Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 5 July 1917, Page 19

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) June 29. At the last meeting of the Petone Borough Council a motion of regret at the death of the late Rev. Chaplain-Major McMenamin, formerly parish priest of Petone, killed in action in France, was carried with the usual mark of respect. A very good meeting of St. Joseph's Parish Committee of the Catholic Federation was held at St. Joseph's Hall, on last Thursday evening. The Rev. Father Hurley, S.M., Adm., presided. Mr. B. Nolan was appointed delegate to the Dominion Executive, and Messrs. P. J. Hopkins, and W. Gamble were elected delegates to the Diocesan Council.

A concert party under the direction of Miss Agnes Segrief entertained the Catholic soldiers at Trentham in the Catholic Camp Hall last evening. An excellent programme was provided and greatly appreciated by the men, who, through their esteemed chaplain (the Rev. Father Connolly) thanked Miss Segrief and her party for their kindness.

At the last meeting of the St. Patrick’s branch of the H.A.C.B. Society motions of condolence with the relatives of the late Chaplain-Major McMenamin, Lieutenant 11. F. Cotter (a member of the branch), both recently killed in action in France, and Mr. Patrick Gleeson (father of Pro. Martin Gleeson), who died recently, were carried in respectful silence.

One of our Catholic young men, Mr. J. Smyth, of the Secretary’s staff, G.P.0., who has been secretary to the Public Service Board of Appeal for a considerable time, and who goes into camp next week, was presented on Friday last with a wristlet watch and a safety razor .as a farewell gift from the board. The presentation was made by the chairman (Mr. Peter Barr).

Advertising in the N.Z. Tablet means business, and this fact was brought before the members of the Thomas Moore Anniversary Committee at its final meeting last Sunday,when one of the members instanced a case where, as a result of the prominence given the Thomas Moore concert in the Tablet, several persons came from remote, and distant parts of the archdiocese to be present.

Miss Hannah O’Keefe, daughter of Mr. T. O’Keefe, County Kerry, Ireland, and a well-known member of St. Anne’s Sodality of the Children of Mary, was married to Mr. Joseph Corbett, eldest son of Mr. Michael Corbett, County Clare, Ireland, at St. Anne's Church, on Wednesday, June 20. . The Yen Archdeacon Devoy, S.M., celebrated the Nuptial Mass. The

happy couple spent a week in the South Island ' prior to going to their new home at Taihape. '' . '

, His Grace Archbishop O’Shea has received from Colonel A, B. Charters, Commanding the Ist Otago Battalion, an . interesting letter in ■ which it is stated that Chaplain-Major. McMenamin (since killed in action) had handed him the sum of .£lO out of the grant which the Wellington Catholic Federation had made to him out of the Catholic Field Service Fund. In appreciation of this gift Colonel Charters writes as follows :— ‘ Please thank the donors on behalf " of. the men of the Ist Otago Battalion. They may rest assured that the money will be spent to the best advantage for the purpose of varying the diet of the men.”,

The Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor was celebrated at St. Gerard’s Redemptorist Church, Wellington, on Sunday, June 17. The early Mass was attended by a large congregation, and the number who approached the Holy Table was most edifying. The 10 o’clock Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father Mangan, C.SS.R., and the Rev. Father Barry, C.SS.R., preached an eloquent discourse on our Lady of Perpetual Succor, there being again a large congregation. The evening service was again largely attended. The Rev. Father Mangan, C.SS.R., preached and also officiated at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Mr. Gordon O’Meeghan presided at the organ and Mr. Frank Oakes conducted.

Lieut. -Colonel J. G. Roach, of Wellington, who has recently been awarded the distinction of D. 5.0., is a Catholic, and is well known in the public service, volunteering, and, later, full military circles. He became a volunteer when the Post and Telegraph Rifle Corps was formed shortly after the outbreak of the Boer War in 1899, soon became color-sergeant, and afterwards lieutenant. In August, 1914, he went to Samoa with the rank of captain, and was on the island until June, 1915. Returning to New Zealand he left with the Forces as major in March, 1916. His old associates in the Post and Telegraph Department and the Friendly Societies Department (he was attached to the latter when he enlisted) are all pleased to hear that he has achieved such a notable distinction.

The final meeting of the Thomas Moore Anniversary Festival Committee was held at the Marist Brothers’ School, Newtown, on last Sunday afternoon. Mr. J. J. L. Burke presided, and among those present were the Rev. Brothers Egbert, Fidelia, and Eusebius. The balance sheet disclosed the satisfactory net profit of £27 12s. Of this sum the Catholic education fund benefits to the extent of £2O, the balance being retained to finance next year’s celebration. The following executive committee was formed to arrange next year’s festival:—The Rev. Brothers Egbert, Fidelia, Eusebius, and Messrs. Frank J. Oakes, E. B. L. Reade, and E. J. Healy, with Messrs. J. J. L. Burke and P. D. Hoskins as trustees. Votes of thanks were accorded to Messrs. Oakes (adjudicator), E. B. L. Reade (supervisor of competitions and stage manager), P. D. Hoskins (secretary), J. J. L. Burke (treasurer), and Bernard Page, who rendered valuable service, and to all who contributed to the concert programme. The Brothers and Sisters, who prepared the children, and Brother Fidelis especially, for his energy and enthusiasm in preparing the three choirs representing the Marist Brothers’ School, Newtown, in the competitions, were cordially thanked.

The half-yearly meeting of St. Aloysius’ branch, H.A.C.B. Society, was held on last Monday evening in the Hibernian Hall, Newtown. Bro. J. Redican presided. Thd recently appointed chaplain (the Rev. Father Mark Devoy, S.M.) was present, and there was a large attendance of members. Two prominent members of the branch who were on the eve of going into camp (Bros. Thomas Murphy, P.P., and Thomas H. Forster) were farewelled. The election of officers resulted as follows;—President, Bro. J. Heavey; vice-president, Bro. T. Pender; warden, Bro. W. Dougaii; guardian, I Bro. T. Pender; warden, visitors, Bros. J. Fagan and Bro. T. Loughnan; sick visitors, Bros. J. Fagan and f J. Heavey; secretary, Bro. W. H. Giles; treasurer,

Bro. J. Stratford delegate to medical institute, Bro. W H. Giles; delegate to dispensary, Bro. J. Stratford; delegates to Catholic Federation, Bros. J. Heavey and J. M. Fagan; delegates to Catholic . School Committee, Bros W. H. Giles, J. Stratford, J. Heavey, and J. Fagan. A motion of condolence with the relatives of the late Bro. J. A. Davies, who lost his life in the recent advance on the Western Front, was carried in respectful silence, and it was decided to offer general Holy Communion on Sunday, July 8, for the repose of the soul of the deceased member.

CATHOLIC FIELD SERVICE FUND. Under date May 7 the late Chaplain-Major McMenamin wrote the following to the general secretary of the Catholic Federation, the letter being received just a fortnight after Father McMenamin's death was reported : " Your letter of March 1 just to hand. First of all I must thank you, and the Federation, for the kind words of appreciation of the work of our chaplains on active service. I can assure you that all are working zealously and well. Fathers Richards, Barra, and. Skinner are in France with me, and Fathers Doyle, O'Neill, Daly, and Bartley are in England. . . . We are always proud to be able to spend money when we are able to say that it came from the Catholic Field Service Fund. At the front we have used the money chiefly to buy extra food for the men, such as oatmeal, potatoes, and puddings, when such were not included in the ration. ... I am pleased indeed to find that our Catholic people have subscribed so generously to the Field Service Fund. Our soldiers are worthy of every penny we can give for their benefit, and besides, it will be good for us, after the war, to be able to show what sacrifices our Catholic people have made by giving so generously both of their men and their money." The following are additional donations to the Catholic Field Service Fund: Amount previously acknowledged ...£1449 10 3 Auckland Diocesan Council Church collections for month of May £4l 16 9 Christchurch Diocesan Council, being amount donated by Timaru to the Featherston Camp Hall Fund 4 10 0 Half proceeds of St. Mary's Convent concert ... ... 12 18 0 St. Anne's Parish Committee 22 0 Editor N.Z. Tablet, being donation from the Catholics of Balfour, through Mrs. Ellen Ginivan ... ... 2 9 0 £1513 6 0 Expenditure : Amount previously detailed £954 13 0 Featherston Camp Hall— Renovation fund ... ... 50 10 0 Donation, from Timaru ... 410 0 Religious objects, etc., for Reinforcement drafts ... ... 6 3 2 Balance to credit £497 9 10