DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIII, Issue 18, 4 May 1916, Page 19

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.)

- " May 1. There will be devotions for the month of May each evening in the Cathedral at 7 o’clock. * • The net results of the national entertainment, given in the Coloseum in celebration of St. 'Patrick’s Day, amounted to £75. This sum is gratefully acknowledged by the Nursing Sisters of the Little Company .of Mary as a welcome help to them for the upkeep of the free wards of Lewisham' Hospital,- which are now continuously filled.

v In announcing the ceremonial opening of the extensive new wing -of the Mount Magdala Institute, fixed for next Sunday, the Rev. . Father Murphy, 8.A., in the Cathedral on Sunday, paid a warm tribute to the noble charitable work 1 being carried on by the, Sisters oT the Good ; Shepherd, -emphasising the outstanding merits of the duties performed by them for fallen humanity and’ the magnificent success attending their truly Christian efforts. So great is the reputation locally gained by the Nursing Sisters of the Little Company of Mary for their hospital management and careful tending of patients, that the extensive new main building as well as all, other portions of Lewisham Hospital are kept fully occupied. The community are now thoroughly settled, at least, until their magnificent institution again proves inadequate to accommodate the increasing numbers seeking admission. Certainly the growth and scope of the Sisters’ work in so short a time in this city is simply phenomenal.' ,

With the desire of becoming acquainted as early as possible with all ’ portions .. of his far-reaching diocese, his Lordship Bishop Brodie has arranged' his plans 'whereby he hopes by the end of May to have completed , a tour of . all parochial districts. V His Lordship’s "immediate movements and engagements : are as follow : —On’ next" Sunday he .is to preside at the opening of the new wing at Mount Magdala. On the following Sunday he will make a visitation at 'Lyttelton, and officiate in St. Joseph’sy Church. .His Lordship then leaves for Westland, first making an episcopal visitation at Greymouth; . and' then - informally ’ visiting the other parochial districts on ; the West Coast. - ; Returning to Christchurch, his Lordship : will then.-avail himself of

whatever opportunity offers -to visit the ■ remaining .parishes S - of ‘ Canterbury. ' ; - ' . * ' . ; " V.. : The season : for Association football- was opened on last B|||p Saturday jat English Park, - St. 'Albans. 'oi St.. Bede’s Coltyylege, the winners of last year’s school * competitions, were , r ;:; Opposed by a team from the combined schools. ’St. Bede’s : won the;.toss, and the Combined Schools kicked off before attack, : and Kirigan scored with a good shot. - “ Half-time arrived with the score : St. Bede’s 1, Schools nil. The ; - second half; saw; Schools pressing, but Standwin spoilt a good- effort by off-side play. • Schools came again, and f':V ' a combined run by the College forwards resulted in Kingan y . placing them ahead. , No further score resulted, and St. Bede’s, won an interesting game by 2 goals to 1.

ANZAC DAY.

V • (From our Christchurch correspondent.) ; S‘ Anzac Day was observed with befitting solemnity in the Cathedral. Requiem Mass was celebrated at nine o’clock by the Rev. Father Long in the presence of his Lordship the Bishop. There was a large congregation. y The Rev. Fathers Bell, S.M., Murphy, 8.A., and Burger, S.M., were present in the sanctuary. ■ , His Lordship the ' Bishop addressed the congregation ‘ as follows ‘ We are called together to-day;’ he said, ‘by ; ■ the most sacred obligations— obligations not ‘only of patriotism, but also obligations arising from the love of God 4, ' : and of our neighbors. This is called ‘.‘Anzac Day.” It is a day which must have great memories in the history of ' Australia and New Zealand. Many a time have we' taken pride in the history of this young country. Many a time . ave we boasted of the doings of our. young men in the fields of sport, in the schools of learning, in the world ,of - science. But -the “highest test of our manhood was yet to be made. It presented itself at a time of national danger, #4 when our hearths and homes were imperilled. i Would our j young men be prepared to sacrifice their lives in the defence V of their country ? That was the question which came to be answered through this great war. The thousands of men who left these shores have helped to supply ; the answer, i . The time came when, they were told what was expected of 4. , them. After the middle of April, 1915,'they were called ;i together to receive the long-waiting orders. "They were told that the task allotted to them was of ' the greatest difficulty. It would try the heart of the bravest. Did one } ; fail or, falter ? Not one. On this day, twelve months ago, . they began that career which has . brought glory to our N young country and renown to our young men. “Anzac” may be simply a name. It may be a name invented from • the association ' of the Australian, and New Zealand Army Corps; but it is more than a name. It is really a history, which sums up in one word the glorious, doings of our young men in time of danger, in their hour of triumph. 4 "It shows-them side by side with the trained troops of the ? Mother Country, performing acts of daring which may be ,4 equalled in ; history of. warfare, but never - have been surpassed.’- voice ..that called the congregation together, (Bishbp Brodie continued) was not only the voice of patriotism, but also the voice of religion. It was strange £. that war and religion were directly opposed to each other, but in the midst of warfare the teachings of our Saviour stood out most .prominently. Our young men, being prepared to . meefef;their God, had no fear in meeting their i"'; : foes. In mariy.; countries where the war was raging, reliv ; gion had been "ridiculed, but now that had been changed, : ... and those who were true to their faith were admired. There was another reason for the assembling of the congregation that day. They must remember the dead. Those who were commemorated had . a special . claim on the living. The '7.' people had met in the Cathedral to offer the fragrant' in--4 ..; cense of ' prayer for those who had given' their lives so U / nobly. A prayer would be offered, also, for those who mourned, In the length and breadth of New Zealand, and of ; this great Empire, there were many sorrowing hearts. Those who had fallen would never be forgotten, •f i- He believed that, when God’s trumpet called, their -sorrow-’ $7 ing relatives would meet them face to face. The mourners would be consoled by the fact that the separation was only •;.V for a time, . that the lost ones, by’ their deaths for , their ' country and their God, had. inherited the crown of eternal reward, . which would the shared; by those who had made the great sacrifice-oflending “them forth. He prayed that our Blessed| Saviour would infuse the greatest of all ■ con-, f- 4 eolation into the hearts ;of .those who sorrowed and mourned | ' > At, the conclusion of his /Lordship’s address' members of the choir.sang ‘ darer •my , God to ‘ Thee.’ . Solemn Absolution : for the : dead was given :by his Lordship the Bishop,, ' ' the incidental chants and responses, being rendered by the . assembled clergy, and a+ the close the ‘ Dead March ’ from , * Saul’.was played on the; organ. 4 ’ ; Tf r . '