Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 1 November 1917, Page 18

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESB OP WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) - October 27. The sum of fifty pounds has been received from the New Plymouth Patriotic Fund for the Catholic Field vice Fund, as the outcome of an application from the New Plymouth parish committee. Mr. J. J. O Gorman has received orders to proceed to Wellington to join the staff of the head office of the National Provident Fund. He has been in charge of the Christchurch office since its inception. Mr. Prendeville, who recently received the appointment of Crown Solicitor in Wellington, and who has undergone an operation for appendicitis at the Kensington Street Private Hospital, is said to be progressing satisfactorily. The many friends of his Lordship Bishop Cleary in this city were delighted to see his Lordship much improved in health as a result of his sojourn in foreign climes. His Lordship, accompanied by the Very Rev. Chancellor Holbrook, and several young priests for duty in the Auckland diocese, left by the Main Trunk train for Auckland yesterday. The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Hamua, in the parochial district of Pahiatua, has recently been enriched by two beautiful stained-glass windows generously donated by Mr. and Mrs. D. Bourke in honor* of their only eon, David Leo, who for the past 18 months has been in the trenches on the Western front. Notwithstanding the very trying conditions of wind and dust, the members of the Catholic Knitting Guild had a most profitable day at Boulcott Street in aid of the “Our Day” fund, and handed in £l9l 7s lOd. Of this sum the flower stall made £8 17s, sweets £29, cakes, etc., £lB Os 4d, fancy goods £46 7s 9d, eggs and butter £l2 ss, surprise packets, etc., £22 12s, vegetables £1 10s, Kiwi badges £4 7s 6d, collecting boxes £29 7s sid, and the two flags under the untiring efforts of Mrs. Byland £l9 Os 9j>d. The executive is most grateful to all who worked so hard to attain this result, and to those who contributed in any way. A special meed of thanks is due to the Marist Boys, who attracted a large number of buyers and givers by their baud music. The Rev. Father Richards, who has succeeded the late Rev. .Father McMenamin as senior Catholic chaplain of the N.Z. Forces, cabled to his Grace Archbishop O’Shea for a grant from the Catholic Field Service Fund for affording relief to the sick and wounded men. The Dominion Executive in response to this request cabled the sum of £260. This with the remittance of £240 donated by the Catholics of Hawera and the £450 cabled previously makes a total of £950 remitted for the benefit of the men in Europe. In addition lo this £55 has been sent to Rev. (Chaplain) McDonald for the benefit of the men in Egypt, £250 to the chaplains in charge of the hospital ships, and grants to chaplains sailing with Reinforcements and religious objects for the men totalled £lls. Renovation of camp halls at Trentham and Featherston and providing stationery and entertainments, etc., cost £325. * Bleaching last Sunday at St. Joseph’s Church Archbishop O’Shea urged Catholics to be patient and forgiving in regard to the attacks which have been made upon them of late. No doubt, he said, it was difficult, especially when such attacks were entirely without foundation, and when they so outraged every canon of decency. But they emanated from a very small section indeed, and their Protestant fellow-citizens, as a body, had nothing whatever to do with them, and discountenanced them altogether. These attacks were made by men, some of whom were only half educated, and could not speak the English language correctly. When an individual says that ; he is not ashamed of something

that would not be tolerated even according to the code of savages lowest in the scale of humanity; when ho is not only not ashamed, but glories in it and declares that he is prepared to do the same again,' he simply puts himself outside the pale of society. • No matter how unprovoked or how trying these things might be to Catholics, and trying they certainly were, especially when their honored dead were subjected to vilh treatment, let them have patience and endeavor to bear with it a little longer, hoping, like David of old, “that the Lord may render (them) good for the cursing of this day.” The Rev. Father (Chaplain) Barra, S.M., who left with the 18th Reinforcements, writing to Miss Kennedy, president of the Wellington Catholic ladies’ knitting guild, thus expresses himself:—“The last parcel sent by you came, I might say, in the nick of time. The men are up to their hips in the mud of the trenches and greatly appreciate a change of socks. The next winter is going to be hard on us, if we have to hold this sector right through it. The place is frightful, and the shelling is terrific. So the men will be exposed to many dangers and a lot of privations, sufferings of every kind. The work of the guild is blessed, because it is one of the corporal works of mercy, and because the efforts of the good ladies who belong to it are blessed both by boys and chaplains. With best wishes and expression of sincere thanks.” The annual meeting of the cricket branch of the Marist Brothers’ Old Boys’ Association was held in the schoolroom, Newtown, on Thursday evening, October .11 The Rev. Brother Egbert presided and there was a fair attendance. The chairman congratulated the members of last year’s teams on the success of their play, and urged all to do their utmost to keep the club intact. It was decided to enter a junior and a thirdclass team in the competitions. Mr. J. Hayden was elected club captain and Mr. W. Lemon captain of the junior team for.the ensuing season. The six-a-side football tournament was held on Saturday, October 20, at Association Park. Three teams were entered by Marist Old Boys’ Association in the third and fourth grade competition, and was won by the A team, after playing five games. In the fifth grade competition two teams were entered, the A team being runners-up. A general meeting was held at St. Patrick’s Hall on last Tuesday evening for the purpose of organising a picnic for Boxing Day, the proceeds to be devoted to the Catholic education fund. It was decided to hold the picnic at Karori Park, and to hold an art union in connection therewith. The following officers were elected :—Chairman and treasurer, Mr. J. J. L. Burke; general secretary, Mr. P. D. Hoskins; assistant secretary, Mr. F. Whitaker : adult sports committee, Mr J. D. McPhee director and Mr. McKeowen secretary; children’s sports committee, Mr. W. Gamble director and Mr. Jas. Stratford secretary; sideshows committee, Mr. W. F. Johnson director; Transport committee, Mr. M. Cleary director; children’s refreshments, Miss B. Craig; committee refreshments, Mrs. ■ H. McKeowen. As the attendance of ladies was small, appointments for the other committees were left over until the next meeting. In this connection Wellington ladies are noted for their organising powers especially in connection with patriotic funds, and have easily beaten other bands of ladies organised for the same purpose. . It is to be hoped therefore that these same Catholic ladies will devote their time and energy to the great and noble work of Catholic education. Patriotic funds are commendable, and the ladies deserve to be congratulated on their success in, this direction, but there is a danger that in prosecuting the other funds Catholic education is likely to be overlooked. The Catholic education fund alas has not the claim on the general public that the other funds have, nor can it secure the bands of workers that the other funds can command, consequently it is to be hoped that the ladies will rally round the Catholic education fund and help the administrators of that fund to co-operate with our noble and self-sacrificing teachers both—-Sisters and Brothers—in providing a truly CatH-

olic education for the Catholic youth of this city. Thef next meeting takes place at St. Patrick’s Hall on Tuesday, November 6. - CATHOLIC field SERVICE fund. The Dominion treasurer of the Catholic Federation acknowledges the receipt of the following donations to the Catholic field service fund: Amount previously acknowledged ...£2086 7 9 New Plymouth patriotic fund ... ... 50 0 0 Petone Sacred Heart Choir ... ... 22 0 Petone Hibernian Society... ... ... 2 0 0 £2140 9 9 Less amount expended as previously detailed ...£1444 17 10 Remitted to the Rev. Father (Chaplain) Richards, Loudon * ... ... ... 260 0 0 Balance at Credit ... ... ... £435 11 11 TO OUR WELLINGTON CLIENTS. We understand that some of our clients have not been able to secure copies of the Tablet at certain booksellers in Wellington City. We will be pleased to place those so inconvenienced on our mailing list if they will communicate with the Manager, Tablet Office.