OBITUARY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 88, 14 April 1930, Page 13

OBITUARY

MONSIGNOR M'KENNA

At seventy years of age, tho Bight fiev. Monsignor John M'Kenna passed away.last night at St. Patrick's Presbytery, Masterton, after a long illness. He was for many years a well-known and well-beloved figure in the AVairarapa district, having been appointed to minister to the spiritual needs of St. Patrick's Parish, Mastertou, in the late eighties of last century. Monsignor M'Kenna was born in Ncwpark, County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1800, being the son of Patrick M'Kenna and Margaret M'Kenna (nee Wallace), and was educated at Knocktoplier Seminary and St. John's College, Watorford. He was ordained priest on 11th March, ISB3, and arrived in New Zealand in June of that year to be assistant priest at St. Mary's Cathedral, Wellington. He went for a time to Kangiora as assistant priest, but afterwards returned to Wellington. He was appointed to tako charge of St. Patrick's Parish, Masterton, in November, 1887, becoming dean in 1899 and VicarGeneral of the Archdiocese in 1913. By Papal letter, under the seal of Popo Benedict XV., he was in February, 1913, raised to the dignity of Domestic Prelate, with the title of Monsignor.

Ho took a keen interest hi educational matters and in tbe public life of the Wairarapa, being for several years a member of the old Hospital Board, Masterton, and serving for a term on the Technical School Board. He was a member of the Masterton, Agricultural and Pastoral Association for no less than 36 years. Always greatly interested in sports of all kinds, he was ■president and later patron of the Masterton Tennis Club, and also patron of the Masterton Eugby Union.' From 1901, he was hon. chaplain, with the rank of captain, ,of the Masterton Mounted Eifles; while during the Great Wai' he served as major and senior Roman-Catholic chaplain. He was the. holder of a twelve years' Territorial service medal, and, of Colonial Auxiliary Forces medal for long and efficient service. ■'

Jfn 1927 the completion of Monsignor M'Kenna's forty years of continuous service as .parish, priest at Masterton was marked by special -service's at St. Patrick's Church, and by, the erection in his honour of a new convent school. Preaching at the morning servicfe on that occasion, the Eev. leather Kelly referred to the wonderful manner in which Monsignor M'Kenna had nurtured the infant ' parish of forty years before through the trying, initial stages of its development until that day, thanks to his untiring efforts, Masterton boasted a parish equal in si?e to any country, parish in the Dominion. Preaching at the evening service, Monsignor M'Kenna said that in carrying out the various works connected with the parish he had always met with the greatest encouragement from" the ready manner in which assistance had been forthcoming. ' He knew that to, do this many had made generous sacrifices. Dealing with tho advance the Church had made, he stated that he was filled with thankfulness at the manner in which the district had been blessed. He was grateful for the assistance he had received from the, curates who had been with him during that period, and who had taken with readiness their share of the work in the parish. He was grateful, too, to his people for the loyal support they had. given him, and he thought that at no 'time had they shown more devotedness than in the efforts they had made during the previous eight or nine months to erect free from debt the new school to commemorate tho completion of hia forty years of service.

Solemn Bequeim Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. to-morrow, after which the funeral is to take place. Archbishop Eedwood, Archbishop O'Shea, Dr. Kennedy, Fathers Kelly and Mahony' and as many others as. possible of the Wellington Bomau Catholic clergy will attend the funeral.