Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 7 March 1912, Page 25

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) March 2. His Grace the Archbishop and the Yicar-General (Very Rev. Father O'Shea, S.M.) are at present on a visit to the Taranaki district. \ The Allen Doone season closed last night after a very successful fortnight's run. Mr. Doone - expresses himself as highly delighted with the success that has attended his New Zealand tour. He left for Auckland by to-day’s express. Last Tuesday evening the Particular Council of the ladies' branch of the St. Vincent de Paul Society met for its quarterly meeting under the presidency of Mrs. Sullivan. There was a good attendance of members and good reports were received from all the conferences. A silver cup has been donated to the St. Patrick's Day celebration committee by Messrs. Sullivan and Fitzgibbon, of Taranaki street. The cup is to be competed for by the Marist Brothers' schoolboys in the 220yds handicap on St. Patrick’s Day. The Rev. Father Barra, 5.M,., has been appointed spiritual director of the ladies sodality of the Sacred Heart in succession to the Rev, Father C. J. Venning, S.M., transferred to Thorndon. ■ He addressed a large meeting of the, sodality last evening, taking for his subject ‘ Women of the Gospel,’ on which he gave a very instructive address. The contractor for the additions to St. Anne’s Hall, Wellington South, has made good progress with the work, and there will be no difficulty in having it completed in time to allow for the opening of the bazaar on Easter, Saturday. The, art union tickets are already in circulation, and the committee, under the able direction of the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M., are working hard to ensure success. A very successful euchre party, organised by the Hibernian Pipe Band committee was held at the Burlington Tea Rooms on Wednesday evening. There was a very large attendance, and a most enjoyable evening was spent. The proceeds will be devoted to the band fund. It is the committee’s intention to ,hold these functions monthly. Mr. C. J. McErlean made 1 an energetic secretary, whilst Messrs. C. McKenzie and J McKeowen were directors of the tournament. Special services were held last Sunday at St. Anne’s, Wellington South, St. Anne’s being the confraternity chapel in Wellington. The Rev. Father A. T. Herring, S.M., preached and a number of new members were enrolled. Through the good offices of the Rev. Father Casey, -S.M., who is at present in Rome, the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M., was able to obtain from the Superior-General of the Dominican Order in Rome 600 confraternity pictures. These pictures were duly distributed to the congregation last Sunday evening. The St. Patrick’s Day celebration committee have arrangements well in hand for the picnic and sports on St. Patrick’s Day. The City Council has granted the use of the Newtown Park, and the Defence and Education Departments have granted the committee the necessary permission to. march the Catholic defence companies in the procession as was the case last year. A good programme of athletic events has been arranged, and the public can look forward to a good day’s outing.

The concert programme/has-been finally arranged, the committee going to considerable expense in securing the services of spine of the best singers, in the Dominion. | . - lam very pleased to be able to record the remarkable success of a pupil of the Sisters of .Mercy, St. Mary’s Convent, Hill street, in the recent examinations. The pupil referred to is Miss, Catherine. Lynch, 16 years of age, and daughter of Mr. D. Lynch, of Stoney Creek, Palmerston North. This young lady succeeded in passing high up in the Junior, Civil Service, and distinguished herself by also passing the Matriculation examination, solicitors’ general knowledge, and medical preliminary, and also the Senior Civil Service examination- Miss Lynch is to be congratulated on -the splendid results of her studies, and the good Sisters of Mercy are deserving of the highest praise for the creditable per- ( formance of their pupils at these examinations. The successes of other pupils have already been chronicled in my previous notes. . r * The quarterly , meeting of the St. Vincent de Paul Society was held on last Sunday at the presbytery, Lauriston street, Te Aro. His Grace the Archbishop presided/ and there wore also present the Very Rev. Father O’Shea, S.M., V.G., Rev. Fathers Hickson, Adm., , Barra, Hurley, and J. Herring, and Bro, Martin Kennedy, K.S.G. There was a good attendance of members, and very good reports were received from all :the" conferences of the circumscription. Especially pleasing was Wanganui’s report, whilst the recentlyformed conference at Levin has put in some -very good and useful work in that district, A new conference has been established at Pahiatua. Correspondence was read from Bro. L. Heydon, M.L.C., president of the Superior Council - of Australasia, in reference to the Boys’ Patronage work, and Bro. Lawlor was appointed to look after that class of work in Wellington. Occasion was taken by the- president (Bro. Kennedy) to express regret at the loss St. Mary’s Conference, Boulcott street, had sustained in the transfer of the Rev. Father Venning to Thorndon. He expressed satisfaction, however,- that Father Venning’s services had not been lost to Wellington. : : His Grace the Archbishop addressed the meeting and congratulated the members on the splendid work of the society, and trusted the good - work would continue. He wished the society every success. - It is interesting to note the great , work the society is doing in the distribution of Catholic literature. Every conference has taken up this matter, with the result that the literature committee in Wellington is kept extremely busy in supplying the demands. ~