Diocesan news

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 37, 20 September 1923, Page 26

Diocesan news

ARCHDIOCESE OF-WELLINGTON

(From our own correspondent.)

September 14.

The M. 8.0.13. team won the Debating Championship. We believe a baker's dozen of teams competed. Suas Marists !

Father O'Leary preached an eloquent sermon at Island Bay on Sunday—oh, I forgot Dr. Kelly says that's tautology—they're all eloquent! Well this one really was. Mr. O'Regan has been to the Pioneer Club again—tell them about the League of Nations this time. The Pioneer Club is out for knowledge and it knows where to go for it.

Father Ryan's lecture on Faith-healing at the Catholic Students' Guild was what Father Ryan's lectures always are. We know exactly where the Church stands with regard to J. M. Hickson and Rataua now. There wasn't a dull moment in it, and didn't the audience smile at Father Venning's terse, characteristically torse statement on Ratana — and "on the clients of his In bad buried! Verily, "brevity is the soul of wit," and the apostle of -Jerusalem and the Never-Never has not changed his motto.

"Highden," the new seminary, was opened quietly on the 12th. Bona Bay is weeping because it loses the visits of Father Segrief, who has carried his brightness off to "Highden." St. Pat's will miss him too. We hear he made a great hit at the Samoan reunion, and the men, who had received his tips, pecuniary and spiritual, showed by their applause that they hadn't forgotten him.-

Another feather for Wellington. Guilford Terrace has been distinguishing itself. Congratulations to the Sisters of Mercy ! They must be proud of these results. The Isegg Challenge Shield at the recent Competitions was won by Guilford Terrace with 170 points. The songs were two old airs"Oh Hush Thee, My Baby" and "Come Lassies and Lads." "Remarkably fine!" spake the judge of tin.' winners. We note there was a' Special choir competition for State schools only. Why, oh why ? I leave it to you! But we can afford to be generous. In the Children's Chorus Guilford Terrace came second, and in the Children's Song under twelve it "swept the floor" altogether. In fact the judge said, "These children are so much superior to the others that the audience could have done the judging." He gave them 95 out of 100, a record surely. But wait, there's more! Of Lena Higgins, a pupil of the same school, Mr. Foster said, "Mrs. Foster and I consider that this child has the best voice we have heard either here or in Australia"! There's for you!. And didn't he do right to put his wife into it, too ! * *

"' Mr. Grogan gave a lecture on 'l6 at the Cumann ua nGaedheal, Dominion Farmers' Hall, Featherston Street, and everyone was sorry when he stepped. However, he's going to give us the next instalment on another occasion when we assure him of a welcome. Speaking of the Cumann, the grace that's on it is just becoming known to outsiders. Said - one who saw the display at Kilbirnie: "Well, that's the dancing for me! There's dignity and beauty in it— not like your jazzes, one foot east, one foot west, and the flat of the sole to the floor, as they do it now." The fame of the dancing has gone farther. Father Quealy sends the'Cumann an invitation to come and show Petone how the Irish can dance. .And we have a fiddler

who could coax the feet off you! "Good music! Good floor! Good supper!" said those

who went to the Children of Mary's dance at Island Bay last Saturday. It was a great success.

We see Palmerston North has its eye on Father Connolly. Well he's a good • example! His bazaar prospects are bright. Mrs. Collins's dance was a great success.

Mrs. Dan Burke gave an "at home" for the Marist old boys this week. "At homes" mean a lot of work, both before and especially if the week's wet; but Mrs. Dan never shirks them, and isi well to the fore in every good cause and this is a v good one.

.» v Another fancy dress ball for children—lsland Bay this, time, and wasn't Father Devoy in his element, with aChinaman clinging to his coat-tails and a Negro in theoffing! 'The "grand march" was great, some of the dresses being very picturesque, and the refreshments on the convent lawn made many little mouths glad.

Another item, the last. It's a long list this time, but I can't help it. Wellington is a tornado of energy. Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Brady were the judges at the fancy dress dance held by the St. Joseph's Stall for the bazaar. It was a- great night. Miss O'Brien arranged the grand march, and the judges reached the following decisions:—Most effective, Maureen Glavin (Red Cross nurse); most original, Eileen Glavin (shamrock); prettiest, Elsie Barnett (gypsy); and specials, Unice Marshall and Cecilia Skews. /The most original of the boys was Teddy Glavin (wounded soi£-'.er>. The ovation of the evening (and a prize too) greeted Leo O'Gorman. Quite right too, for he was a Marist footballer in panoply complete. That's all I think, except that the committee worked like Trojans and everyone was satisfied.