DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, 24 January 1918, Page 22

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

i The Sisters of Mercy, South Dunedin, entered into their Annual Spiritual Retreat on last Friday. The Retreat ris ? being ; conducted -by the r Rev. " Father M. O’Farrell, C.M. of St. John’s College’. CamperdowA, N.S.W. * • : -"’T • :■•■■ ■ ; ’•'v •• ’ • ••■ * • •••. JN .o. W ; ifi-.r ~-. •:.. r ~ a.-.-. :.v,

; A week’s" retreat for the women: of the congregation, to-be. conducted-by c the ; Rev. Father O ’Farrell, C.M., is to be commenced-.-at half past two o’clock on next Sunday afternoon, at St Joseph’s Cathedral. ; A resolution advocating - the teaching, of Irish history in 'Catholic schools was passed at the Annual Synod of ' the - Dunedin' Diocesan clergy on last Friday. ‘ ‘ t o* • -

. The erection of the new Sanctuary as an extension to the Chapel of Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, is now almost completed: 1 ■ \-.i - ; ■ ■ . T " Addressing'the congregation at the various Masses in St. Joseph’s Cathedral on last Sunday, the Very Rev. Father Coffey, Dunedin, spoke at length on the subject of Catholic Education. In forceful terms he contrasted the relative successes of the Catholic Schools connected with St. Joseph parish and those of the State with results immeasurably in favour of the former. "With far fewer pupils the percentage of proficiency passes were shown to have been greatly in excess of other schools. He warmly complimented the Christian Brothers and Dominican Nuns on their really excellent work in the schools, emphasing the results as revealed by the reports of the Education Board Inspectors as an irrefutable answer to those who argued that the standard of efficiency in the Catholic schools compared unfavourably with that of the State schools. In conclusion Father Coffey said that the proof of the striking efficiency and the results, he was happily enabled to furnish -, should definitely silence adverse- criticism, and dissipate erroneous opinions that may be held but in most instances merely assumed. At Vespers in St, Joseph’s Cathedral on last Sunday'evening the Very . ’Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., after reading and explaining the provisions of the decrees regarding Catholic marriage, basing his discourse on the subject of the day’s Gospel—the marriage feast of Cana of Galileespoke at length on the Church’s attitude. on the question of Matrimony in its relation to the Sacramental order, and referred exhaustively to the evil of mixed marriages. Father Coffey also gave an amount of good, practical advice to those contemplating an entry into married life. . -

Bro. Marlow, who left Dunedin in 1908 to enter the Christian Brothers’ Novitiate in New South ales, and who during the past eight years has ■been teaching in Melbourne, in company with Bro. Joyce of Hampden, returned to New Zealand shortly before Christmas on a well-earned vacation. Bro. Marlow has been staying with his parents at Musselburgh, and after spending a thoroughly enjoyable holiday, left Dunedin on Saturday last on his return to. Melbourne. The many friends of Bro. Marlow were delighted to see him looking so well.