DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 16 November 1916, Page 36

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

, (From our own correspondent.) The women's confraternity of the Holy Family met on Thursday evening. Though the weather was most unpropitious the attendance was large. Rev. Father Taylor preached on the devotion of the Most Holy Rosary. The Catholic 'Ladies' Hostel, in Park road, Auckland, is now in full swing, and the matron (Miss A. V. Lorrigan) would he pleased to accommodate 1 herein any Catholic ladies passing through, or likely lo become residents of t he city. At St. John's Church, Parnell, and the Sacred Heart Church, Ponsonby, collections for the Dublin Distress Fund took place on Sunday, November 12, and on Sunday, November 26, the collection for the same object will be taken at St. Joseph's Church, Grey Lynn. The Marist Brothers' School sent in several entries for the Labor Day sports, held in the Domain, with the following' results :—-100yds Handicap (under 12) —D. Arrowsmith, 1. 100yds Championship (under 12) —D. Arrowsmith, 1 ; V. Dane, 3. High Jump —B. Jones, 2; D. Arrowsmith, 3. Broad Jump—B. Jones, 2. The concert in the Town Hall last Monday evening in aid of the clergy susteutation fund will net about £7O. This, in view of the many calls upon the people, will be considered highly satisfactory. The programme was an excellent one, and the performers and promoters of the entertainment are to be congratulated. The Registrar of Friendly Societies, in replying' to an inquiry of the District Executive of the H.A.C.B. Society with relation to the payments of premiums of those members absent with the Expeditionary Forces from the Guarantee Fund, said : 'lf the fund from which you have hitherto paid these premiums is unable to bear the strain, you are at liberty to pay them from the District Funeral Fund.' Very Rev. Chancellor LJolbrook, D.S., addressed the men's confraternity of the Holy Family on Tuesday evening. lie continued his remarks on his observations in the Holy Land. On this occasion he referred to the wonderful Mosque of Omar, describing its huge dimensions externally and internally, and the exquisite workmanship bestowed on it. lie also spoke of the reverence shown towards it by the followers of the prophet, and gave instances of how they mix up-the mercenary spirit with their devotions where the ' infidel dog ' is concerned. He also described the view from the mosque of the surrounding country, a country dear to the heart of every Catholic. The number of speakers, and the variety of subjects treated at these confraternity gatherings are certainly educative and illuminatMr. Stephen Nerheny, writing from llornchurch, England, on Sunday, September 17, to his lather, Mr. P. J. Nerheny, said: ' I have some very good news to tell you about Bishop Cleary, who is spending the day here. He said Mass for us this morning. I met him and took his bag containing his vestments, and got things ready for his Mass. I served his Mass, and felt so much at home that it seemed like being back again at St. Patrick's. Next Sunday he will celebrate an early Mass, and we Catholics, numbering about fifty, are going to receive Holy Communion. You, can just imagine how pleased we were to see him, and how proud we felt when the Bishop went amongst us, and called us his men. He looks so well, and told me he had met Mother Aubert in Rome, and that he would not be returning to New Zealand for at least two months.' The bazaar in aid of the Sacred Heart Church, Ponsonby, was successfully inaugurated last Wednesday night in the parish hall, O'Neill- street. In spite

of inclement weather, the building was thronged, and business was brisk. The stalls comprised stocks of exceptionally beautiful articles, and were in charge of the following:—Ladies' stall, Mrs. Kiely; Children of Mary stall, Miss E. Casey; dining stall, Mrs. Lowry; children's stall, Miss R. c Smith; side stalls, Mr. Hunt; club stall, Mr. R. Kiely; and altar boys' stall, Master T. Hickey. . The more serious business of the evening was interspersed with vocal items rendered by a boys' choir of 80 voices. The bazaar was continued on Thursday night. Again there was a large attendance, and business was brisk. The children of the Sacred Heart School delighted with their tuneful singing. A special item in the programme was the dancing of Miss Bernice Sanford and her pupils, and a clever exhibition of Highland dancing was given, in which Misses Evelyn Sanford, Elva Sanford, Irene Henderson, Eileen Baird, and Jean Davidson, and their teacher took part. By request this feature will be repeated to-night. Miss Ruby Sheriff, in song-acting, and Miss Jennie Davidson, who gave a recitation, were greatly appreciated. Two young ladies from Dublin, on a, health tour, passed through Auckland last Sunday en route to Sydney. They came by the Remuera through the Panama Canal, and expect to reach Dublin in May Of next year. They had been eye witnesses of the insurrection, and gave most interesting and graphic descriptions of the stirring scenes in the Irish capital. At. St. Patrick's Cathedral on the Sunday they were here when the collection for the Dublin distress fund was taken up. In view of the attitude taken by the Press newspaper in Christchurch towards this collection, I put the matter before the young ladies. One of them took a most active part, as a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, in alleviating the distress. ' Every shilling you send Home,' she said, ' will be most welcome and needful. The misery and want, prevailing amongst the women and children particularly are appalling. LI is Grace Archbishop Walsh, Father Bowden, and the priests and religious generally are working heroically to grapple with the pressing and perplexing problem. Unemployment is everywhere rife in the city. Besides the deportations of thousands of the bread-winners, warehouses, factories, and workshops were ruthlessly demolished by the artillery. To show the calibre of the guns used to do this, it may be mentioned that eight horses were employed to pull each gun which passed our residence in Parnell street. The "soupers" were having the time of their lives, and they plied their calling persistently and constantly. To combat them the Archbishop secured numbers of large buildings, and in these meals were served to the distressed Catholic children. Up to the time 1 left in September I was engaged in this work.' I informed the visitors what was happening in Christchurch, where a reputable newspaper had questioned the existence of distress in Dublin, or the necessity for sending relief there. The answer was: ' I should like to meet that editor, because I would convince him in very little time, and without much trouble, of the distress and absolute, want now prevailing in Dublin. The approach of winter will add much more to the sufferings of the poor;' Do not listen to such untruthful statements, but send what you can and send it quickly.' So far £l4O has been collected for the Dublin Distress Fund at the Cathedral. The Brandon-Crenicr Dramatic Company has generously consented to give a matinee performance on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 22, at the King's Theatre, in aid of the fund. The prices will be 2s and Is, and it is to be hoped that a crowded house will result.- The object is a deserving one, and should appeal to every philanthropic heart, but particularly to every Irish heart.