CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 7 May 1914, Page 35

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

DOMINION EXECUTIVE.

-;.- ,; : (From our Wellington correspondent.) The Dominion Executive met last Wednesdayevening at the Catholic Federation offices, Cuba street, Mr. J. J. L. Burke presiding. The resignation :of Mr. F. K. Reeves, the president, was received with genuine regret by the members, and eulogistic references were made to the able manner in which he carried out the duties of his position. It was resolved: That the Dominion Executive, in accepting the resignation of their esteemed and popular president with feelings of extreme regret, desires" to place on record its deep appreciation of the conspicuous ability with "which he discharged his duties, and. trusts that at some future date he will again undertake the duties" he ■so successfully carried out during his first' term of office. °

ST. BRIDE'S CLUB, WELLINGTON, - A pleasant little function took place on Thursday evening,. April 30, when the new clubroom for Catholic girls,; living away from . their homes," Was formally opened j by-his ; Grace Archbishop O'Shea. - Mr. ; B. Ellis, of the ;; Catholic Immigration Committee, in welcoming -his .. Grace, briefly outlined the /work, of the C.1.C., and the reasons which had t prompted his committee ; to establish St.;Bride's Club. It had been found, he said, that there, were many girls in Wellington, employed in work of> various kinds, and especi- ; ally domestic work, who had few friends, and no opportunity of meeting Catholic girls of similar tastes, and faith, and especially was this so I in the case of girls coming from the Old Country. The committee , had been able, thanks to the generosity of Mr. \ Martin Kennedy and. his family, and, of other ',-■ friends, \ to comfortably -furnish, the large room next to the Federa- , tion J offices { in ; Lower .Cuba street as a clubroom, and that night to hand over the management of the club to g the committee of girls aud p.I.C. members already , elected; .>-7Sv- .- 1 ~*i*, ; .;■■ : , n^. r,,."*''"->,;,' %T*~ His Grace, who was greeted with applause,, said ; it gave him• great pleasure to be present ' at the opening of the first club of .the kind in New Zealand. He paid a tribute to, the great work of the Federation, of which -the t C.l.o.'is a 's .committee '£ and • \ exhorted the girls to ..take an interest in its work and progress. He had much pleasure in . declaring the club open, and wished :it every success and blessing.' ; / "*,-;.''.:.\\;''J. v-. (,^'[. Miss Reichell, vice-president of the'C.l.C.j and president of the club, then addressed ! the ; girls,'pointing but that their dutv. was to-help one another, to welcome

strangers, and at all times to remember that'as Catholic girls it was their duty to I set-" an ; example ; to others. •"■ - .-'' -, '., ; : : '- : . ... " :: '.C v ; f; :; ; . ■■•;'. ■.;' *-; v y~ ffl - Misses Bridie O'Brien, and Bridget •Maguirer vicepresidents, also spoke, ; Welcoming his Grace, and expressing the gratitude of the girls for the practical interest of the C.I.C. .in their welfare, and to those who.had so generously contributed towards the -furnish:ing of clubroom. ~_;;.v ~..-Ty)i> -' : --' j>- '/-/ f A letter of congratulation from the Dominion Executive was read, wishing the club every success. ~/| An enjoyable programme of instrumental and v,ocal items was' given> during '? the evening, followed by an excellent "supper. The singing of ' Auld lang syne terminated the proceedings, which /were" much enjoyed. MATABAE CAMP. (From an occasional correspondent.) I The meeting, held under the presidency of the Rev. Father Coffey, Catholic chaplain, at the JMatarae Territorial camp "on Sunday evening,* April 26, was attended by a large i number, of the 'Territorial force encamped there. ' The Organising Secretary, Mr.' Giriing-Butcher, did not deliver an address on the usual lines of the lectures 1 given to parish meetings, but gave a brief resume of the aims" and objects of the Federation, and made a spirited address fo the large number of young men present to act' as missionaries, on their return to*;their homes in all parts of Otago and Southland, on behalf* of the Federation. The lecturer urged them : to prepare the way for him, and to use their utmost efforts, to ensure large and representative gatherings in their various -districts at the meetings which would be announced by the parish priests before his arrival. The spirit in which the speaker's remarks were received, and the hearty ,and enthusiastic welcome accorded to him by so large a gathering of our Catholic young men augur v well for the success of the organiser's future meeting in the south.- In introducing " Mr. * Giriing-Butcher, Rev. Father Coffey spoke . in eulogistic terms of the work already done, and of the great promise that lay before the operations of the Federation in the future.. - l <? . ■ - '■' . ■ '■::§:-■ NASEBY. ..- „. ,■ .■-- ■ -. . . • (From an occasional correspondent.^ I The organising" secretary of the N.Z. Catholic Federation was unfortunate enough to strike a very wet, cold, and dark night on ' the occasion of his address to the residents of Naseby on Monday, April 27. Nothing daunted, however, Mr. Giriing-Butcher spoke to the somewhat limited audience for nearly two hours, and received a most attentive and enthusiastic hearing. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer, and those present readily promised to enlist the sympathies of those who were unable to be present, arid to personally work hard to further the great objects the Federation has in view. -...-„. .*.'/ 7. .. ',.,-• ranfurly: . - >-" ', V (From'an occasional correspondent.)

On Tuesday, April 28,, this district was visited by Mr. Giriing-Butcher, organiser to the Catholic Federation, who delivered. an able address in- the church to a representative audience. .The Rev. -Father McMullan, in introducing the speaker, urged on the audience, the claims of the Federation to their hearty support, and said^hat^the,;, organisation, so strongly, recommended by the Hierarchy of the Dominion, could not fail to be of? the greatest assistance to the Church and also to the clergy~*in their work. J Mr. Giriing-Butcher, who was evidently far from well, gave a stirring i address on the objects and work of the Federation, and • received a hearty vote of " thanks at its conclusion. /\ • During the latter "portion : of his lecture Mr. Giriing-Butcher : had to sit down, and I "learn with regret that his indisposition increased subsequently to so great an extent that he was f compelled to telegraph postponing his engage-merits?at'-Ophirjarid St. Bathans till a later date.