Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 23 February 1911, Page 329

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) February 18. The half-yearly meeting of the Catholic Club takes place on next Thursday evening.

Miss Ella Collins, daughter of Colonel Collins, is making a satisfactory recovery from the effects of the operation she underwent last week. The Petone branch of the Hibernian Society will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by holding a social gathering in the Drill Hall, Petone.

The ladies’ branch of the Hibernian Society are forming a Hockey Club in connection with the Society. They hope to be in full swing by the beginning of the season. Mr, J. B. Martin, a prominent Hibernian, has resigned from the Railway Department to take up a position in the New South Wales Police. He left by the Moeraki for Sydney yesterday. This year the St. Patrick’s College started work with 97 boarders, and the number is expected to reach 100 in a very few The attendance of day scholars has considerably increased also. The annual Communion of the branches of the Hibernian Society takes place at the 8 o’clock Mass at St. Mary of the Angels’, Boulcott street, on Sunday, March 12, after which the annual Communion breakfast ill be held.

Mr. Wm. Farquhar Young, of Christchurch, has been engaged to sing at the Hibernian Society’s and Catholic Club’s grand Irish national concert, to be held in the Town Hall on St. Patrick’s night. The committee have also secured the services of Mr. Sidford (a pupil of the late Sir Robert Stewart), a Dublin organist, who will play a selection of Irish music on the large organ.

The St. Anne’s 'Defence Cadets held a shooting competition last Saturday for the company belt and the trophies presented by Hallenstein Bros., Mr. Gamble, and Mr. Jackson, 10 shots and 1 sighter at 500 and 600 yards. The following ere the scores; —Mason 60, Turner 58, Beagley 55, O’Driscoll 46, Mahoney 38, Christensen 33, Carroll 27, Jansen 24, Hopkins 20, Heavey 16.

I am pleased to be able again to record the success of the Wellington Catholic Club’s cricket team. Last Saturday they defeated at Newtown Park the South team. The following were the scores; Catholic Clubl3l for 5 wickets (Leydon 42, Warne 27, McGrath 20); South 32 first innings, 103 second innings 2 wickets (Le Cren 45 not out and Kendell 37 not out). For the Catholic Club O’Dowd took 6 wickets for 47 and Carroll 4 for 48.

The following changes in the Wellington clergy are announced:—The Rev. Father George Mahoney, S.M., who has been in the Island Bay Novitiate, has been appointed to St. Anne’s, Wellington South; Rev. Father Macdonald, S.M., formerly of St. Anne’s and lately attached to the Sacred Heart Basilica, Hill street, proceeds to Greymouth to assist Very Rev. Dean Carew; Rev. Father Herbert, S.M., who has been temporarily in charge of Opunake, resumes his old position at the Sacred Heart Basilica, Thorndon.

The men’s branch of the Sacred Heart Society held their monthly meeting at St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, on last Sunday, and were addressed by the Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M., V.G., the subject being £ The Church and Labor.’ In the course of his remarks Father O’Shea explained the conditions prevailing prior to the so-called ‘ Reformation,’ and said the organisation of labor in those days was perfect, which was due to the splendid relations existing between the Church and labor. The address was attentively listened to by a very large congregation. Tickets for the art union in connection with the King’s Festival Bazaar, in aid of the St. Vincent School-chapel, Northlands, to be held in the Town Hall at Easter, are now in circulation. A beautiful work of art is the first prize, and is now being shown in the windows of the Dresden Piano Company. Great efforts are being made to make the bazaar a success. To-day a garden party in aid of the stalls fund is being held at Mrs. Putnam’s grounds, Karori. The St. Aloysius branch of the H.A.C.B. Society intend making a canvass for new members to-morrow at St. Anne’s Church. In reminding the parishioners of the fact last Sunday the Rev. Father Herring, S.M., spoke of the advantages of joining a benefit society, and of the necessity of our young men, especially the married men, making provision for their families in time of sickness. The Hibernian Society (he said) not only provides this but looks also to the spiritual side, there being no mystic signs or passwords in the society. _ The Sign of the Cross was the emblem, and the meetings were opened and closed with prayer, whilst there was a strict obligation on members to comply with the third and fourth precepts of the Church. The first annual meeting of the recently formed Wellington branch of the Newman Society of New Zealand is

to be held early in April next. The objects of the society, as set out in the draft constitution, include the promotion of higher Catholic education, the leavening of the general Catholic body by such education, and the refutation of calumnies, on the Church. These objects are to be attained by the preparation, reading, and discussion of papers dealing with history, literature, science, and art, by the delivering of lectures, holding of debates, establishment of reading circles, interchange of articles between various branches of the society, and by social reunions. The Auckland branch of the society, which is now firmly established, has extended to all members of the Wellington branch, and to all Catholic young men and women who are interested in the work of the society, an invitation to visit Auckland (as guests of the Auckland branch) during the coming Easter holidays. An extensive programme of entertainment has been prepared, and all visiting members will be billeted by friends of the Auckland branch. Masterton (From our own correspondent.) February 17. The Rev. Father McCarthy, C.M., arrived in Masterton last Friday and preached eloquent sermons both morning and evening in St. Patrick’s Church. The annual meeting of parishioners will be held in St. Patrick’s schoolroom after the evening devotions next Sunday to report on the balance sheet, and to make arrangements for holding the annual entertainment on St. Patrick’s night. The A. and P. Society held their annual Show at the new grounds at Solway on Tuesday and Wednesday. Ideal weather prevailed both days. "The attendance was easily a record for Masterton, it being estimated that between 12,000 and 14,000 people were present on the second day. Lord and Lady Islington were present during the day. After the evening devotions last Sunday the choir made a presentation to Miss Lily Stempa, one of its members, on the occasion of her approaching marriage. Mr. A. R. Bunny (conductor of the choir) made the presentation, which took the form of a solid silver tea service, and in doing so referred in eulogistic terms to the assistance rendered the choir by Miss Stempa during the many years she has been associated with it, and on behalf of the choir wished Miss Stempa every possible happiness in the future. Mr. J. J. Kelliher suitably responded on behalf of Miss Stempa. A very pretty wedding was celebrated in St. Patrick’s Church on Wednesday morning, when Mr. Edward Riley, of the local Railway staff, was united in the bonds of Matrimony to Miss Lily Stempa, fourth daughter of Mr. A. Stempa, an old settler of this district. The ceremony was performed by the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, who celebrated the Nuptial Mass. The bride was attended by her two sisters, the Misses Martha and Polly Stempa, as bridesmaids, while Mr. A. Stempa acted as groomsman. After the ceremony a number of guests partook of the wedding breakfast at the residence of the bride’s parents on the Upper Plain. The honeymoon is being spent in Napier.