Invercargill

New Zealand Tablet, 8 December 1921, Page 27

Invercargill

5 (From our own correspondent.) , il November 28. - ■ Lordship the Bishop, Right Rev. Dr. Whyte, £ celebrated the 8 o’clock Mass on Sunday, when there was i a very large congregation. Addressing those present his :*~ Lordship expressed his keen sense of satisfaction at the 5 great success of the garden fete which was held in the convent grounds on the previous Saturday afternoon, and evening. He said he was very pleased to have been present \ at the function, and more than pleased that the attendance had been so large and the generosity of all so - apparent. V It showed that the people of this parish appreciated the y work the good Nuns were doing and it was a sign that . Catholicity was indeed alive in Invercargill. At the , evening devotions his Lordship preached an impressive sermon, taking as his text, “Behold, from henceforth all nations shall call me Blessed.” He afterwards officiated at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. , Saturday, November 26, was quite a red-letter day for the local Catholic community, it being the occasion of a most successful garden fete held in the grounds ad- ; joining St. Catherine’s Convent and also providing the > parishioners with an opportunity of meeting his Lordship the Bishop, who, after . declaring the fete opened,> moved among the great crowd and chatted to one and all. Everyone was charmed by his Lordship’s graciousness and thoughtfulness, and there were few present with whom he did not converse. When' Dr. Whyte, accompanied by the Very Rev. Dean Burke, V.F., and Rev. Father Ardagh arrived punctually at 2 o’clock, the children of the convent schools— who were prettily attired in white and purple, and were arranged in position on tiers of seats adjacent to the tennis —sang a song of welcome' to his Lordship. Immediately afterwards the Bishop, in a happy speech, referred to the excellent weather prevailing, such a day as might have been borrowed from across the Tasman Sea, whence he himself had come. He bespoke for the good Sisters the generosity of those present, and referred in terms of laudation to the excellent work being carried on in our midst bv the devoted Nuns of St. Dominic. That day everyone had an opportunity of showing in some small way his or her appreciation of that work. He had pleasure in declaring the fete opened and wished it the success it deserved. Thereafter the busy stallholders and their assistants went to work with a will, and their efforts were fully rewarded, as the treasurer was able to announce at the conclusion that over £SOO had been netted. In the evening the proceedings were enlivened by, the Hibernian Band, under the conductorship of Mr. A. R. Wills. Several selections were rendered in the band’s best style, and Bandsmen R. A. and R. B. Wills contributed a Cornet duet in a most artistic manner. The Nuns wish to convey their gratitude to his Lordship for his presence, and to all who assisted in any way; also to the public for their generosity. v -•