DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 9 July 1914, Page 23

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) July 6. • There was. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from the 11 o’clock Mass in the Cathedral on last Sunday. After Vespers there was the usual procession, followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. A week’s retreat to both divisions of the archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament is to be conducted by the Very Rev. Father Roche, C.SS.R. (Superior), commencing in the Cathedral on next Sunday. In continuance of his interesting and instructive discourses to the members of the arch-confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament on each Tuesday evening in the Cathedral on the social question, the spiritual director (Rev. Father Cronin), gave an interesting discourse on slavery in the pagan state. As I pointed out on a previous occasion when writing upon a branch of study in which all the elementary and practically final work (one is almost tempted to state drudgery) is accomplished by our Sisters, it too frequently happens that for a questionable ‘tone’ or some other incomprehensible reason, pupils, whom they have worked hard, and sacrificed all for are taken from them and sent for a brief term to an outside teacher, who invariably loses no time in sending them for the higher passes and annexing all the honors. This is a palpable injustice unfortunately too often inflicted here; and presumably elsewhere. It is, to say the least, unkind to our devoted Catholic teachers and unpatriotic towards our splendid educational institutions. Another point I would like to emphasise is this; At the Sacred Heart High School (Convent of the Sisters of the Missions) an excellent and in every respect complete commercial course, including shorthand (Pitman’s), typewriting, and bookkeeping, is taught, but again pupils leave when competent and enter the different private commercial schools for a brief period to gain positions, simply because employers in want of those indicated have by long custom got into the habit of sending there for whom they may require. This, again, is a disability, but an avoidable one, under which our Sisters are ’aboring,' and it is earnestly hoped our Catholic business firms will take a note of it and pass the word on to others at every opportunity. Something in the nature of a league of mutual help is sorely needed among our Catholic people, and until such a happy condition obtains individual effort must be relied upon.