Commonwealth Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 32, 26 August 1925, Page 41

Commonwealth Notes

:: NEW SOUTH WALES. ’ . . , . l. ■ ■ ■■ :.■ ■. ■ .... America, and Australia (says the Catholic press for August ,7) united on Sunday morning in honoring the Catholic soldiers and sailors of the two nations, who gave their lives for a < great ideal during the late , War —and the union • was rendered • perfect ( by the universality, of Mother Church, by the bond of a common faith and by the possession ‘ of , a proud conception of the immensity of ■the sacrifice made. The occasion was. the' celebration of a Solemn High Mass at S 4. Mary’s Cathedral Field Mass, generally restricted to troops on a. live service, dr celebrated in naval or military establ’si n nuswhen cetach meets from die, visiting squadron ’ and from the Australian Navy assisted. The ceremony was unique in the history of St. Mary’s, a history already rich with the incidents of the triumphal progress of Catholicity in Australia. To the thousands .of worshippers who thronged tho Cathedral, even to the point of filling the,aisles and crowding 4:, the approaches, it was a. surprise to see imC mediately before the sanctuary a fully-armed detachment of marines, blue-coated, ami ? with, their white caps visible from any porition of the fane, with grounded rifles in the • position of attention. They were the guard always afforded the Blessed Sacrament at the Field Mass. Before them, with sword unsheathed, stood their officer-in-charge,Ell--1, sign S. T. Me Adam, of the U.S.S. West i Virginia. Seated behind them were the | petty officers and men of the visiting battlers ships, and of the Australian naval quota. It was strange to hear, as the priests came on |to - the altar, the rattle of rifles, when the \marines came to the position of presenting 4rms; the movement was repeated at the J;Gospel, and at the “Agnus Dei.” Stranger f than all it was to hear the Cathedral rer verberate ,to the detonation of rifles at the | Elevation of the Host, when, at a quietly given word of command, eight rifles were maimed at the roof of the edifice, and three ■ volleys were fired, each synchronising ‘ with the striking of the chime that notifies the faithful of the coming of the Lord. The effect was astonishing. Like the roll of thunder, the first detonation filled the edifice | with sound,- diminishing and dying away as it found its egress into the outer air; the second came swiftly after, mingling its first ; fury with the dying note of its predecessor; the third seemed to join the great chorus as the sound of a great Hallelulia— expression of joy unrestrained at the coming . of One who had made the Greatest Sacrifice of all. The silence after the last echo had’ • died was almost tangible. A solemn stillness . descended on the congregation. It was the I time of adoration and of remembrance. The effect was heightened when, at the conclusion of the Mass, a marine bugler, advancing with the precision of the parade ground, ascended the sanctuary steps, and facing the congregation, sounded '“Taps,” the American equiva- , x C ■ trr , J ~ H lent of our “Last Post.” The two trumpet If calls differ considerably, and one is inclined 'l* to think the American call the more effective ft•■■ j ■ . ■

Subsequently, an American officer stated that; • 'li i,: • * *■"* ?. ■'-' .- ■->.:'. , . -.: t •', -■-■ ... in all his naval, experience, he had never heard the call sounded so well. It was eerie, and had a queer, sobbing note that seemed to convey at once a feeling of desolation at bereavement as it rose in a crescendo of triumph, and faded away into a long-drawn wail. The Mass was over, and America and Australia had remembered their dead where remembrance is best. - ■ , ■ . ' • ' , OtMVOOOO I VICTORIA. His Lordship the Bishop of Sandhurst, the Right Rev. Dr. McCarthy, speaking at Captain McCullagh’s lecture in Qf&eii’s Hall, said: — ‘‘I have been profoundly interested in the lecture given by Captain McCullagh on the problems' of the Pacific, and ho has put matters before us that demand weighty consideration. 1 hope our politicians will carefully note what he has said.” A Xavier College student, William Butchart, was killed at the Barker railway station on Thursday, July 30. He attempted to board a moving electric train, and fell between the carriage and platform. His mother on receiving the tragic news collapsed. and died a. few hours later. The double funeral was largely attended, and the rector and priests of Xavier College headed the cortege. At the Fawkner Cemetery gates the prefects and scholars of Xavier College and Trinity Grammar School were drawn, up. QUEENSLAND. On a leceut Sunday evening a pleasant function took place at St. Joseph’s College, Nudgee, when Mr. J. E. Barry, 8.A., Queensland’s Rhodes Scholar for 1925, was farewelled by his Alma Mater. Advantage was taken of the occasion to present Mr. Barry, on behalf of the college, with a handsome solid leather suit case. The Feast of St. Ignatius (July 31) was observed with special solemnity by the Jesuit Fathers at Toowong. A dinner was given in the presbytery, at which his Grace the Archbishop and a number of the city clergy were present as guests of the Fathers. After the dinner the party were entertained by the convent children in the local school. The entertainment was a very novel one, and included a display of physical culture: by the pupils, under the supervision and direction of a very capable professor, Mr. Rickets. At the conclusion of the display, Rev. Father R. J. Murphy, SMT, thanked his Grace, the clergy, and the parishioners for their ( attendance on the occasion, which was an expression of their esteem and regard for St. Ignatius, the great founder .of tl ? Society of Jesus. His Grace the Arcltbfshop, Monsignor Byrne, V.G., and Very Rev. DearLee suitably replied. At' 9.30 on Sunday morning ( a. Missa Cantata, at which his Grice the Archbishop': presided, ' was celebrated by the- Rev. Father R. J. Murphy,. S.J. The choir, under the conductorship of Mr. C. Chester, rendered the music of the Mass. an a ii • l , ‘ ' , ' The Archbishop preached an impressive ser-

mou. on -the Gospel of .the day. -. In the*-, evening Rev. Father O’Leary, S.M., preached an excellent panegyric of St.' Ignatius. The annual ball in aid of the Mater Mis- ■ ericordiao Public Hospital was held in the . Trocadero the other Wednesday night (writes the Brisbane correspondent of the Catholic Press), ana was a most pronounced success. y The popularity of the Mater Hospital may 1 well be judged by the crowded attendance,’ there being over 700" present. The very efficient committee of ladies who organised the ball are to be congratulated on their efforts, the result of which should mean a big amount to the - funds. The ball is regarded as the social event of the year, and with good reason ; for nothing approaching it takes place in the social life of our city. . The 'decorations of the hall were on a magnificent scale the music was specially select, and the supper was also high class. Sixteen debutantes, all : arrayed in picturesque attire, were presentedto the Governor, Sir Matthew Nathan, and they were much admired as they passed in review to be admitted to the social life of the community by his Excellency. ‘tVCMKVOOO SOUTH AUSTRALIA. The Rev. Father P. E. McCabe, of Pekina, whose death occurred recently, was in his 39th year. He was born at Jamestown, : where his parents lived for many years. 1 - He received his education at the Christian Brothers’ College, Adelaide, and subsequently at the Propaganda College, Rome, where he was ordained for the priesthood. On his return to South Australia he was stationed at Pekina, Renmark, Port Augusta, and Port Pirie, and was extremely popular with all classes of the community. When war broke out Father McCabe was ; one of the . first to offer his services as military chaplain, ‘and he saw a great deal of active service in ranee, where he was attached to various units, including the 4th Field Artillery. . v He returned to Australia in July,. 1918, owing to ill-health, and was an , inmate of the Lewisham Hospital, Sydney; for some time as a result of his experiences, at the front. He was subsequently appointed to Pekina, and, although able to attend to his duties, ho had been in indifferent health for some .time. His father, a brother, and two sisters survive him. ' ~ -Vjr: "'■''l'-