CATHOLIC FEDERATION

New Zealand Tablet, 25 January 1917, Page 23

CATHOLIC FEDERATION

WELLINGTON DIOCESAN COUNCIL.

The eighth half-yearly meeting of the Wellington Diocesan Council was held at Palmerston North on Wednesday, January 17. The proceedings commenced with Mass at St. Patrick’s Church at 9.30, at which every delegate was present. The Rev. Father O’Beirne (Carterton) celebrated Mass, and the Right Rev. Mgr. McKenna delivered a stirring discourse on the necessity for unity among the people, Be ye all of one mind was the text of the sermon, and the Right Rev. prelate pointed out that this injunction was equally necessary in temporal matters, where the Church was affected, as in matters spiritual. The council assembled in the schoolroom, Broad street, at 10.30 a.m., when the Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., presided over the largest and most representative meeting that has yet been held. The following are the branches represented and the names of the delegates:—Blenheim, Rev. Father T. H. Herring, S.M. ; Carterton, Rev. Father O’Beirne; Clive, Mrs. E. R. Coulter Dannevirke, Mr. M. Power, Mr. J. Neagle : Feilding, Rev. Father O’Dwyer, Mrs. Fidler, Mr. °W. McMenamin; Upper Hutt, Mr. G. V. Graham; Hastings, Rev. Father G. Mahoney, S.M., Mr. W. T. Dennett; Hawera, Very Rev. Dean Power, Mr. W. P. Fennelly; Inglewood, Rev. Father Long, Mr. W. Diggins; Kaponga and Eltham, Rev. Father Cahill; Marton, Rev. Father Doolaghty; Masterton, Right Rev. Mgr. McKenna, Mr. E. O’Leary, Mr S. O’Regan ; Hamua, Mr. Dougherty; Napier, Mr. W. J. McGrath, Mrs. Flynn; Petone, Rev. Father Quealy; Otaki, Mr. O. P. Lynch; Pahiatua, Rev. Father McKenna, Mr. E. Sullivan ; Woodville, Mr. D. J. Leahy, Mr. G. H. Redwood; Wellington—St. Anne’s, Mr. S. J. McCosker; St. Gerard’s, Mr. J. Corry St. Mary’s, Mr. T. O’Brien, Mr. J. D. McPhee; St. Joseph’s Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., Miss A. Wheeler, Mr. B. Nolan; Thorndon, Rev. Father Smyth, S.M., Mr. M. Walsh Westport, Mr. C. O’Brien; Takapau, Rev. Father Travers; Wairoa, Rev. Father Forrestal; Catholic Immigration Committee, Mrs. T. S. Cornish. The members of the Diocesan Executive Committee present were Rev. Father Hurley, Major Halpin (treasurer), Messrs. T. J. MeCosker, M. Walsh, A. Cassie, J .Corry, J. P. Kavanagh (Feilding), W. M. Luxford (Wanganui), and the hon. secretary (Mr. W. F. Johnson). The Rev. Father. McManus briefly welcomed the council to Palmerston, and trusted that the visit would be one of pleasure to the visitors, and of profit to the Federation. He urged the council, and the Federation to persevere in its work until all difficulties were overcome, and trusted that the deliberations of the council that day would be fruitful in good results. The Rev. Father Hurley expressed the thanks of the council to the clergy and committee of Palmerston

for the sincere welcomcr extended, and for the complete ' - arrangements made for the meeting. ?:S •? |||||||||| After the roll was called, the Rev, Chairman ex- - ■ pressed the regret of his Grace Archbishop O’Shea that > ; he was unable to be present at the meeting, being detained in Wellington ; by important . business. ' - .* The minutes of the meeting held on July 19, 1916, were read and confirmed. The report of the executive v committee was read, and - considered clause by clause, - and after some interesting discussions on the several questions raised, was agreed to on the motion of Mr. W. H. Redwood and Mr. C. O’Brien. ' On the question of ‘ Organisation and Membership,’ great satisfaction was expressed at the increased membership in the archdiocese, and appreciative refer- -- ence was made to the services of the Rev. Father Hurley Messrs. Duggan, Hoskins, Walsh, and the secretary for their services in this direction, and a hearty vote of thanks was carried by acclamation. The membership returns show that, taking into account the contributions paid in since the books were closed on December 31, there were equal to 8500 adult members on the roll in the archdiocese. Napier, Wanganui, St. Anne s, and other parishes have greatly improved their position, while the outlook all round was really good J Mr. McCosker, speaking for St. Anne’s Committee (which was at the head of the poll last year), congratu- • lated Napier and Wanganui on their fine returns for the year so far, and promised both an ‘interesting time’ of it next year. On the item ‘ Education,’ the council agreed that it was time that the Federation laid down a definite policy for the guidance of members of the Federation, and expressed the hope that the Dominion Council would give this matter consideration at the next meet- ? ing in February. With reference to the Kitchener Scholarships, the council passed a resolution expressing __ ■ its thanks to the Dominion Executive for its effective protest against the scholarships proposed by the Council of Education. The position of the Field Service Fund was fully set out, and satisfaction was expressed at the honorable imposition the archdiocese occupied in connection with this matter. Ihe position with reference to grants from the war relief funds was fully explained to the council, and the facilities placed at the disposal of the Catholic chaplains were considered to be highly satisfactory. 6 J The Catholic Women’s Hostel came in for a great deal of congratulatory remarks, and it was considered highly creditable to the board and its officers that no claim had been made on the guarantors for the past year. During the past year there had been 43 permanent residents at the hostel, and 280 visitors, while very many applications had been refused through lack of accommodation. The board reported that the matron (Miss Mulvaney) had resigned on account of illness in her family, and the council placed on record its appreciation of Miss Mulvaney’s services to the hostel, and of that lady unfailing courtesy and good management. On the item * offensive press cables ’ the council expressed its satisfaction that the executive had been vigilant in these matters, and its thanks to the editors who had shown consideration to the council in connection with the publication of recent offensive cables. The report of the Immigration Committee showed that there was very little to do in meeting oversea immigrants on account of the present conditions, but that the committee had given material assistance to : many persons passing through Wellington to various parts of the Dominion. The committee intended to keep together until the war was over, members realis- ■ ing that there would then be need of their services. The members present then reported on the position -S of the several branches, and in every case but one considerable advancement was shown. The contributions paid in since the books were closed, inclusive of those paid in at the meeting, amounted to nearly .£SO. The treasurer (Major Halpin) presented an interim statement of accounts for the past term, showing that

there were no . outstanding liabilities, and that there was a substantial balance to credit. The revenue had exceeded all previous records, and the payments to the Dominion Council had been correspondingly large. • Satisfaction was expressed ;at j the sound position of \ affairs, and the report was •; adopted on the. motion of/ Messrs. T. O’Brien and J. D. McPhiee. s ' Before proceeding to the remits, the following resolutions were agreed to : 1. ‘ That the Wellington’Diocesan Council desires to express its gratitude to the 1 Holy : Father, Pope Benedict XV., for his paternal blessing on the Federation, its members, and its work, and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to' his Excellency the Apostolic Delegate.’ Proposed by' Mr. W. F. Johnson and seconded by Miss A. Wheeler. 2. ‘ That the best thanks of the council be tendered to the Right : Rev. .Mgr. McKenna for his stirring oration at the Mass this morning.’—Proposed by the rev. chairman, seconded'by Mr. Dennett, and carried by acclamation. • r 3. ‘ That the lecture recently delivered at the Town Hall, Wellington, by the Very Rev. Father Lockington, S.J., on “The Church and Nation Building,’’ be printed and distributed throughout the archdiocese.’ Proposed by Mr. W. Luxford and seconded by Mr. Corry. ... 4. ‘ That the council place on record its sincere appreciation of the pamphlet written by the Very Rev. Father Roche, C.SS.R., entitled “The Fundamental Principles of Education,’’ and begs to tender its sincere thanks to the author.’ Consideration of the remits was then taken. Executive Committee.l. J That members of the Federation be allowed to attend parish committee meetings.’—Moved by Mr. M. Walsh, seconded by Mr. Dennett, and carried, with the addition ‘ but not to take part in any discussion, or to vote.’ 2. All nominations for membership of parish committees shall be in the hands of the secretary to the parish committee ten days before the annual meeting of the parish branch of the Federation.’—Moved by Mr, M. Walsh, seconded by Mr. W. M. Luxford, and carried, with the addition: ‘ If insufficient nominations be received as provided herein, nominations may be received at the annual meeting.’ St. Joseph’s Parish Committee (Wellington). — ‘ That the council originate a scheme for - meeting delegates’ expenses attending the council meetings, and that a levy of one penny per member be made on all parish committees for this purpose.’ Mr. B. Nolan, in moving this resolution, said that there was a difficulty in obtaining the best representation at the council meetings, and the proposal would at least commence a fund from which the expenses could be met. Miss Wheeler seconded the motion, and pointed out that the levy would be drawn from the funds in the hands of the parish committees. Considerable discussion ensued, and Mr. W. M. Luxford moved as an amendment-‘ That in view of the importance of getting the best . possible representatives of parish committees as delegates to the diocesan councils, parish committees be requested to raise sufficient funds by entertainments or other means to meet the necessary expenses of delegates.’ The amendment was declared carried. Palmerston Parish Committee.—l. ‘ That the representatives from the parish on the local committees be increased from six to twelve members.’—Mr. J. Glynne moved this resolution, and stated that it would tend to increase the interest of the members in the work. Mr. Comerford seconded, and said that the Palmerston committee had already adopted the proposal with good results. Several members spoke in support of the resolution, and eventually it was agreed to, with the amendment, ‘that the number be not less than six, or more than twelve’ moved by Mr. J. McGrath. 2. ‘That the educational disabilities under which Catholics suffer be given greater prominence by the issue of ‘dodgers’ or leaflets monthly/ explaining in a concise manner the many injustices under which we suffer.’ Mr. Comerford, in moving this resolution/, said the

’' • • idea was to issue frequently dodgers vof i the. kind re l cently issued by the executive in connection with the enrolments. These should set forth in. a concise manner the difficulties Catholics had to contend with. The Rev. Chairman asked if it was intended that the issue should, be a regular one, -.monthly ; if so, it meant the re-issue of , the Monthly Bulletih formerly issued, from the head office. ■ ' . Mr. Kavanagh thought ■ that an advertising firm would agreed to supply a sufficient number each month free of cost, provided it had the right to issue advertisements thereon. s . The Rev. Father Travers said that he had experience of the Bulletin issued by the Federation , in Australia, and supported the issue of the same h|Mi After a long discussion, Mr. W. J. Mcferath moved, as an amendment— ‘ That the whole question be referred to the executive committee for consideration.’ Seconded by Rev. Father Mahoney, and accepted by the mover of the motion, and agreed to. 3. ‘ That the position of paid organising secretary to the Catholic Federation be abolished, and that in lieu thereof, a. new position be created of honorary secretary to the Dominion Council.’ Mr. Comerford, in moving this resolution, said that as the work of organising is now done by the diocesan councils, and as the routine work of the Dominion Council could be carried on by an honorary secretary, he felt sure that the money so saved could be used to better advantage in propaganda work, such as the printing and distribution of literature bearing on the education question, and in arranging for lectures by prominent speakers on Catholic disabilities. The resolution was in no way a reflection on the gentleman who now held the office of general secretary and organiser, but since the diocesan councils were now attending to the organising, the clerical work of the head office would not be sufficient to keep the officers employed. Mr. Luxford thought the motion was a step in the right direction. lie ‘felt sure capable men could be found to carry on the work. ■ Mr. McGrath considered it would be a retrograde step to abolish the office mentioned. It would he necessary to have a permanent office to deal with the questions that arose from time to time, and to interview Ministers and officers of the State. Mr. Corry also opposed the motion, and said that there was any amount of work in the head office to keep a permanent officer. " After a long discussion, in which most of the members took part, the motion was declared lost on a division. This concluded the business on the order paper. Under the head of new business, the Rev. Father O’Beirne asked if it would be possible to establish a hostel for young men similar to that for girls. The Rev. Father Smyth said that there were many Catholic boarding-houses in the city, and if the lads in question approached the parish priest on his arrival he could always be found suitable accommodation. It was decided to direct attention to this matter in the next Monthly Bulletin. Mr. Nolan raised the question of the care of young lads after leaving school. He was convinced' that there was a considerable leakage from the Church on account of the lack of some kind of supervision. After some discussion, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Nolan and Miss Wheeler—' That the matter be referred to the executive for consideration, and that a report thereon be -presented to the next meeting of the council,’.. . ° The Rev. Father Mahoney suggested that the diocesan council should prepare by-laws for the guidance of the members under its jurisdiction. This question was also referred to the executive, on the motion of the Rev. Father Mahoney and Mr. Kavanagh. Mr. Luxford considered it would be to the advantage of the Federation if the archdiocese was divided into smaller areas, and moved ‘ That this question also be referred to the executive for consideration, and report to the next meeting.’

v Mr. Luxford' spoke .of (the great . success the; council > had met with in moving ' the - summer ■ meeting to a central * district, • and moved that the next ; January meeting be held vat W .—Carried’ unanimously. i? Resolved, on the motion of Mr. J. ; P. Kavanagh and 4 Mr. W. Y. Dennett * That; the council desires to place on record its high appreciation of the work of the secretary (Mr. W. F. Johnson), and that the sum of £2O be granted to Mr. Johnson as an honorarium.’ The Rev. Father Hurley said, that as the work of the council was now concluded, he felt it to be his duty to express the thanks of the council to the Rev. Fathers McManus and Forrestal, and to the Palmerston committee for their great hospitality. The Rev. Father -Forrestal,'. in the absence of the Rev. Father McManus, thanked the Rev. Chairman for his kind remarks, and said that the council would always be welcome at Palmerston. f Mr. C. O’Brien, speaking on behalf of the Palmerston committee, endorsed all that had been said by the Rev. Father Forrestal. The work of the council had been of great educative value to the members of the Federation in Palmerston, and he sincerely trusted that the council would, in the near future,, visit Palmerston again. Luncheon at the Empire Hotel formed part of- the day’s proceedings, and was served up in Mr. Devine’s best style. In the evening the Empire Hall was well filled, when the Rev. Father McManus presided. In his preliminary remarks the Rev. Chairman made special reference to the question of Catholic education and the aims of the Catholic Federation. There was nothing sinister about the Federation’s aims; on the other hand, they made for better citizenship, and had the welfare, not of a section, but of the community, at heart. It recognised the indisputable principle that the child of to-day would be the man of to-morrow, and that the ‘child was, father of the man.’ Hence the education of the child was the foremost in the Federation’s platform. It recognised that education—even . secular education in its highest form—was impossible unless religion was made the central vitalising and co-ordinat-ing factor in the life of the child. You cannot get over the headline on a child’s copybook without being confronted with questions of religion and dogma. The very date on a child’s exercise book demands an explanation of Christianity and its Founder. To the Church and not to the State was given the commission to teach. They heard much of the State system, but it would be a matter for surprise to many to learn that State education was of comparatively recent introduction. The first grant made in England for primary education took place in 1833, when £20,000 was voted by the Government. To-day the vote reached no less a sum than £16,000,000. Here in New Zealand an elaborate and expensive system of State school primary

- . .f- *•' 77 education ‘ had t been? initiated, a \ system so' expensive i that many thoughtful ■ men were * asking: Are we getting *an adequate return for : the outlay ; The * cost; of this education by tax equalled 30s : for every ■ man, woman, and' child. The Catholics paid that 30s, and that being so, they had a right to draw its ' equivalent lin educational advantages. This was one of the platforms of the Federation— asked that the moneys the Catholics contributed to the education - tax be spent on Catholic education. ‘lf the Federation aids .in the attainment of that end,’ -Father McManus, concluded, ‘ it will have rendered a. service not alone to Catholics, but to the community at large, and generations yet unborn will bless the name and hallow the memory of those men who are now fighting for the cause of Catholic education.’ ■

dg t*' IS? \/ Addresses : were - delivered by Very > Rev.?r Dean , - - Power, Hawera (which appeal's jon , page 43 .: of this issue). Rev. / Father Hurley S.M., and Mr. W. F. Johnson. / The .two last-mentioned : will appear in our next issue.—Ed N.Z.T.] * •'V