ROTORUA NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 5, 4 February 1925, Page 49

ROTORUA NOTES

(From our own Correspondent.) January 26. Sunday, December 28, was a day of special note in te history of the Catholic Church in Rotorua, in as much as it marked the steady growth of Catholicism in that district, lor on that day the new St. Michael’s Convent School was opened and blessed by the Right Rev, Ur. Cleary. For the past thirty years Dean Lightheart has administered to his flock at Ohinemutu on the shores of the lake, but the growth of residential area towards Whakarewarewa necessitated further provision being made for parishioners in that direction. The building, claimed to be one of the finest Catholic schools in the Do-* minion, is built on four acres (freehold*;, contains six. spacious class-rooms, two teachers rooms and large central hall, and is built of reinforced concrete, rough-cast outside. A new convent is shortly to-be erected on an adjoining property. His Lordship was presented with a gold key on behalf of the contractors (Messrs. Geany and Clark) by Dean Lightheart. The Bishop addressed the gathering in English and Maori. Several Maori chiefs responded. The Arawa Trust Board donated £IOO towards the new building, and an additional £IOO had been raised by means of fortnightly card parties and dances. A debt of about £BOO still remains. In the morning his Lordship administered Confirmation to about 50 candidate, a goodly number being adult Maori parishioners. In the evening a most interesting and instructive sermon was preached by Father Gondringer, of Auckland, who took for his subject “Faith of Our Fathers living still in spite of Dungeon, Fire, and Sword.” He took his congregation in spirit to the great devotional gatherings he had witnessed in Egypt, Rome, France (a visit to Lourdes), America, Germany, Holland, England, Ireland, and Scotland. The following two or three days the Bishop spent in visiting Rotoiti, Murupara, and Taupo districts where Confirmation was administered. Miss Cora Moore, who has been organist at St. Michael’s for the past five years, has returned after a month’s holiday spent motoring round Auckland, Wellington, and Hastings. - The first of a series of fortnightly card parties for 1925 was held in “Dixieland” last Monday. It is hoped that a substantial

cheque will result from these card tournaments this year, which will go towards the debt on the new convent school. The ladies’ first prize was won (by Miss Cora Moore; the consolation prize going to Mrs. Collide. The gents’ first prize was. won by Master Pennington; the consolation prize going to Mrs. Skelton who played argent’s hand. The card tournament was played on the stage while the body of the hall was reserved for dancing, Mr. Gibb’s orchestra supplying very spirited music; the Monte Carlo prize being won by Miss R. McKinder and Mr. N. Blake. <*>