ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

New Zealand Tablet, 6 March 1913, Page 49

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

LADIES' AUXILIARIES, WELLINGTON (From an occasional correspondent.) . Owing to the early advent of this year's Lenten season, the quarterly general meeting of ."the Ladies' Auxiliaries was held on February 13, at St. Patrick's Hall, when there was a good attendance. Besides the members of the different guilds and sewing circles, there were present one honorary member (Mrs. Whelan) and two new active members (Mesdames Bolton and Garrett). The Rev. Father Hurley, S.M. (spiritual director) and the Rev. Father Hickson, S.M., Adm., also attended. The Sacred Heart Conference (Thorndon) reported the reorganising of a - sewing guild under the following officers:President, Mrs. Gascoigne; vicepresident, Mrs. Gibbs; secretary, Miss MeGowan; treasurer and wardrobe-keeper, Miss Duggan. Mrs. Bolton also signified her intention of assisting. The treasurer of the Particular Council (Mrs. Twohill) was able to present a very satisfactory balance-sheet. Business being disposed of, the president (Mrs. L. T. Reichel), in a short address, put before the members two important -matters for discussion: The care and protection of Catholic immigrant girls,' and Women's part in the Catholic Federation.' Speaking of the immigrant question, she informed the meeting that the newly inaugurated federation hoped, at no distant date, to secure such privileges as would enable members of Ladies' Auxiliaries to board the Home vessels on arrival in port, and welcome in person Catholic immigrant 'girls. To facilitate matters, correspondence is to be opened between the Catholic Women's League (London) and the Ladies' Auxiliaries (Wellington). A draft of the first letter to the league- was read by the president, in which letter the members of the league are requested to co-operate in this good and necessary work by sending all particulars, names, occupations, etc., of Catholic girls and women leaving for New Zealand. The president expressed the hope that the Auxiliaries throughout the- Dominion would co-operate in the scheme for protecting the interests, spiritual and temporal, of our Catholic immigrant girls. Later, a delegate from Wellington will visit the guilds of the other cities in the Dominion, and discuss the matter with the members. Speaking of the Catholic Federation, the president told the meeting that very soon they would be called upon to nominate representatives of their respective guilds to act on the parish committees of the federation, and exhorted the ladies present, in the event of any of their number being chosen for that office, to put aside all affectation or timidity, and accept their appointments in a spirit of simplicity and earnest endeavour to do their .best in so worthy a cause. She pointed out that the objects of the federation were the promotion and extension of Catholic education, the maintenance of the sanctity and indissolubility of Christian marriage, and the safeguarding of the Christian home, and then dealt with the great possibilities and necessity of the work as outlined in the programme of the federation. The Catholic women (she said) will act in harmony with the general body, and having the franchise they had a powerful weapon which they should use for the protection of their religious interests, especially where the education of the little ones is concerned. Concluding, the president said that the principal qualifications for membership in the Catholic Federation were zeal born of faith, and a whole-hearted spirit of unity, the latter being of special importance. Rev. Father Hickson then addressed the meeting, expressed his pleasure at being present, and congratulated the members. He regretted his absence from the weekly meetings of the parish guild, and hoped that when an assistant had been appointed to the Sacred Heart parish attention would be paid to this matter. , Father Hurley spoke of the necessity of more and yet more zeal, that sacred fire which urges on to selfsacrifice; he also drew attention to the special work of gaining new members, who might give fresh impetus to the society.. Regret was expressed at the prospective

departure to America of Mrs., Lyons (a zealous worker and member of St. Mary’s visiting guild). Votes of thanks were passed to Father . Hickson for his address, also to Mrs. Chamnes for her work during the past year, and • a hearty welcome was extended to the honorary member (Mrs. Whelan) and the new members, Mesdames Bolton arid Garrett.