HIBERNIAN SOCIETY, DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, 9 November 1911, Page 2249

HIBERNIAN SOCIETY, DUNEDIN

ANNUAL GENERAL COMMUNION The annual general Communion of the members of St. Joseph's branch of the H.A.C.B. Society took place at the 9 o'clock Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral on Sunday. The members in regalia to the number of 150 marched in procession from St. Joseph's Hall to the Cathedral, and took their places in the front seats of the nave which were • reserved for them. There was also a representative attendance of the members of the Catholic Men's Club. In addition to those who approached the Holy Table at the 9 o'clock Mass numbers received Holy Communion at the early Masses at the Cathedral, and also at the Sacred Heart Church (North-East Valley), and St. Patrick's Basilica (South Dunedin). Rev. Father Hunt, C.SS.R., who was celebrant of the Mass, in the course of his sermon, congratulated the members of the Hibernian Society on the grand display made by them that morning, and also congratulated his Lordship the Bishop, and the clergy of the Cathedral parish and of South Dunedin on the fine body of men they had to work upon. At the conclusion of the Mass, the members again formed in procession, and marched back to St. Joseph's Hall, where the Communion breakfast was laid. Bro. George Burton (branch president ) occupied the chair, having on his right his Lordship Bishop Verdon, Bro. J. J. Marlow (District Deputy), and Rev. Father Coffey. Adm. (chaplain), and on his left Very Rev. Father Murray, C.SS.R. There were also present Rev. Bro. Moore, Miss A. Heley (president of the Children of Mary), Mrs. Jackson (president of St. Joseph's Ladies' Club), and Mr. E. W. Spain (St. Joseph's Men's Club), and several members of both of these clubs. After justice had been done to the excellent breakfast provided, Bro. Geo. Purton extended a hearty welcome to his Lordship the Bishop, Very Rev. Father Murray, C.SS.R., and Rev. Father Coffey, Adm. He thanked his Lordship and the local clergy for the very great interest they had always taken in the society, and also Father Murray for the valuable help given to the society by the Redemptorist Fathers throughout the Dominion. He then called on the Rev. Father Coffey to address the gathering. Rev. Father CofTey said he had to congratulate the society on the large number of members present

that morning. , It was the largest "gathering they had had at any Communion breakfast as far as he was aware. About 150 members received Holy Communion that morning, and that was a very fine representation of the society. Speaking as the chaplain of the branch, he desired to express his appreciation of the help and assistance the members had always'given the clergy in the work in connection with the Church, and for the manner in which they had upheld the dignity of the society. There was a feature in connection with the work of the society, and that was the charitable side. As long as he had been connected with the society he had not known of the case of a single member ever asking for any charity from outside sources; if the necessity arose, and the sick pay was not sufficient, the members personally came to the assistance of the brother needing help. Last year, which was a light year, the branch distributed about £250 in sick pay, and for a few previous years the amount was as high as £3OO. There were now in the branch 330 ordinary and 10 honorary members, making a total of 340. He remembered the time when the membership only totalled 90, and then they thought it would be a great advance if it went up to 150. The branch stands highest as regards membership of any in the Dominion; not only that, but it is eighth in the Australasian colonies. The sick pay fund now stands at £2OOO, so that the financial position is extremely satisfactory. These few facts would show our Catholic young men that the branch was in a sound position, and was making rapid progress. He expressed his pleasure at seeing -members of St. Joseph's Men's Club and St. Joseph's Ladies' Club present. It would be to the advantage of. every young man in the parish to join the Hibernian Society, which he hoped and trusted would continue to prosper and increase in membership as it deserved. Bro. J. Hally said that he desired to specially thank the Redemptorist Fathers for their work on behalf of the Hibernian Society. Wherever they gave missions throughout New Zealand they brought the claims of the society before the Catholic young men, and impressed on them the advantages, spiritual and temporal, arising from membership. Since the previous mission, conducted by the Re'demptorist Fathers under Father (now Bishop) Clune, the membership had increased by at least a third, whilst the funds had progressed in almost equal ratio. This increase was due in a great measure to the work of the Redemptorists on behalf of the Society. The members also appreciated the assistance given by his Lordship the Bishop and the local clergy, as it was no uncommon thing to find the local clergy proposing new members at the meetings. They had good officers, who were working most energetically for the welfare of the society, but the members should not forget that they, too, had a duty to perform in forwarding the interests of the society. They should not rest satisfied until every eligible Catholic young man in the parish was a Hibernian. Very Rev. Father Murray, C.SS.R., expressed his very sincere pleasure at being present on that happy occasion, and congratulated the members of the Hibernian Society on their fine display and manifestation of Catholic faith by attending in such large numbers to receive Holy Communion that morning. If there was one thing more than another which consoled the missionaries for their toil and labor it was to see the men respond to their efforts, and wherever the Redemptorist Fathers gave missions the members of the Hibernian Society always responded to their appeals. He congratulated the society on its success in Dunedin, where it had for members as fine a body of men as could be found in any country, and he hoped that before long there would be a large accession to the ranks of .the society. They were proud of their faith, as they had reason to be, and proud of their country. The members were united by ties of faith and fatherland, and for this reason alone, apart altogether from the financial assistance given, they would be justified in fostering and encouraging this fine society, the members of which stood close together,in the bonds of faith, hope, and charity. In conclusion, he said it gave him very much pleasure to meet that morning so many members of the society. . ..•'■•• .-.

t . Mr. E. W. Spain, speaking on behalf of the Catholic clubs, thanked the Hibernian Society for its generous invitation. The members of the Men's Catholic Club recognised that the Hibernian Society had very strong claims for support, for in the present age it was only by combination that success was assured The young men when preparing for debates had to read up a good deal of literature, from which they learned that it was from organisation arose the strength of the Church and that in countries where Catholics were not united the Church did not succeed as it ought The Christian Brothers recognised the need for keeping the Catholic young fellows in*" Catholic associations after leaving school,, and to do this they have started cricket and football clubs, and it was reasonable to assume that owing to the influence of Catholic surroundings these young men in the course of a few years would be a source of strength to the Hibernian Society. A ladies' branch would also be of benefit in the parish as they had been found to work successfully in other places In conclusion he congratulated the society on its progress and on the good work it was doing „ ra His Lordship the Bishop said it gave him very great pleasure to assist at that grand gathering. Nothing gave Bishop and priests greater pleasure Ind ioy than to see young members of the congregation attending to their religious duties. It was I grand thing to see so many members of the Hibernian Society receiving Holy Communion that morning, and he congratulated tiEFJSEJ W on - its I progress - u ™ his w h that every young man m the congregation would ioin he society-this fine, noble association. In this city there was as fine a congregation of Catholics as could full ZtZ mj Part ° f NeW Zealand - ■ Th had their J 1 ™ 1 of young men, every one of whom should join he society. It was the duty of every young man to be long to some benefit society, and this- was only right no! ffi ß ,??, migh s l6arn a le — t™l E not of the fold, who made great efforts to get young men to join the other benefit societies in our midst A? soon as a youth had left the schoolroom for the work room he was_aiked; to join one or other of those soct ties The Hibernian Society was that which every fsloZ S" Sh ° uld ***** Its Randal P osS is i sound, it is not expensive, and a member gets all the advantages to be derived from membership of any other benefit society whilst at the same time lie is helped th r theTmem^ S to keep "he 21ft members give the best possible exA SrV of 7/" 0 g ° OC Clrisbans good" Catholics. A spin, of union animates the members. They have hat spirit of patriotism and love of c6untry S help to Keep up their Catholic spirit. To be ashamed nf the 6 SVI f T erfand is & -toP towarXTenying flf lln IIS L . ordsln P ho Ped that by the time of the next Communion breakfast the membership would be largely increased. In conclusion he again expressed his great pleasure at seeing such a large XE and said it would gratify hL very mUh t 0 heir of al i mLbeWn er the T^ e yoUng c mQ * 8 moieties becoming members of the Hibernian Society S of tw the m ° tion ° f Bro " J - J - Marl °w a hearty vote al Keir rded his LordsWp for his «-