Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, 14 November 1918, Page 19

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OP WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.) November 9. The children attending St. Mary's Sunday School held their annual picnic on Labor Day. A number of children of St. Mary's parish made their First Holy Communion at the temporary church, Boulcott Street, on last Sunday week. The sum of £IOO has been* received from the Waimate Plains Special Appeal Patriotic Committee, Manaia, for the Catholic Field Service Fund. A meeting of the St. Patrick's Day Celebration Executive Committee was held on last Wednesday evening to make the preliminary arrangements in connection with the 1919 celebrations. Father Ginisty, S.M., has forwarded to the secretary of the N.Z. Catholic Federation the sum of £5 from the Maoris of Jerusalem, Wanganui River, for the Building Fund of the Tauherenikau Catholic Camp Hall. This is the second amount received from the Maoris through Father Ginisty, the previous amount (.£6 5s 6d) being from the Maoris of Banana for the same purpose. Arrangements are well in hand for the celebration on December 4 of the silver jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood of his Grace Archbishop O'Shea. Bishops Cleary (Auckland) and Brodie (Christ-church), have signified their intention of being present, and the Right Rev. Mgr. McKenna, V.G., will preside at the conversazione at the Town Hall. Addresses will be presented by the laity of the archdiocese, and the Catholic Federation and the Hibernian Society will furnish the guard of honor. Lieutenant Eric Reeves, M.C., who went away, for the second time, with the 40th Reinforcements, was, according to a cablegram received this week, admitted to hospital in France on October 27, suffering from the effects of gas. Lieutenant Reeves was second in command of the troopship on which occurred the epidemic that proved so disastrous to the Fortieths. It was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R. G. Allen, who has recently been wounded in France, and who was in command of the 9th Reinforcements, with which Lieutenant Reeves first left New Zealand.

~ :; The arrangements made by hie Gr&ce Archbishop O'Shea for the celebration of the expected armistice announcement are as follows:— On the morning following the arrival of the glad news there will be a Pontifical High Mass of Thanksgiving, sung by his' Grace, in the Sacred Heart Basilica, Hill Street, at 10 o'clock. The day the news arrives the • children attending the Catholic schools will be taken to the respective churches, where there will be a short thanksgiving service, including the singing of the "Te Deum," before they are dismissed for the holidays. There will be a Solemn Requiem Mass for the souls of the fallen soldiers at St. Joseph's Church on the Wednesday in the week following the declaration of the armistice. The devotions of the Forty Hours' Adoration were commenced at St. Anne's Church, Newtown, on last Sunday. There was a crowded congregation at the first Mass, when over 60 children received their First Holy Communion. At the 9 o'clock Mass there was again an exceedingly large congregation. The procession of the Blessed Sacrament was participated in by the members of the different sodalities and societies. Father . Outtrim, S.M., of St. Patrick's College, was celebrant of the Solemn High Mass, Fathers Kimbell, S.M., and Campbell, S.M., being deacon and subdeacon respectively, and Father Mark Devoy, S.M., master of ceremonies. The Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M., was present in the sanctuary. Father S. Mahony preached at the evening devotions. The Marist Brothers' School Choir rendered the music at the 9 o'clock Mass and the Church Choir, conducted by Mr. E.-B. L. Read, that at the High Mass and Vespers. On Monday a Missa Cantata was celebrated, the music being rendered by the Marist Brothers School Choir, and in the evening Father Schaeffer, S.M. (St. Patrick's College), preached. Solemn High Mass was celebrated by the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy on Tuesday morning, Father Campbell being deacon and Father Mark Devoy sub-deacon, the Forty Hours' Adoration being concluded with procession of the Blessed Sacrament. Each night during the period of Exposition men of the congregation, under the direction of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, kept watch before the Blessed Sacrament, and very large numbers approached the Holy Table each morning.