THE LATE BISHOP VERDON

New Zealand Tablet, 30 January 1919, Page 28

THE LATE BISHOP VERDON

WORTHY TRIBUTE BY STUDENTS OF HOLY CROSS COLLEGE, CLONLIFFE. A Solemn Requiem Mass, at which his Grace the Archbishop presided, was celebrated yesterday in the Church of the Holy Cross, Clonliffe .College, for the repose of the soul of the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon, Bishop of Dunedin (says the Dublin Freeman's Journal of December 3). The celebrant was the Right Rev. Mgr. Canon Fitzpatrick, P.P., V.G. ; the deacon, Rev. Jos. Valentine, Holy Cross College; subdeacon, Rev. J. Mulcahy, Holy Cross College. The Archbishop was assisted at the throne by Very Rev. Canon Murphy, P.P. ; and Very Rev. Canon Petit, P.P., V.F. : the assistant priest being Very Rev. Canon Waters, President, Holy Cross College. Rev. M. S. MacMahon was master of ceremonies at the throne. A very large number of priests was in attendance. • The sacred ceremonies and music were carried out by the students of Holy Cross College with that exact accordance with the spirit and letter of liturgical law which has been so characteristic of the college since its foundation. The whole function of the Requiem Mass and Absolution was a telling instance of the beauty and impressiveness of Catholic ritual when performed with due attention to correctness of detail. It was a worthy tribute paid by his Grace the Archbishop and the clergy of the diocese to a former distinguished diocesan, and by the students of the college he loved so much, to a former President, who fostered that enviable tradition of excellence in sacred music and ceremonial of which yesterday's function was a striking example.