Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 9 November 1916, Page 26

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.} November IG. The Manawatu Patriotic Society, . Palmerston North, has donated the sum of £SO to the Catholic Field Service Fund. Chaplain-Captain Segrief has been presented by the Masterton Boxing Association with a gold, wristlet watch in appreciation of his sendees in organising boxing tournaments for soldiers at the Featherston Camp. Retreats for the sodalities of the Children of Mary at St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, and St. Anne’s, Wellington South, have just been concluded. They were conducted by the Rev. Father Schaefer, S.M., of St. Patrick’s College. The use of Karori Park has been granted the Catholic Education Board for the annual picnic on Boxing Day in aid of the education fund, and the tramway authorities have promised an excellent tram service with special tickets for that day. The half-yearly meeting of the Wellington Diocesan Council of the N.Z. Catholic Federation will take place at Palmerston North on January 17. As Palmerston North is centrally situated, it is expected that the meeting will be a thoroughly representative one. The ladies of the Catholic Knitting Guild were most successful on Red Cross day (yesterday). Tlfey were given the Boulcott street corner for a stand, and as a result handed over to the fund over .£2OO. In addition, the takings from 14 collection boxes are to be added when ascertained. The ceremony of the Forty Hours’ Adoration has been held at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Thorndon, and St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, when special sermons were preached to large congregations. Night watches were arrangeu at church by the men of the parish, under the direction of the St. Vincent do Paul Society. A mission was commenced by the Marist Fathers (Rev. Fathers Taylor and A. T. Herring) at St. Mary of the Angels’ last Sunday, and so large was the attendance on Sunday evening that an congregation was accommodated in St. Patrick’s Hall and addressed by the Rector (Very Rev. Father O’Connell, S.M.), himself an ex-Superior of the Marist Missioners. All . ¥

the services have been well attended both morning and evening,. and it is most edifying to see the number of communicants at the early Masses. A remittance of £llO 18s lOd has been made by the Wellington Diocesan Council of N.Z. Catholic Federation on account of membership dues to the Dominion Executive for September quarter. This constitutes a record, but it would have been much larger if many of the parish committees (including several large parishes) were prompt in the rendition of their returns. The Rev. W. J. Lockington, S.J., is due to arrive in New Zealand in December to conduct the annual retreat at the Sacred Heart Convents at Wellington, 1 imam, and Auckland. Father Lockington has a very high reputation as a lecturer on social subjects, and has promised to speak at Wellington .in the large Town Hall, which has been booked for December 18, on the subject of ‘ The Church, and Nation Building/ The whole of the arrangements are under the management of the Wellington Diocesan Council of the Catholic Federation. The annual picnic of St. Mary’s Christian Doctrine Society was held .at the church grounds, Seatoun, on Labor Day. . Sixty children from the Sunday schools of St. Mary and St. Vincent’s (Mitchelltown), were conveyed from Boulcott street to Seatoun by a special car. The weather was very fine, and a most enjoyable outing was spent. The Rev. Fathers O’Connell and Venning attended throughout the day, and took a great interest in the proceedings. The teachers desire to express their indebtedness to Mesdames O’Connor and Gilligan and Misses Kennedy, Devlin, and Googan for donations received. The last euchre party of the season was given on Wednesday by Mr. and Mrs. T. Campbell and Miss Campbell at their residence, Karori, in aid of the new church building fund. The attendance was large and the gathering proved exceedingly enjoyable. The following were the prize-winners —Mrs. Nimmo, Miss Fern (special), Mr. Davis and Mr. Russell. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr., Mrs., and Miss Campbell for their kindness, and to Mr. G. Fern for the donation of special prizes. The secretary desires to sincerely thank all those who have so generously contributed to the great success of the several functions arranged, especially the ladies. This morning Solemn Requiem High Mass was celebrated at St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, for the repose of the souls of the Marist Brothers’ old boys who have lost their lives in the present calamitous war. Three old boys officiated —Rev. Fathers J. Cullen, S.M., A. Cullen, S.M., and Ryan, S.M., of St. Patrick’s College professorial staff, and there was a large attendance of past and present pupils. The music of the Mass was rendered by the Marist Boys’ Choir, under the conductorship of Rev.’ Brother Emilian, with Mr. Gordon O’Meeghan at the organ. The Mass was celebrated at the special request of the Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Association. The late Mr. Lawrence John Kenny, who died at Napier on October 23, was a member of the Napier Harbor Board staff for a period of 33 years prior to his death, which occurred at the ripe old age of 82. He took a keen interest in all Catholic affairs, and was a staunch Irishman. His wife predeceased him some years ago, but he leaves a family of four daughters and one son to mourn their loss Miss Kenny (Napier), Mesdames J. Hart (New Plymouth), T. P. Halpin and J. Ross (Wellington), and Mr. J. P. Kenny (secretary of the Napier Harbor Board). The interment took place on October 25 at Napier. Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father O’Sullivan, S.M., who also officiated at the graveside. The church at Northland has been moved from its old site to a new location near the Karori tunnel, and will in future serve the combined suburban parishes of Northland, Kelburn, "and portion of Karori. The land on which the building has been placed was generously donated by the Hon. C. J. Johnston, and the

building has been arranged so that when the time is ripe for the formation of the district into a parish the present building will serve as a school, and there is ample room for the erection of a church and presbytery. The alterations and removal were designed and carried out by Messrs. Swan and Swan, architects, and the church was formally opened -yesterday afternoon by his Grace Archbishop Redwood, in the presence of a numerous gathering of local clergy and residents of the various parishes. His Grace Archbishop Redwood officiated at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the music being sung, by the choir of the Sacred Heart Church, Hill street. A collection in aid of the removal and alteration fund realised about £6O. CATHOLIC FIELD SERVICE FUND. The following sums are acknowledged by the Dominion treasurer of the N.Z. Catholic Federation for the Catholic Field Service Fund;

Amount previously acknowledged . £216 9 9 Wellington Diocesan Council—. £216 9 9 Proceeds of picture entertainment, Weilington ... 20 10 G Thorndon parish committee 2 2 0 St. Anne’s parish committee 1 1 0 Nelson parish committee ... 12 0 0 Manawatu Patriotic Society, Palmerston North 50 0 0 Makikihi parish committee ... 11 13 6 Stratford parish committee (third nstalment, making a total of .£12/18/-) ... 2 0 0 Rev. Father Aubry, Waimate 4 4 0 £319 3197 79 9 Remitted to Chaplain-Captain McMenamin, amin, London, senior Catholic chaplain N.Z. N.Z. Forces for the use of all New Zealand Catholic chaplains ...£150 0 0 0 0 Remitted to Chaplain-Captain McDonald, Egypt... ... 25 0 0 0 0 175 0 0 Balance ... ... ... ... £144 0 £1447 0 79 9