Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 28, 13 July 1922, Page 22

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) July 10. A thoroughly enjoyed concert was given recently to the children of St. Joseph's Orphanage, Upper Hutt, by members of St. .Joseph's concert party and others. The hall was especially decorated with flags and greenery by some of the children of the institution. The following contributed to the afternoon's entertainment: —Misses M. Dillon, K. Boffa, A. and V. Flan, I). Weir, J. Moran, Q. Whiteford, Messrs.- R. Taylor, C. Hickmott, S. Airth, L. Jansen, A. Chalk, and the orchestra, comprised of Misses M. Dillon, Q. Whiteford, Messrs. R. Taylor, R. Dwyer, J. Kennedy, and J. Whiteford, played musical selections. At the conclusion the party adjourned to the dining-room, where afternoon tea was prepared by the Rev. Mother who thanked those contributing items, and also Mr. L. Jansen, who was responsible for the greater part of the arrangements of the concert.

His Grace Archbishop Redwood, who was present at the reunion of the early settlers, was Interestingly reminiscent. His Grace expressed the opinion that his early days would take him back further than most of those present for he came to Wellington in 1842, under the auspices of the New Zealand Company. Those old settlers were happy in their choice of a. country and they had left a fine memory behind them. His Grace remarked that •he was only throe years old when he reached Wellington; and, he addl'd humorously, that he celebrated the occasion by falling down the ship’s hatchway. That was his debut, and shortly afterwards his people moved to the Nelson district and took up land there. He mentioned .that a lew days ago lie found among his papers a letter written to him 67 years ago bv the Rev, Father Garin who, instead of ink, use'll the juice' of grapes as a writing fluid. The writing, added Archbishop Redwood, was still quite clear and legible. Very Rev. Fathers James and John Lynch, of the? diocese of Dunedin, passed through Wellington Jjist week on their way to visit their Homeland. During their stay in Wellington they were the guests of Very Rev. Dean McKenna, of St. Anne’s. 'Die annual social for the benefit of the Catholic Education Fund was held in the Town Hall last night, and was very well attended, representatives of every parish in Wellington being present. The Catholic Education Board was in charge. Pictures supplied by N.Z. Pictures, Ltd., occupied tho first hour. These were chiefly of an educational character— travelogues, etc. with a Charlie Chaplin film to please the children. After this the remainder of the evening was spent socially. Supper was served under the gallery, ladies from the different parishes providing tho same. Those in charge were Airs. O’Driscoll and Miss Kent,. St. Alary’s; Airs. Scott and Airs. O’Gorman. St. Joseph’s; .Mrs. Haydin. Newtown; Airs. Dunn, Thermion; with many helpers.' The Al.C.’s for the evening were Messrs. McKenzie, O’Neil, and Ak-Pheo. Among those present were Archdeacon Devoy, Rev. Fathers Smyth, Moloney, Murphy, and Al. Devoy, and many of the clergy from the different parishes. The music was supplied by the Hibernian Irish Pipe Band and McLaughlin’s orchestra. - The death of Miss Vera Constance Neazor, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Neazor. of Railway Avenue, Lower Hutt, who passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 20 years, has removed one of the most esteemed young Catholics at the Hutt, and'the sad news was received with regret by her many friends. Tho, late Miss Neazor was a. well-known and respected resident of the Hutt Borough, and received her scholastic education in the Hutt Catholic school. In her clays of good health she had always responded to any good cause connected with social affairs and was a member of the sodality of the Children of Alary. As a tribute to the deceased her fellow associates paid their respects to her memory in her parents’ residence. The funeral cortege left the bereaved parents’ residence for the Church of SS. Peter and Paul, whore a. large congregation paid their last tribute to' the dead. Requiem Mass was celebrated bv Very Rev. Dean Lane, assisted by Fathers Walsh and Connolly, the latter officiating at the graveside. The principal mourners were the parents, brothers, and sisters of the deceased, members of the Sodality of the Children of Alary, and members of the Hutt branch of the H.A.C.B. Society, of which deceased’s brother is the secretary.—R.l.P. It was with deep regret that Catholics of "this cityreceived the news of the deaths of three of . the most esteemed clergy of the archdiocese- Rev. Dean James McKenna, of New Plymouth, Rev. Father' Bowden, S.M., M.A., for many years in this city, and Rev. Father James Arkwright, of Kaikoura. Three deaths amongst the clergy within a fortnight Is a big loss to the Church- in 'the arch—R.LP. , , Rev. Fathers T. Segrief, S.M., 8.A.. and AV, Buckley. S Al.. 8.A., of St. Patrick’s College professorial staff, and Mr. St. Berkmann, L.L.8.. an old boy of St. Patrick’s College, received their University degree at the capping ceremony, recently, held here. -

Wanganui (From our own correspondent.) , July 4. The Aramoho Catholics are proud of their school and take a practical interest in its welfare. On the 26th ult. they were invited to assist at a "Children's Festival," extending over the afternoon and evening, in aid of the grounds improvement fund, and the response was characteristic of Aramoho. As a result the work of asphalting portion of the school grounds will be proceeded with at once. About 120 children entered for the fancy dress competition, and as they marched down the hall, which was beautifully decorated for the occasion, they made a. very picturesque display with their varied costumes. The judges found it impossible to decide which two of at least half-a-dozen were entitled to the prizes, so they very wisely awarded six prizes. The parents, when they were not admiring the costumes of the children or the dancing, were persuaded, to invest in the usual table centres, fire screens, pillow shams, etc., from the two stalls at the end of the room. The fancy stall was managed by Mesdames Griffen, Green, and Kirkwood, while the cake and produ£g stall was in the care of Mesdames P. Benefield, Collins, and Sussmilch. The prize-winners for the best fancy dresses were Betty Sussmilch. "The Prince"), Dorothy Benefield ("N. Z. Tablet"), G. Voltz ("Swagger"), V. Benefield ("Cook"), Olive Nixon ("Ruination"), and E. Greenlees ("Topsy"). The Sisters are grateful to many town and country friends who donated giftsgoods and produce.

Father O’Sullivan, of the Society of African Missions of Lyons, preached morning and evening in St. Mary’s Church, and lectured in His Majesty’s Theatre on Sunday last. The church addresses and the pictures shown in the theatre dealt chiefly with the marvellous results obtained by the Society’s priests and Sisters in British West Africa, on the Gold Coast, at Lagos and in Benin, and in the basin of the Niger River. These regions constitute the bulk of British West African territory, and owe their cathedral churches, -their numerous and in many cases flourishing missions, their orphanages, hospitals, dispensaries, and schools solely and exclusively to the Society of African Missions of Lyons and to its missionaries. Bishop Hummel, of the Gold Coast —only one of nine quasi-dioceses counts nearly 50,000 native Catholics in his diocese, and when the Appolonien and Ashantee tribes who seek admismission en masse into the Church, have been sufficiently instructed for baptism, the native Catholic population of Bishop Hummel’s Vicariate will be far on its way to 100,000 souls. The significance of these figures will be appreciated when it is known that 70 years ago the British West Africa now evangelised by the Lyons missionaries was absolutely devoid of Catholic Christianity. The climate had long been known as the deadliest in the world to the white man, and had combined with three centuries of the t-ra Atlantic slave trade to render the evangelisation of the Guinea Coast to all human seeming a task of hopeless impossibility. To-day that impossibility has yielded place to the creation of nine quasi-dioceses and to a vast extent of the Master’s vineyard dotted over with missions a. 4 well as with the graves of the devoted priests and nuns of the Society of African Missions, who had given their labors and their lives to found them. Father O’Sullivan’s lecture system excludes all collections in connection with church services or at the homes of the people, and all previous selling ol lecture tickets. The admission to his lectures is tree, and the members of the audience equally free to make any offerings they may choose. Rev. Father McGrath, S.M., of St. Mary’s Church, , introduced Father O Sullivan to an audience which filled the ground floor of the theatre, and in eulogising the great work accomplished by the Fathers of the African Missions Society, laid especial emphasis on the fact that the work had been accomplished throughout the bulk of-' British West African territory or Protectorate, where it combined the Preaching of the Gospel with the teaching of the English language.

Miss Rubie Curran’s wedding last week created more than passing interest. St. Mary’s has never been as packed on any previous .occasion, and it was difficult to make one’s way along the footpaths or in the churchyard. The interest was natural enough, too, for the bride, on account of her great, musical ability, came before the public even as a child. As she grow up, study-

ing all the while to achieve more and more with her beloved music, Rubie seemed part and parcel of every musical undertaking of any' importance. Church functions, choir work, school concerts, public entertainments, in fact anything and everything which called for ability and patience to carry it through, seemed to depend on Rubio’s assistance. Hence, many were the good wishes and valuable gifts she received. Her bridal veil was the gift of the Sisters and Ava’s embroidered by them, and the exquisite stitchery on the bridal gown was the gift of a girl friend. Also she received from the Sisters a beautiful white prayer-book, and from the members of St. Mary’s Choir a gold-mounted rosary. The bridegroom, by the way, is Mr. John T. Montague, of Mata Mata, near Te Aroha, and in that district the family is well-known. Mr. and Mrs. Montague are tripping in the South Island before settling in their home at Mata Mata.

Napier (From our own correspondent.) July 5. Rev. Father Van Beek, pastor of Tolago Bay, spent a day or two in Napier during the past week, and paid a visit to the St. Joseph's Maori Girls' College here. Rev. Father Campbell, S.M., has left for Christchurch to undergo treatment at Lewisham Hospital. Mrs. J. Kenny and her daughters, Misses D. and E. Kenny, will be returning shortly after a tour of Australia, which included visits to Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide.

The euchre, social hold last night under the auspices of the Children of Mary was a great success, about £2O being realised for parochial purposes.

The death occurred on the 3rd inst., after a long illness, of Kenneth McKenzie, a lad of 15 years of age, who was very popular. The funeral, which took place to-day, was attended by the boys of the Technical School, some 300 strong, who were drawn up in front of St. Patirck’s Church, under the director, Mr. Newton. Six of the senior pupils acted as pall-bearers, in common with the Marist Brothers’ Old Boys, who were also present in strong force. Rev. Father Tymons, S.M., officiated at the graveside. Sincere sympathy is extended to the parents of deceased in their bereavement.—R.T.P.