Christchurch North

New Zealand Tablet, 18 June 1914, Page 27

Christchurch North

June 15

On Tuesday last tire Vicar-General and two assistant priests attended the quarterly conference at Harficld. Tire members of St. Mary's branch of tire Hibernian Society received Holy Communion in a body at the 7 o'clock Mass on Sunday. On Saturday the Rev. Father James Tymons, S.M., who has nearly recovered from his serious illness, called at St. Mary’s on his way to Temuka.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society will be represented on the St. Mary's parish committee of the Catholic Federation by Bros. A. J. Ormandy and J. Griffen.

On Tuesday evening the Rev. Father Bowden, S.M. (Leeston), was present at the weeklv meeting of the St. Vincent dc Paul Society and gave an interesting address on the various works of the society.

On Thursday, the feast, of Corpus Christi, Masses were celebrated at 6.30, 7, and 9 o'clock in St. Mary's, when largo numbers received Holy Communion. The high altar was beautifully decorated, as were also the pillars and walls of the sanctuary; the work reflecting great credit on the ladies who carried it out..

After the last Mass on Sunday at St. Mary's there was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until evening devotions. At the 11 o'clock Mass the choir, under Mr. De la Cour, gave a. fine rendering of the music— Weber's Mass, with orchestral accompaniment. Madame Ottlec gave great assistance. In the evening the choir gave Mendelssohn's ' Laud a Sion.' The usual procession took place, all the sodalities taking part. There were large congregations both morning and evening.

Timaru

(From our own correspondent.)

June 14.

On Sunday next the devotion of the Forty Hours' Adoration will commence in this parish. The two visiting priests will be Very Rev. Chancellor Price, of of Christchurch, and Rev. Father McCarthy, S.M.

The members of the Celtic' Football Club were present in their full strength to receive Holy Communion at the 7.30 o'clock Mass on Sunday. Their president (Rev. Father Murphy) congratulated them mi their numbers, and spoke a few words of encouragement, and advice. At the 0 o'clock Mass 35 children received their First Communion. After Mass they were entertained at breakfast by the members of the Altar Society.

After several days of cold, gloomy weather, Sunday proved gloriously fine for the annual procession in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. A start was made from the Convent Chapel at 2.30 o'clock, the crossbearer and acolytes being followed by the school children (boys and girls), the pupils of the convent school came next, then the flower girls, and the Blessed Sacrament carried by Rev. Father "Bezel*. After the Blessed Sacrament came the parish choir and band, followed by the nuns and then the members of the various sodalities— Children of Mary, Sacred Heart Society (men and women), the Celtic Club, Young Men's Club, and Hibernians, and the rest of the parishioners. The convent grounds were beautifully decorated, and amidst gaily waving 'banners and arches of flowers, the procession wended its way to the main door of the convent, where an altar had been erected. After Benediction had been given, the procession resumed its way to the girls' school grounds, where there was a second altar and Benediction was again riven. From thence it proceeded through the presbytery grounds to the church, in which every available seat was occupied. Rev. Father Murphy preached an imnressive sermon on faith on the 'Real Presence.' After the sermon, the children renewed their Baptismal vows, pud the final Benediction was given. The singing of ' Faith of our fathers' by the large congregation was a fitting ending to what had been a magnificent manifestation of faith in the Blessed Sacrament by the people of Timaru.