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 Mt. St. Mary’s, Greenmeadows. Sun. 30th Aug. ‘70 Dear Mum & Dad, Well, I’ve got some good news! Which is also bad news depending how you look at it. It concerns holidays. There has been a change. Previously you had 4 weeks holiday at the end of your 3rd year, & another 4 weeks holiday at the end of your 5th year. Now you get a holiday also at the end of your 4th year. BUT – the time length for the new holidays are shorter. You get 3 weeks at the end of your 3rd, 4th, & 5th year. The idea was, not to increase ones holiday home in length, but to increase the frequency. Although, looking at it now, it seems a bit disappointing only being able to have 3 weeks at home, I’m sure we’ll be grateful for it this time next year, when I can look forward to an extra holiday home. So it’s bad news which is also good! Our cat “Richardson” was found dead in the bush. It may have eaten some poison. The weather is beginning to be fine again after quite a few days of rain. Today we had about 30 pupils from St. Pat’s Town here for dinner. They are staying at our Camp at Waimarama for a week during the August holidays. Mrs. O’Hagan cooks for them. I met her for the 1st time today. Remember? She used to correct our Correspondence Christin Doctrine. There are quite a few changes of jobs to come about at the end of this year - in the S.M. that is. The ones out so far – that I know of are:- Fr Arbuckle – Seminary, New Guinea. Fr. Roach – (now at Rome) – Seminary here. Fr. Wysocki – 1st Rector of Pompallier College in Whangarei (I think – but I’m not sure – that he was one of the Polish children brought out in the war, like Mr. Tony Sarniack-Thomson.) Fr. Connolly – Novice Master & Superior at ‘Highden’. Br. Sylvestor – procurator at Pompallier College. Rumour has it, that Fr. Bennett may also be going to Pompallier College. (They always have the best men when they are starting a new college). Other posts to be filled are:- New Provincial (Fr. Bourke finishes this year). New Rector Seminary (Fr. Mannix finishes this year). New Rector St Pat’s Wlgtn. (Fr. Minto finishes this year). New Rector Paorangi (I think Fr. Delaney finishes this year). Fr. Beban at Futuna also finishing this year, & Fr. Bradley will be the new superior at Futuna. So as you can imagine – rumours are running wild in all directions. Retiring Rectors normally have to have a year or two as not superior of another house, before they can be reappointed anywhere. So it looks like there are going to be some new faces in the jobs. The 2nd Session of the Marist General Chapter begins in Rome tomorrow. Frs. Bourke & Connelly left several weeks ago. Fr. Bernard O’Brien – N.Z.’s 3rd delegate – was appointed on the staff of General House, so he was over there already. Well, I think that that’s about all the news. Love from Bruce |