*ftnxiety will be at an end by the speedy wiping out of the remainder of the debt. Begging your Lordship’s blessing, we remain, your Lordship’s loving children of the convent schools, Greymouth.’ The following programme was then gone through; Pianoforte duet, ‘ Military galop,’ Misses M. Egan and V. Michel; vocal solo, ‘ Melisande in the wood,’ Miss Gladys Hannan; recitation, A dreadful mistake,’ Miss N. Kilgour; song, ‘How.I became an LL.D.,’ Miss K. Hannan; tambourine dance, junior pupils; vocal solo, ‘Youth has a, happy tread,’ Miss E. Hannan; dumb-bell . drill,"senior pupils; vocal solo, ‘ Babylon,’ Miss M. Vealie, chorus, ‘ With songs and ringing laughter,’ pupils. His Lordship then read the following examination report Roll, 249; present, 249. Registers neat and accurately, kept. Record of work, satisfactory ; record of tests, satisfactory; time-table, satisfactory. Scheme of work suitable course has been prepared. General. This school has this year surpassed even the exceptionally high record established at my previous examination, and it is the barest justice to those in charge to say that the work is such as to compel admiration. Spelling as excellent, every scholar but one in Standard VI. obtaining full marks, and the average over all the standards being only a mark or two below 100 per cent. ’ Writing and drawing ere . almost uniformly excellent. The work in Standard VI. arithmetic establishes something like a —every pupil in the class (which numbered twelve) getting absolutely full marks. The results in Standard VII. geography were almost equally remarkable, every pupil but one obtaining over 90 per cent., and the average of the class, minus the exception noted, 95 per cent. In composition the formal work was fair and the essays very good, excellent marks being obtained. It is desirable, however, that a greater variety of essay subjects should be dealt with, so as to give more room for individuality and originality on the part of the pupils. Musical drill was very well done, and singing was very good indeed, both in tone, tune, and time. Nature study was very well taken in all classes. Order, attention, and manners were-all that could be desired. It only remains to bo added that the very excellent results shown above were obtained easily and smoothly, without any special spasmodic effort, and without overdriving and* undue pressure of any kind. ; At the conclusion of the entertainment his Lordship thanked the children for the warm welcome extended to him, and referred-with gratitude to their kind wishes for the speedy liquidation of the Cathedral debt. He told the children that he had enjoyed the little concert very much, and congratulated them on the ease and correctness with which they had performed their respective. His Lordship then spoke in laudatory terms of the school report for the year ending 1909, which, he said, filled him with legitimate pride. Not only was ho interested in their spiritual welfare, but also in their temporal concerns, and the record of the previous year’s work was splendid testimony of the great earnestness of the teachers and of the co-operation of the children themselves. - . * .