Wanganui

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 7, 18 February 1925, Page 27

Wanganui

(From our own correspondent.) We started the year with Retreats, the men’s being held from the 16th January to the 19th. Rev. Father Vincent, Marist Missioner, being Father in charge. The Retreat was successful in every way, as the men entered most earnestly into the various exercises and were all sorry when the short season came to an end. There really is not overmuch time, in this workaday world, to seek the peace and solitude so essential, and here it is that a Retreat comes to the assistance of the tired individual. All preliminary arrangements were attended to by the members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, with the Rev. Father Mahony as chairman, and they were helped also by members of the Hibernian Society. Provision was made for the living-in of the Retreatants at St. Joseph’s School and the Villa Maria. Cubicles and stretchers were set up, the larder and its requirements were seen to, because, alas! no “Manna” falls in Wanganui, at least were not rated for it yet. Father Mahony helped and .furthered the Retreat in every way and Father Vincent was tireless in his endeavors to give the men all the instruction and personal help during the days which sped along so fast. The Retreatants desire to thank Rev. Father Mahony, Rector, for his deep interest in the work. Also Mesdames Richardson and Coxon, who attended to the refectory and enhanced their already wonderful reputation for “mothering.” Also the Misses Rita Marshal! and Maisie Burr

for playing the organ during the evening exercises.

St. Mary s Children of Mary went into Retreat next, for three days, and were followed by the Aramoho girls, who finished the week. The members of both sodalities made a very big effort to attend all the exercises, but with them, as with Martha of old, it was business as usual through the working day. The Aramoho sodality had Sunday in their days, so it was made Our Lady’s special, and at night a very beautiful procession was one of the features. The statue was carried round the church, being preceded by six little girls each holding a sheaf of white blooms tied with pale blue stiearners. Both Retreats were brought to an end with a, general communion and the Papal Blessing imparted by Father Vincent. Ihe senior boys were to have gone into Retreat, on the same lines as the men, but when the infantile paralysis made its appearance here, it was thought wiser not to risk the boys congregating for even a few days. So, the Retreat had to be ruled out this time. The epidemic is causing great anxiety, we here in Wanganui being rather badly afflicted. Fortunately it is not travelling so fast as the influenza did, and all precautionary measures are being taken. It is quite a change to hear the children playing games in their own gardens and back-yards, almost a lost art. It’s a. good thing, too, that we didn't buy all those expensive parks a few months ago (did you know that we turned down a whole basketful of loans?) They (the parks) wouldn’t have been taken out of their parcels even this summer, if we had them.

Congratulations to Pat Matthews, but yesterday a Marist schoolboy. The big swim of the season, the, “Bridge to Bridge” race was got through on Saturday afternoon, a big crowd watching. Sixteen competitors started and ten finished, including the only lady starter. Fifty yards before the finish it was most exciting. Matthews and Boulton, with only five yards between them, had it to themselves, Bylands was third, Quirk and Grotty fourth and fifth. Thirty yards from the judges Matthews struck out in splendid style, winning by eight yards, and having done the long course of all but three and a half miles, in 42rain 59sec. Matthews, who is about seventeen, is a fine swimmer who trained well. He is a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Dowdall, of St. Mary’s parish. His name goes on the “Sunlight Gup” as holder for 1925. Quirk and Grotty are our boys also.

We were very pleased to get our own three Fathers returned safely to us after their Retreat. Rev. Father Hickson has gone for a month’s holiday to Queensland. Rev. Dr. Casey, who watched over us while the others were away, has gone again. Rev. Father Regrief is relieving here just now.

A visitor during this holiday time was Brother Edmund, who was stationed in Wanganui some 29 years ago when the Marist Brothers first came here. Brother Edmund spent Christmas and New Year with Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Burton, Guyton Street, and while here renewed the acquaintance of many old friends. Mrs. Craig, of Gonville, gave a musical evening, to enable a great many of Brother Edmund’s old friends and pupils to meet him, and it was a most enjoyable gathering. Brother Edmund has his headquarters at the Marist College, Randwick, Australia, and is really canvassing for funds to build a new novitiate over there, but his visit to New Zealand is almost a holiday one, and he has been round the members of his family, Mrs. Burton here being a sister. While in Auckland he had the pleasure of meeting his aunt, Mother Veronica of the Sisters of the Missions.