Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 25 February 1915, Page 25

Diocesan News

. ARCHDIOCESE OP WELLINGTON ,■ (From our own correspondent.) February 20. The Marist Fathers will commence a mission in St. Anne’s parish on next Wednesday. The Rev. Fathers McKiernan, McCarthy,, and Costello, who hud been on a holiday visit to New Zealand, left for Sydney yesterday. The Wellington district council of the H.A.C.B. Society met on last Thursday evening under the presidency of Bro. J. J. L. Burke, when various matters of interest were discussed. St. Mary’s parish festival proved such a success that Very Rev. Father O’Connell decided to continue it on Monday and Tuesday evenings, when excellent business was done. The financial results exceeded expectations, the receipts totalling over £3OO. At the close of Tuesday evening’s function. Father O’Connell entertained the committee, and a very pleasant time was spent. Misses Mary Brophy and Rosa Kay, both members of the St. Anne’s Children of Mary’s Sodality, Wellington South, were presented with tokens of the esteem in which they are held by the members on the occasion of their joining religious Orders. The presentation was made by the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy. Miss Brophy has joined the Sisters of the Missions, Christchurch, and Miss Kay the Sisters of St. Joseph, Wanganui. The St. Patrick’s Day celebration committee met last Wednesday evening at St. Patrick’s Flail under the presidency of Mr. J. P. McGowan. The concert programme was practically completed, and will compare very favorably with those presented in former years. Messrs. Farquhar Young, of Christchurch, and J. Jago, of Dunedin, have been engaged, also Miss Mildred Wrighton, a well-known concert singer from England, and the local favorite, Miss Teresa McEnroe. An endeavor will be made this year to make a special feature of the procession. A series of Lenten discourses commenced at St, Joseph’s Church on last Sunday: The course, which is entitled ‘ Some aspects of the work achieved by the Catholic Church,’ is being preached by the Rev. Father Gondringer, S.M., of St. Patrick’s, College. Last Sunday’s sermon was on ‘ The Church and Education as the Light of the World.’ The rev. preacher in a masterly way pointed out the great work the Church

■ ' ’• .* "• - • ■ v ••Hv.r,“'w-"" had done and is doing in the matter of education. When all others neglected this great work the Church, by its monasteries and convents, kept tfhe light of learning burning. The majority of the great universities owed their foundation to the Catholic, Church. The half-yearly meeting of the St. Anne’s Club was held in the clubroom on Thursday, February 11, Mr. J. Fagan presiding. The election of officers resulted as follows: —Patron, Ven. Archdeacon Devoy; president, Mr. B. A. Guise; vice-presidents Messrs. M. Segrief, E. B. L. Reade, J. Fagan, J. Wickliffe, and the Rev. Father Peoples; spiritual director, Rev. Father O’Connor, S.M. ; hon. secretary, Mr. F. Galvin; hon. treasurer, Mr. J. Hayden; executive pfficers— T. C. Rouse, W. Bouse, P. McCarthy, T. McCarthy, E. Lee, E. Galvin, W. Heavey, J. Duggan, and O. N. Foote; hon. auditors, Messrs. J. E. Gamble, and T. H. Forster ; chairman of the Literary and Debating Society, Rev. c Father O’Connor, S.M.; vice-chairman of the Literary and Debating Society, Mr. J. Fagan; librarian, Mr. W. Heavey. A special effort is being made by the members of St. Joseph’s Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to increase its membership. At St. Joseph’s Church last Sunday his Grace Archbishop O’Shea preached a most impressive discourse from the text, ‘ Blessed are the merciful,’ and exhorted the congregation to assist the St. Vincent de Paul Society in its works of mercy by every means in its power. In the sixth annual report of the conference great satisfaction is expressed at the progress made. The active membership is 9 ; 51 meetings were held, with an average attendance of 7. Five public institutions were visited regularly. At the Ohiro Home a monthly service was conducted by the brothers for the inmates who, in the majority of cases, are unable to attend church. The members organised the night watch for the Forty Hours’ Adoration, and a working bee for the improvements to St. Joseph’s Home 400 lots of coal (donated by J. Staples and Co.) were distributed amongst those in need; 148 visits were paid to the public institutions, and some 1400 inmates interviewed ; 129 visits were made to people in their own homes, and clothing and literature distributed. In several cases employment was found for those out of work. The receipts totalled £23 11s Bd, and the expenditure £3O 2s fid, the small credit balance at the commencement of the year (£l3 3s 7d) being encroached upon to meet the expenditure. Nearly 2000 Catholic Truth Society publications were distributed. Those interested in the good work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society should communicate with either the president (Mr. B. Ellis, Hargraves street), or the secretary (Mr. W. F. Johnson, Broadway terrace), who will be only too glad to enrol new members.