Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 26 December 1912, Page 23

Diocesan News

ARCMDiOCESE OP WELLINGTON : . : (From our- own correspondent.) ." ' . -" December 19. ■'•■■:■ The Boxing Day picnic committee,under the presidency of Rev. Father Hickson, S.M., Adm., met last Wednesday evening for * the purpose of making .final arrangements in connection -with the picnic, wliich is to" be held at j Day's Bay; under the auspices of ; the Wellington Catholic Education Board.' ' - : The fortnightly concert was given by the Catholic Seamen's Conference in the Sailors' : Rest last night, and van excellent programme was supplied by Misses Jansen, Wallace, Bell, McMahon,, and iiickey, Messrs. Hickmott,. Hynes, Sievers, Culverwell, Bengej Leydon, Bey, and Challis, and Masters F. Reeves and -Warren. '-, Mr. L. T. Reichel, who has lately returned from an extended tour abroad, entertained the members of the Catholic Club and their friends last evening with an account of his travels. A very fine'' selection of lantern slides (operated by Mr. Ellis) greatly enhanced the evening's entertainment. Mr. Reichel's lecture was much appreciated by the large audience. „ ; A general meeting of St. Anne's Catholic Club, Newtown, was held in the new rooms, in Daniel street, last Monday evening, over fifty members being present. The club has been in abeyance during the past twelve months, but by the energy of some of its old .: members a new suite of rooms was secured, and last night's meeting was the culminating point in the resuscitation of the club. Mr. J. Gamble was elected president, Mr. C. Cotter treasurer, and Mr. C. J. Lenihan secretary; . I very much regret to record the death .of , Mrs. Bretherton, wife of Mr. A. C. Bretherton', of the. Public Trust Office, which occurred, at her residence in Kelburne on Sunday -last. The deceased lady was' a daughter of Mr. J. Liddel Kelly, and was very well known in Wellington. She leaves a husband and two young children to mourn their loss. The interment took place on Tuesday morning, the Rev. Father J. Herring celebrating the Requiem Mass. Mr. Bretherton has the sincerest sympathy of a large circle of friends in his sad bereavement. —R.I.P. .-■...;- The Rev. Father C. J. Venning.Memorial Committee met at the presbytery, Boulcott street, on last Tuesday evening, Mr. J. W. Callaghan presiding. Mr. Callaghan was elected chairman and Mr. Ellis treasurer. The names of Messrs. J. J. L. Burke, D. Burke, and Leo Carroll were added to the committee. It was decided to make a vigorous appeal for donations. As already explained, the memorial is to take the form of a primary girls' school, to be erected in the centre of the city of Wellington. All donations should be sent to Mr. B. Ellis, Featherston street, treasurer of the fund, who will- gratefully acknowledge them. The first of , a series of debates was held in St. Patrick's Hall last'evening between the Hibernian Society and the Wellington Catholic Club, the subject being ' Is the world growing a better or a worse place to live in?' The club, which supported the optimistic side, was represented by Messrs. M. O'Kane (leader), J. O'Sullivan, and G. Dee, while the Hibernians, who were represented by Messrs. J. J. Burke (leader), H. McKeowen, and J. W. Callaghan, upheld the other view. The arguments adduced by both sides were interesting, and the debate was greatly appreciated by the large gathering present. Mr. J. McGowan, who presided, declared ' the debate a draw.

Bro. J. W. Callaghan, president of the Wellington district H.A.C.B. Society Council, visited, the Levin branch of the society on last Tuesday, where he read a paper on ‘ Hibernianism and its History.’ He found the Levin members keen and enthusiastic, and was much impressed .by their attention to the affairs of the society. Bro. Callaghan, in conjunction with Bro. M. Walsh, president of St. Patrick’s branch, visited Petone, and found the branch progressing very satisfactorily. Rev. Father McMenamin was present at the

meeting and spoke words of encouragement to the members. , . A very pleasant concert with; military display by St. Anne's Senior Cadets was given in St. Anne's Hall, Wellington South, last night. The cadets gave excellent displays of rifle exercise and physical drill songs were sung by Miss F. Hickey and Miss, P. Brannigan, Miss K. Henderson played ; a pianoforte solo, Messrs. D. Stevens, Culverwell, E. B. L. Reade, - Keany, and Weller contributed songs, duets were. sung by Messrs. A. "and 0. Foote, Keany and Eller, and Houtchen and Weller, Mr. J. < Hayden gave a comic speech, Bugler Martin played a cornet solo, Mr. P. L. Minifie played a cornet solo, and Master F. Reeves contributed a recitation. Encores were frequent, and the entertainment proved highly enjoyable. ■ ; - The quarterly meeting of the St. Patrick's branch of the Hibernian Society, was held in St. Patrick's Hall * on last Monday evening, there being a large attendance of members Sunder the' presidency of Bro. M. Walsh, B.P. Among the visitors presents were Bros. R. P. O'Shaughnessy, P.P., of Christchurch,,*■ and J. - McCarthy, P.P., Petohe. The Rev. Father J. Herring was also present. Nominations for officers for the : ensuing . half-year were received, and also nominations i* for delegates to the triennial meeting of the district/-, to be held at Napier in April next. All the positions are being keenly sought after, and will be -balloted; for at the half-yearly meeting in January. The receipts for the evening totalled £l2O. Four new members were initiated, whilst four more were proposed for membership. '

CATHOLIC FEDERATION. At very short notice a large gathering- of Catholics attended at St. Patrick's Hall on last Sunday for the purpose of establishing a Catholic Federation for NewZealand. Very Rev. Dean O'Shea, S.M., V.G., presided, and there were also present his Lordship Bishop 1 Cleary, of Auckland, Very Rev. Dean Begnault, ■■ S.M. :; - (Provincial), Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy (Rector of St. Patrick's College), Rev. Fathers J. Goggan, A. T. and : ' J. Herring, and Barra. Mr. 8.. Ellis, .after briefly - explaining- the objects of the Catholic Federation,' moved that a Catholic Federation be established. Mr. Reichel, who seconded the motion/ stated that what was .intended to be done in New Zealand was what Catholics all . over; the world were doing. He instanced Germany, America, England, and Australia, and trusted that the Federation would be an accomplished fact in a very short space of time, and be productive of great good. His Lordship Bishop Cleary, on rising to support the motion, was enthusiastically received. He gave the movement his heartiest support. Already in Auckland the Federation 'was moving, and he was satisfied with the organising capability of the Catholics of Wellington that the machinery . was here for the work of the Federation. . His Lordship said that 'in Victoria; the establishment of a Catholic Federation had changed the whole position of. the Catholic body to the State and the State to the Catholic body. [ In conclusion he wished the project the blessing of God and -'. the fair wind of heaven to carry it to port. '- After the motion had been spoken to by representatives of the various Catholic societies, who promised their heartiest co-operation, it was carried with" unanimous enthusiasm. A committee, consisting of two members from each of the Catholic societies with two members representing the general laity, was then set up to frame the constitution for submission to a subsequent meeting. The following are the members of the. provisional ■' committee:—Messrs. Butcher and McGrath (general laity), McCosker and Krohn (Sacred Heart), McKeowen and Leydon (Catholic Club), Ellis and Reichel (St. ■Vincent dc Paul), and Hoskins and Burke (Hibernian Society).