DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, 2 January 1913, Page 35

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

The annual retreat of the clergy of the diocese, which will be held at Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, begins on January 20,

On Christmas Day Masses were celebrated at 8.30 and 11 o’clock at the Sacred Heart Church, NorthEast Valley, and at 9 o’clock at the Church of Mary Immaculate, Kaikorai.

Masses were celebrated at 6, 7.30, 9, and 11 o’clock on Christmas Day at St. Patrick’s Basilica, South Dunedin. Rev. Bather Delany also celebrated Midnight Mass at the Convent of Mercy, and Bev. Father D. O’Neill at the Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Anderson’s Bay. At all the Masses in the Basilica brief discourses, having reference to the day’s festival, were delivered. The singing of the choir at the 11 o’clock Mass was exceptionally good. There was a very large number of Communicants at the early Masses. The decorations of the high altar were in excellent taste, this being the work of Miss Cameron.

At St. Joseph’s Cathedral on Christmas Day . Masses were celebrated continuously from six to nine o’clock. There was Pontifical High Mass at eleven o’clock, his Lordship Bishop Verdon being celebrant, Kev. Father Creagh, C.SS.R., assistant priest, Rev. Father Collins deacon, Rev. Father Corcoran subdeacon, and Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., master of ceremonies. The occasional discourse on the day’s festival was preached by the Rev. Father Creagh. The music, Gounod’s ‘ Mass of St. Cecilia,’ was capably rendered by the choir under the oonductorship of Mr. Vallis, Miss Call an presiding at the organ. At the Offertory the ‘ Adeste Fideles ’ was sung. There were large congregations at all the Masses, and at the early Masses very large numbers approached the Holy Table. In the evening the choir gave several sacred selections appropriate to the Feast of the Nativity, items being contributed by Mesdames Power and Fraher, Messrs. Poppelwell, E. Mee, F. Woods, and J. McGrath. This was followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The decorations of the high altar were effective and in good taste, and reflected much credit on Misses Murphy and White. A crib erected in the north porch of the Cathedral was visited by numbers during the festival. At the conclusion of the day’s ceremonies, the choir were entertained in St. Joseph’s Hall by his Lordship the Bishop, who presided. Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., was also present. His Lordship complimented the choir on the excellent manner in which they had rendered the music incidental to the day’s ceremonies, and also thanked them for their services during the year. Mr. J. Hally responded on behalf of the choir.