APOSTOLIC DELEGATE TO AMERICA.

New Zealand Tablet, 17 October 1918, Page 23

APOSTOLIC DELEGATE TO AMERICA.

The Most Rev. John Bonzano, Apostolic Delegate at Washington, who was a week-end guest of the Rev. Peter Quealy, pastor of St. Agnes’s Church at Rockville Centre, L. 1., U.S.A. (brother of Father Quealy, Petone), celebrated the 8 o’clock Mass in that church on a recent Sunday. In making the parish announcements Father Quealy informed the congregation of the presence of their distinguished visitor and expressed his own joy and that of his people in being so highly honored that morning. When the time came for Holy Communion, which was given by the Delegate unassisted, the Most Rev. celebrant was surprised to see the unusual number who flocked to the altar. This circumstance prompted him to address a few remarks to the congregation at the end of the Mass. His Excellency said he felt a genuine pleasure in celebrating Mass that morning in St. Agnes’s Church. He had been duly impressed by the many evidences of good parish organisation, the fine, well-equipped buildings, that spoke eloquently of the material success of the parish ; but deeper and more gratifying, he told them, was the impression made by the large attendance at Mass and by the unusual number, especially of children, to whom he had just given Communion. This, he added, was a strong and edifying proof that in its spiritual life the parish of St. Agnes was more than keeping pace with its temporal prosperity. Mgr. Bonzano closed by giving the Apostolic blessing to all present. St. Agnes’s Church, Rockville Centre, is one of the most flourishing Catholic centres on Long Island outside the Borough of Brooklyn. Its beautiful stone church and rectory, and the recently built parochial school, up-to : date in its architecture and equipment, attract the admiration of all motorists and passers-by along that part of Long Island. And it is worthy of comment that strangers, many of them motorists on tour, who come to the early Sunday Mass in St. Agnes’s, invariably remark, as did the Apostolic Delegate, the astonishing number of children who are among the regular communicants. On the first Sunday of the month, the Children’s Communion day, the altar rails are filled again and again by the little folk. Since Father Quealy has had the help of the good Dominican Sisters who teach in the school, the children have been attracted to the church and their spiritual duties in ever-growing numbers.