Diocesan News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 3, 17 January 1924, Page 27

Diocesan News

ARCHDIOCESE OP WELLINGTON (From our own correspondent.) December 11. Mr. Skedden has been appointed' organist at Buckle Street. On Friday next a street day is to be held for the Upper Hutt Orphanage. A generous response is hoped; for. Rev. Father O’Leary, S.M., has returned from giving a Retreat at Nelson, and is again at the Mission House. The Cumann na n-Gaedheal holds its annual picnio on Sunday,at Titahi Bay. The attendance promises to be large. Rev. Father McLoughlin, S.J., has concluded hia Retreat for ladies.at, the Sacred Heart Convent, Island Bay. The attendances were very gratifying. Sympathy is extended to .the.. Gamble family in , the loss of their father, who died last week. Mr., Gamble, was a very old and well respected citizen .of Wellington. Last week the Home of Compassion here . thanked , publicly its benefactors and helpers through the press. It was a goodly list. , - May it be even longer next year! Wellington is indeed , the windy city these days. Was there ever such a windy summer? . One is reminded of a certain historian who, if his charity accounted for the factiousness of Port Nicholson by the high winds.

A word of praise for the St. Joseph’s concert party, under the direction of the energetic secretary (Mr. R. Dwyer). This party gives willingly its talent to assist good causes, and spares no effort to make its entertainments a success. It has had a full year and a busy year and is becoming well-known. The jubilee preparations go on apace. Everything that effort can do is being done by the organiser, and given good weather, the result should satisfy the most captious critic. Among the visiting prelates are: the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishops Kelly,- Duhig, Mannix, Clune, Spence, and Barry, and Bishops O’Connor, McCarthy, O’Farrell, etc. It should be an occasion for New Zealand to remember. A very enjoyable afternoon was spent’ on Saturday, January 5, in the beautiful grounds of the Ewart Hospital, on the occasion of the annual garden party given to the patients by the hospital staff. A number of friends were present, and several of the patients were seated out in the open on the lawn, enjoying musical, elocutionary, and dancing items given by the St. Joseph’s concert party. Several selections were rendered by an orchestra composed of Miss Q. Whiteford, Messrs. F. Dickinson, H. Wilson, R. Campbell, W. Conroy, H. Haimes, and R. S. Dwyer. The following also contributed items:Mrs. Logan, Mrs, Leydon, Misses Q. Whiteford, Phillis McMillan, Zelma Carroll, “Billie” Murphy, Messrs. F. Dickinson, E. B. Reade, F. Whitaker, W. Conroy, and Piper M. Campbell. Mr. H. Wilson made an excellent accompanist, and Mr. R. S. Dwyer was responsible for the arrangements of the concert. Dr. D. M. Wilson, on behalf of the patients and staff, heartily thanked the concert party for their excellent afternoon’s entertainment. ‘ ■ All those who attended the concert and dance on Saturday evening, December 29, at the Paekakariki Hall had no hesitation in declaring it a pronounced success both socially and financially. The programme was provided by St; Joseph’s concert party, each item receiving great applause from the audience, encores being frequent and well deserved. The orchestra, comprising Miss D. Carroll, Messrs. R. Taylor, IT. E. Haimes, R. Campbell, W. Conroy, W. D. Boffa, and R. S. Dwyer, played several selections and the dance music after the concert. Items of varied and novel kind were contributed by Misses A. Flan, P. • McMillan, Zelma Carroll, “Billie” Murphy, Messrs. R. Taylor, E. B. L. Reade, F. Whitaker, W. Conroy, G. Adams, J. Gray, W. Boffa, M. Carroll and the midget Broomfield Brothers in their boxing exhibition. Misses A. and M. White, pupils of Miss P. McMillan, gave a Highland fling. Mr. B. F. Lynch (concert secretary) and his committee deserve great credit for the hard work to ensure success of the evening’s entertainment, the proceeds of which are to augment the funds for the new Catholic Church. On behalf of the committee, Mr. M. Ryan extended special thanks to the artists of. the St. Joseph’s concert party and its secretary (Mr. R. S. Dwyer) for their generous assistance in providing such an excellent entertainment. Mr. L. Murphy acted as stage manager and the accompaniments were played by Miss D. Carroll and Mr. M. Campbell. DEATH OF MR. MICHAEL JAMES McENROE. .• ' There passed away in the early morning of December 29, a very devout and practical Catholic in the person of Mr.' M. J. McEnroe, proprietor of the Masonic Hotel, •Wellington. Deceased, the eldest son of the late Mr. P. McEnroe and Mrs. C. McEnroe, was born at Addison’s Flat, 45 years ago, and received his education at St. Patrick’s College, Wellington. His school-days over he returned to his birthplace and there spent many years of his early life assisting his father in business. Always of a bright and cheerful disposition he made many friends in his youth, and great was their regret when, in 1907, he decided to take up his residence in Wellington. Some nine yeasr- ago he married Nora, daughter .of Mr. and Mrs.- A. Spring, of Ashburton, and the union \|hs blessed with three children boys and a little girl. Possessed of a lively faith he was always to the ‘fore in furthering the interests of Holy Church. “Be ye always prepared” seemed to be always before him, and on the Sunday prior to his last illness he attended Mass at St. Mary of the Angels’ Church, and, together with his wife and eldest son, received Holy Communion, He was then

apparently in the best of health. Shortly afterwards he complained of feeling unwell and thought he had. contracted a chill, nevertheless he continued to conduct his business X* 1 1.. 1 i? J 1 X_ x_i_. x. i- * _ i i /'ll, „:~X „ until ne was iurceu. to time to ms uuui im uuuaimao jjivc?. Medical assistance was summoned but he gradually sank , and passed peacefully away at 12.40 a.m. on the morning of December 29. In his last illness he was attended by the Rev. Father Murphy, who remained at his bedside to the end, and who, with members of his family, was reciting the Litany of the Soul Departing as Mr. McEnroe breathed his last. The interment took place on Monday, December 3. En route to the Karori Cemetery, the cortege entered the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, where Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul was celebrated by the Rev. Father Murphy. The ceremony at the graveside was conducted by the Rev. Father Ainsworth, assisted by the Rev. Father Smyth. The funeral, which consisted of over forty motor cars, evidenced the popularity of the deceased. , In addition to his wife and three children he is survived by his mother, Mrs. C. McEnroe (Wellington), four sisters Mrs. O’Connor (Wanganui), Mrs. Hepburn (Wellington), Miss McEnroe (Wellington), and Miss Teresa McEnroe, at present in Rome pursuing her musical studies, and two brothers Mr. Phil McEnroe (Wellington) and Mr. Pat. McEnroe (Auckland) to all of whom deepest sympathy is extended.R.l.P. <><*>- DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH (From cur own correspondent.) February 11. Rev, Dr. Casey, S.M., Greenmeadows, is at present on a visit to Christchurch. Rev. Father Campbell, C.SS.R., will conduct a Retreat for the diocesan clergy, commencing on the 14th inst. Rev. Father O’Regan, of Greymouth, who has been on a visit to Sydney, will arrive in Christchurch in time to attend the annual Retreat of the clergy. At the meeting of the St. Mary’s branch of the H.A.C.B. Society on Monday evening, the 7th inst., Mr. J. Ormandy was elected president and Mr. Sullivan vicepresident. A lecture will be given in the Caledonian Hall, on January 23, in aid of the Lewisham Hospital funds. The lecture will be given by the Rev. Father Lockington, S.J., Melbourne, on the miracles wrought at Lourdes. Rev. Father Mitchell, C.SS.R., preached at the evening devotions at the Cathedral on Sunday. Rev. Father Higgins, S.M., Greenmeadows, preached a very interesting sermon at St. Mary’s to the men’s branch of the Sacred Heart Confraternity. The recently established brass band of the boys in charge of the Sisters of Nazareth, of St. Joseph’s Home, Middleton, paid a visit to his Lordship the Bishop on New Year’s Eve, and greeted him with some very nice music. The boys are to be congratulated on the success of their band. The celebrations to commemorate the golden jubilee of the Reverend Mother Aloysius as a professed nun of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, were held at St. Joseph’s Convent, Lyttelton, on the Bth inst. Among the visitors were: —His Lordship Bishop Brodie, Rev. Dr. J .A. Kennedy (Hokitika), Rev. Father Mitchell, C.SS.R. (Wellington), and fifteen other priests, also forty nuns of convents of Our. Lady of Mercy, representing Greymouth, Hokitika, and Christchurch, and Sisters of other religious Orders. At 10 a.m. Bishop Brodie celebrated pontifical High Mass at the new altar recently erected, in the chapel as a present to Mother Aloysius from parishioners. The Bishop also preached the occasional sermon, after which the visitors were entertained to dinner by the nuns. In the afternoon Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, during which the Te Deum was sung, was given by Very Rev. Father P. Cooney, in the absence of the Bishop (who left to attend the funeral of a nun). The Reverend Mother Aloysius was the recipient of numerous letters and telegrams of congratulations from ex-pupils, parishioners, and friends, She also received a five-tier jubilee cake from an old ex-pupil, Mr. Bursell, of Ashburton.