Dad with Deacon Goodman
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Dad with Deacon Goodman |
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 Mt. St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 43, Taradale, H.B. 16/11/74. Dear Mum & Dad & Leo, It was tremendous to hear everyone’s voice on the phone on Tuesday night. I’m glad the Mass went so well. Did Fr. Doogan say it? I received you telegram about 2 minutes after you rang, i.e. the written telegram. It was phoned through in the morning, but Bro. Andrew who works in the office all day and was plagued with telegrams on Tuesday, simply took for whom the telegram was for, and generally who it was from. So that he simply told me that I’d got a telegram of congratulations from home. It wasn’t till I got the written telegram that I saw the name of Francie’s & Ron’s boy was included! The ceremony on Tuesday morning (9 a.m.) went very well. 7 Deacons, 1 Acolyte & 10 Lectors were “ordained”. The singing went very well. In the afternoon we had afternoon tea over the way at Maryknoll where SMSM sisters are doing their 2nd Novitiate. The group that are doing their 2nd Novitiate are very old. They finish this week. In the evening we had a blessing of the new breviaries. The new breviaries arrived about 3 days before diaconate ordination after about 10 year’s preparation, so we made it just in time. They are very beautifully made. There are three volumes – one green, one blue & one red. You have to say the breviary every day from diaconate onwards. It’s in English of course! Archbishop Delargey gave the deacons faculties for doing everything that a deacon’s allowed to do. This will last until priestly ordination. That means I can baptise, preach, etc. In regard to baptizing Mat(t)hew Ronald – that would depend on Fr. Doogan, and how long you wished to delay. And on Francie & Ron of course!! I come to Wellington on the bus on Mon. Nov. 25th. Also, if I were to do it, I’d have to arrange it with Fr. Brosnahan of St. Mary of the Angels. He will be our pastoral director while we’re in Wellington. Perhaps if France & Ron want it that way they could make enquiries to Fr. Doogan. But while it would be a thrill to do it, I won’t be put out if I don’t!! We’ve got exams this Monday, Thursday & Friday but they won’t be that difficult. This morning (Sat.) at Mass I preached my first sermon & assisted the priest at Mass. The sermon went alright. In pouring the water & wine out at the offertory I was so nervous that it was like shaking a salt & pepper shaker all over the altar! But everything went very well. I see that Fr. Bonisch will be assisting in the parish for a few weeks. He’s got a beard! He taught me philosophy. This is his first year out of the seminary after teaching philosophy for 20 years. The death of Fr. Ainsworth, as mentioned in the Parish Newsletter, was a great shock to everyone. He died while taking a rest during a mission at Wanganui. Love from Bruce P.S. Fr. Bernard O’Brien S.M. is in the Home of Compassion, Island Bay, dying of cancer. He is a New Zealander, but Assistant to the Superior General, Fr. Dumortier, in Rome. Fr. O’Brien returned to N.Z. at the beginning of the month for a stomach ulcer operation. They found it to be cancer. He has only a couple of weeks to live, but is very happy. Bruce |