DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 23 September 1920, Page 29

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

'-\ (From our own correspondent.) " v . September 20. Very Rev. Father Whelan, C.SS.R., is the guest of his Lordship the Bishop. He has just concluded a retreat to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. At the Masses on Sunday in the Cathedral he made a strong appeal for fidelity to the Archconfraternity of the Blessed Sacrament;, and in the evening preached on the.subject of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor. , : . • •

ST. MARY'S MEMORIAL SCHOOLS, CHRISTCHURCH. On Wednesday last (writes a correspondent) a social was given in the Art Gallery, Christchurch, by the parishioners of St. Mary's to the stall-holders and workers at the recent carnival in aid of St. Mary's Memorial Schools. There was a very large attendance, and the proceedings were of a highly interesting character. The function began with a short musical programme rendered by Mrs. Frank O'Brien, Misses Mina and Mary Ward, and Messrs. Ward and Longhnan. The report and balance sheet of the carnival were then read by Rev. Father Seymour, the. organiser. The total receipts amounted to the magnificent sum of £5408 lis Bd, made up as follows: —Altar Society and Children of Mary Stall, £1693 0s 6d; Choir and Hibernian Society Stall, £1633 17s lOd; Marshland, Papanu.i, and Flower Stall, £l2lO 2s Id; Hornby and New Brighton Stall, £670 14s; sundry receipts and'donations, £2OO 17s 3d. The expenditure amounted to £737 12s lOd, leaving a credit balance of £4670 18s lOd. Eulogistic reference was made in the report to the enthusiasm and whole-heartedness with which the stallholders and their assistants carried on their work in the face of overwhelming drawbacks of rain, storm, and bitter cold of almost unprecedented character, and to the generosity with which the parishioners and the large body of non-Catholic friends responded to the appeal. Special reference was made to the Hornby stall-holder, who came in at the eleventh hour owing to unforseen difficulties. Father Seymour warmly thanked the workers for the energetic way in which they had supported him, and for the untiring and unceasing efforts made to produce such splendid results. He especially thanked the secretary (Mr. I'rendergast), who was unsparing in his endeavors io ensure success, and to the executive and various'committees for the capable manner in which they had performed their duties. Very Rev. Dean Regnault in eloquent terms thanked the workers, supporters, and donors for their respective valuable services. His remarks covered the object of the carnival— erection of schools in memory of our soldiers—and he spoke most feelingly on this point. He expressed his great obligations to Father Sevmour as organiser, and drew attention to the fact that in the three "and a-half years this priest had been in St. Mary's parish ionnn i sen5 en u the or gani S er of functions by which nearly iyuOO had been raised. t A At o the . conclusion of Dean Regnault's remarks, Mr. A. Scott, on behalf of the stall-holders and workers presented Father Seymour with a handsome gift. The presentation was accompanied by the expression of appreciation of the recipient's unsparing services and irresistible enthusiasm, which were chiefly sponsible for the success of the carnival Father Seymour in accepting the gift feelingly responded, and said in the course of his repeal L? *" opinion 1 the workers should rather have the™ L? ftS l fm A" 1 -' *? he Was onl y able to thank ofThTcarn°va y i. fOl *"" *" bUt f ° r the success ™ issue n rW'"lf 6 h? + even i n S t the art union was drawn amidst Ll r excitement. A supper and-social brought the proceedings to a happy conclusion. TT-i At . a r c ? cent meeting of St. Mary's branch of the llibernian Society, a resolution was passed expressive of abdiTv ?mi r llf PPreC fi iati ° n °. f Father Seymour's P organ? The buiidt; SaC f n A Ce m the I present effort to raise funds tor the building of the new schools for the parish Refer?SSer W dta , S?i„ ,nade i i ? Se^-r's Services as a branch. Chaplai "' and to hls access in building „p the