DIOCESE OF CMRIsruIURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 8 April 1920, Page 18

DIOCESE OF CMRIsruIURCH

(From our own correspondent.) March 29. Very large congregations attended the Cathedral and ■St. Mary’s Church at the solemn blessing and distribution of the palms on Palm Sunday. The early Masses acre remarkable for the very large numbers who approached the Holy Table. His Lordship the Bishop officiated at the Cathedral, and Very Rev. Bean Regnault, S.M., at St. Mary’s. On Sunday evening, after Vespers at the Cathedral, Mr. W. J. Dobbs was made the recipient of a pair of pictures from the sanctuary boys as a mark of the esteem in which he is held, and in view of his approaching marriage. In making the presentation Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy, Adm., eulogised the faithful and continuous service rendered by Mr. Dobbs over a period of 22 years, and wished him every happiness in the' future. Rev. Brother Phelan and Mr. Frank Geoghegan, the ever attentive sacristan, supplemented the Very Rev. Administrator’s remarks and urged the younger boys engaged in altar duties to take example from Mr. Dobbs, whose place would be hard to fill.. Mr. T. P. O’Rourke presided at the weekly meeting of the St. Patrick’s Day Sports Committee, held in the Hibernian Hall on Tuesday evening last. There was a good attendance of members, and proceedings throughout were enthusiastic and of an encouraging nature.. The various officials for the carrying out of the fine sports programme were appointed, and a special vote of thanks was accorded Mr. J. Jacques for his energetic and eminently successful efforts in connection with advertising on the official programme. ■ The sub-committee appointed to in-

spect the grounds at’Lancaster Park reported- favorably on the condition :of the '• turf, ' and - appurtenances generally. The secretary (Mr. J. S. Tulloch) reported' that entries for the various events were being rapidly received, competitors having applied from several North Island centres, the West Coast, South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. Messrs. B. J. McKenna, : Geo. Ryan, J. Anderson, and G. Getson, who visited Geraldine on St. Patrick’s Day, reported their impressions, and paid a high- tribute of • praise to the Geraldine Club for its generous hospitality, to the faultless conduct of the sports, which were of a high-class,'clean, and wholesome nature. The meeting placed on record its appreciation of the treatment received from the Geraldine centre. The Tramway Band’s conductor (Mr. J. Simpson), through Mr. M. Mannix, notified the committee that his band would gladly fall in with any arrangements mapped out by the executive. The dancing competitions are attracting foremost performers from different parts of New Zealand, and given fine weather, the meeting promises to be most successful. A team representing St. Mary’s Tennis Club, consisting of Mieses A. and T. Ryan, Bradford, and Lane, Messrs. McCormick, Dowd, Holley, and Fitzgerald, recently played a return match with Upper Riccarton, at the courts of the latter. A strenuous contest resulted in a win for Upper Riccarton by 11 games. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Christchurch Celtic Club was held on the 25th ult. Mr. J. Polaschek presided, and there was a good attendance of members. Routine business was transacted, and accounts amounting to £ll were passed for payment. A programme of musical items and step-dancing followed, Mrs. Baxter being ' accompanist. A letter was read from Rev. Brother Emilian, who, during his residence in Christchurch, was an active and enthusiastic supporter of the club. The writer referred to the recent strike of Indians in Fiji (in which colony he is now a resident), and gave details of the cause and results of the trouble and of the trend of matters, generally, in the Islands. Brother Emilian left here nine months ago for health reasons, and has decided to remain for another year in Suva. It is pleasing to learn of the continued progress and increased attendance of pupils at St. Felix’s College, of which Brother Emilian is now director.