The Church in New Zealand

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 16, 6 May 1925, Page 19

The Church in New Zealand

THE ARCHDIOCESE OF WELLINGTON A Link With the Past A Wellingon correspondent, writing on April 28, 1917, stated:—" Extensive alterations are being effected in the old Marist Brothers' School in Boulcott Stree, which is now being utilised as a convent school for girls. It is the oldest Catholic school in Wellington, being opened by the Marist Brothers under the direction of the late Rev. Brother Sigismund over forty years ago. Possessing a towel of some height, it was in the first days of its existen -e a landmark, occupying a prominent position on Clay Point Hill, a name familiar to the early residents before the area beneath was reclaimed from the waters of the harbor. The tower was then utilised by the municipal authorities .for; fire signals. Up to the time St. Patrick's College was opened it was also a boarding school. The timbers are in a wonderful state of preservation, and experts have expressed the opinion that with the renovations proposed the building will last for many years. This will please many- of the old boys and residents, as the old building recalls to them many pleasant memories, being the centre of Catholicity in the early days and the scene of many a meeting and Catholic entertainment. The renovations are being carried out by day labor under the direction of the Rev. Father S. Mahony, S.M., an old boy of St. Mary's parish, and now its rector." Wellington's Pioneer Marist Brothers On September 4, 1918, Mr, F. J. Oakes visited the Marist Brothers' School, Newtown, Wellington, to present the institution with a very handsomely-framed selection of enlarged photos including that of Brother Sigismund, the" first Director, who ruled from

: IN THE 'SEVENTIES AND AFTER 1876 to 1888. There were also unveiled the photos of Brother Mark (1889 to 1904), Brother Paul (1904 to 1907), Brother Justin (1907 to 1912), Brother Basil, (1912 to 1916), and the then present Director, Brother Egbert. Brother Justin was Director for three years at Boulcott Street, and continued in the position for two years after the school was transferred to its present position at Newtown. , Mr. Oakes gave the boys a very interesting account of his school ..experiences, relating the. various stages in the School's growth. When the Brothers first started .in 1876, the Senior Department was taught in the old School which was situated on, the site now occupied by St. Mary's Presbytery, Boulcott Street, and the Junior. Department, under Brother Papinien, was carried on in a School situated near . the present girls' School in Guildford Terrace. , It is interesting to note that Fathers Hurley and O'Connor, \ then both attached to St. Joseph's Church, Wellington, are the sons of the Catholic Schoolmasters whom the Brothers succeeded in Wellington and Christchurch. After a few years the whole f School was transferred to the (then) newly erected School building in Boulcott. Street. - f ~,;-/• ? ; ;\. ■ Mr. Oakes spoke of the gratitude which the Old Boys' felt towards the Brothers who had devoted their lives to the spiritual and temporal needs of their boys, and expressed the hope that the present boys would do even greater credit to their teachers. ...-;< It is worthy of note that the Marist Brothers' School mentioned above is the.- third oldest ,establishment of • the Brothers: in Australasia, being preceded only by St. Patrick's in Sydney, and St. Patrick's, Parramatta. ..

An Histpric Site -i :< ‘ rr "VUMOji TO i jih‘: •••i;v v imm, correspondent writing a few years ago rßtatedf-*-—“An .historic* building in tile ’ annals -4$ Catholicism in Wellington 1 is■ at ' present |pMppearing in r Hie 'demolition of St. Patrick’s Hall in Ronlcott t Street, .for many years the : meeting-place of Catholic bed ill Wellington Central. This building, which is being ; removed l in order I 'to clear the site for ' the new - St. \ Mary of the Angels’ Church, Was erected in the early ’eighties as a presbvtory to the parish church, then presided' over by the late r Rev. Father Kerrigan. It was so used until the new presbytery was erected bn the same block, but hi r little higher up d Boulcott ; Street. ■ When that building was ;i erected the old presbytery was used as a i, Sunday School and for the holding of parish r , meetings and, social functions, and served its purpose | well. .. . ' .The church,' which has s so . lately , disappeared, was built of timber between ' forty and fifty years ago from a design v by Mr ; ,,Clayton, Sir Julius Vogel’s father-in-law, and at the time the first Government architect, Mr.. Clayton was a man of considerably taste, but. unfortunately his work was chiefly in wood and not much of it remains. The Government Building, contaming the Departmental offices, is the clnef. • The , church, however, - under, notice miTl K• f Mr - C,ayt ° nS hands, was a -t model building cruciform in plan, and having a tower and spire at the intersection of the nave i and . transepts. In style it was •S ft' inasmuch as the windows were lancet-headed and the general proportions were , what might have been expected of a - thirteenth century architect to have adopted tod he been building at the present day, and 'with the materials at Mr. Clayton’s disposal

Unmoral !■■■,•> OPUNAKE. The moon looks down on the mountain bilent over the sea, And a host of faint, far voices Seem whispering to me. . ■' ■' ,' - Somewhere in the bygone ages The heart of the mountain broke, And the face of* the moon was hidden -<;:ilnaa< veil of fire' and smoke. '■ A hundred rivers murmuring " , Go;down to t their ' ocean graves, In beds that were ploughed by. the lava : 3: Long . cooled .by . the ' restless waves. ■-;:i?}£ ifivslj ■>■..!';;-. :r :;: .';!•■ r; .1 ■ -t ■ a' r-sail:t .fjitC* j/uN*/.' :■ .ir'■-.:;.( -•': ' ;■-'••.;;'• '.:; -. '; The ghosts of primeval .forests ...... . • ' f jEteep guard above the plain,. ', . And'the night winds . passing through them Are 'tremulous' with pain. sJjJi.\i £•?-•< :'-':--iqir-f';l-f-- ■; • y-v |. :r ■ '■..'■ .. hi.r> <.;■ The moon looks down on the mountain,; ; ~ ,Now clad in a shroud of snow, ', jPor the fires of the dead, volcano ;,;,.; I i Have long since ceased to glow., I cannotj number the* ages ?m\y sar•.-!•:■:.' , The moon has seen go by,-> ;,/fj. oj imiiff But t it seems that the > voices tell me / ; ■.]-,■ x ->. . How soon we- all must die. ; ot . >■• ■' ;_;■■•-•:/."*..:!• " —J.K.