Intercolonial

New Zealand Tablet, 17 April 1913, Page 51

Intercolonial

Delegates representing 205 branches in all parts of New South Wales assembled in Sydney recently for the 33rd annual district meeting of tne Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society. The conference was opened in the Chapter Hall, St. Mary's Cathedral, by his Grace the Archbishop of Sydney. The late Rev. Father John Foley, of Taree was buried on the day after his death in tiie Woolla cemetery, at Taree. Rev. Father Kelly, assisted by Rev. Father o'Regan, of Krambach, officiated at the graveside. Then* was a large gathering of mourners of all denominations from all parts of the district, including a large number of the Children of Mary from Cundle Convent.—R.l.P. . At the annual district meeting of the H.A.C.B. Society in Sydney the other day it was reported that the strength of the society in New South "Wales was as follows:Men's branches 152, membership, 10,581; women's branches 48, membership 2042; juvenile branches 5, membership 161. Total branches, 205. Total membership, 12,784. Since the last annual meeting 20 new branches had been opened. Last year the total membership was 11,588, which compared with 12,784 for this year, shows a net increase of 1196 members. There is now invested a sum of £58,145 9s 7d, which earned last year over £3OOO. His Grace the Archbishop of Sydney, in formally presenting his respects to his Excellency Sir Gerald Strickland at the laying of the foundation stone of additions to St. Vincent's Hospital on March 29, said he did so as representative of that institution, and as representative of the Catholics of the State. ' But,' he added, ' we do not welcome your Excellency as a distinct body. As every river has its tributaries, so the great stream of citizenship here in Sydney has many tributaries, of which we the members of the Catholic denomination form a willing and, I trust, a very happy and efficient part. We regard his Excellency as representing the foundation stone in the great principle of our peace and prosperity. There was a large and distinguished gathering at the laying of the foundation stone of the new nurses' home of St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, on Saturday March 29, when the State" Governor officiated. The building is being erected to the memory of the late Mother Mary Xavier Cunningham, the first rectress of the hospital, which was opened 56 years ago. She was one of the first nuns in Australia, and she was the first to establish a home for the training of nurses here. The home will give accommodation to 64 nurses, and, in addition to the necessary bedrooms, provision has been made for a large lecture hall, oratory, reception parlor, and sitting-room. # The Melbourne Argus in the course of a leading article on the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix, said: It is not only within his own communion that the ripe scholarly and rich educational experiences of a man like Dr. Mannix, the new Catholic Coadjutor-Archbishop of Melbourne, are understood and appreciated. His attainments, apart for all other considerations, must make him a welcome addition to the intellectual life of Victoria. He comes here with an established reputation, since he has not only been the head of a great college for the training of Catholic clergy, but also a member of university governing bodies in Ireland. It will be to the public advantage if his ability and knowledge can be made available in all possible ways for the whole community.' In paying a tribute to the zealous work of his Grace Archbishop Mannix in the cause of temperance in Ireland, his Grace Archbishop Kelly, ,at the opening of the Hibernian Conference in Sydney, said: ' I have a great respect for the man, let him be a layman or a cleric, who says for the sake of Ireland, "I will lay down my glass and will not spend a shilling." Such a man was Dr. Mannix. He set forth at the head of a pioneer movement in Ireland, and had a magnificent

body of 600 or 700 men in Maynooth. It gave the key to Ireland, and said, "Let us lay down our glass for Ireland, and let us not take it back until our country shines brightly in her true colors without any tarnish of that vice." ' His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Mannix, CoadjutorArchbishop of Melbourne, was installed as pastor of St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church, West Melbourne, on Sunday, March 30, by his Grace the Archbishop of Melbourne. There was great enthusiasm among the parishioners, and the church was packed to the; doors. Archbishop Carr at the conclusion of ? Mass introduced Dr. Mannix, and said that the Coadjutor would stand in a double relation to the.congregation. He would be their pastor and their Archbishop, and at the same time would be in touch with the whole archdiocese. That privilege was due to them by reason of their never failing faith and the open-handed generosity which prompted them to build the splendid church. It was due also in a large measure to the magnanimity of their former pastor, Dean Carey, who voluntarily resigned the parish, and departed from the parish in order that there might be for the coming Archbishop a church and parish worthy of his exalted dignity. After the Archbishop's address, Dr. N. M. O'Donnell, on behalf of the parishioners, presented Dr. Mannix with an address of welcome.