DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

New Zealand Tablet, 22 January 1920, Page 23

DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

i (From our own correspondent.) ' ' January 16. His many friends will be delighted to learn that the Right Rev. Mgr. Gillan, V.G., has made quite a remarkable recovery, and is now much improved in health. Rev. Father Hannigan, C.SS.R., is at present conducting the retreat for the Sisters of St. Joseph at the convent, Grey Lynn. Sisters from the various convents of the Order in this diocese and others, to the number of 74, are present. Father Rossiter, who is the guest of the Bishop, leaves for the south by motor car to-morrow, in company with his Lordship. He intends visiting some friends in New Zealand and Australia, and then returns to Ireland, via Japan, China, India, and Suez. A most successful bazaar was held in Dargaville last month, and church and school funds will thereby benefit to the extent of over £3OO. Very Rev. Dean Van Dyke and Father Spiering are most grateful for the hearty response of their many friends Catholic and non-Catholic. Owing to the shipping difficulties in Australia preventing another Vincentian Father fulfilling his engagements for the retreats of tho clergy of the archdiocese, the Very Rev. Father O'Reilly, CM., will conduct the two retreats for the clergy in Wellington. This necessitates the postponement of the retreat for the Auckland clergy to Monday, February 2, at the Sacred Heart College. The parishioners of Onehunga have presented one of the latest model Scripps-Booth motor cars to Right Rev. Mgr. Mahoney, for the use of the clergy of the parish. It arrived from America last week, and was fittingly used for the first time on Sunday, January 11, to convey Father O'Byrne to celebrate Mass at the Pah Orphanage. The Right Rev. Bishop Cleary, who afterwards made a close examination of tho car, expressed himself as being highly delighted with it. On Thursday, January 8, a pleasing function took place at "Ennore," the Catholic Women's Hostel in Symonds Street, when the matron, Miss Edith Sutton, was the recipient of a beautiful picture. The Rev. Father Buckley made the presentation on behalf of the donors, and on his own behalf presented £IOO towards the hostel fund. After congratulatory speeches by many of the guests, musical items, dancing, and supper followed, and a very enjoyable time was spent. Four of the zealous French missionaries of the Sacred Heart Order, who had been called to France at the outbreak of war, arrived by the Makura, on their return to the scenes of their missionary labors in the tropical Gilbert Islands. Owing to the shipping troubles, they are still detained in Auckland, and have been guests at the Cathedral presbytery. Every morning during the past week they celebrated Masses in the Cathedral, and-most impressive was it to be present at the Holy Sacrifice offered simultaneously at the three altars. "The present condition of the Church in Ireland, and the missionary spirit of the Irish race," was the subject of an eloquent address by the Very Rev. Father Rossiter, M.SS., at the meeting of the Women's Branch of the Holy Family Confraternity on Thursday, January 15, in the Cathedral. In the course of his address Father Rossiter stated that at no period in the history of Ireland had the Church been so well organised, and so glorious as at the present. He also referred to the new missionary movement emanating from the National College of Maynooth, and which has resulted in the establishment of a new college in Ireland for the training of Irish missionaries for the conversion of the Chinese. To the confraternity he appealed for prayers and sympathy for the success of the noble undertaking. He also appealed for the support of the publication, the Far East, founded in connection with the Irish mission in China.