A FORMER RECTOR

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 11

A FORMER RECTOR

CEREMONY AT GRAVE

. (Special to the "Evening Pott.") CHRISTCHURCH; April 26. A Christchurch ceremony as part of the jubilee celebrations ,of St. Patrick's College, Wellington, was performed at the Waimairi Cemetery this afternoon, when old boys of the college laid a wreath on the grave of a former famous rector of the college, the Very Rev. Father T. A. Gilbert, S.M. ' There was a good attendance of old boys, including several priests who were old boys of the college, and the prefects of St. Bede's College, of which Father Gilbert was rector from .the beginning of 1929 until his death in November, 1930. Prayers at the graveside were read by the Rev. Father J. Spillane, S.M., and the other priests present were the Rev. Fathers M. J. Bourke^ S.M., M. Dowling, S.M., G. O'Meeghan, and, Kilgour. The wreath was formally laid by Mr. James Bqurke, of Christchurch, a former Head prefect of the college, who was the last layman to speak to Father Gilbert before his death, and who was a pall-bearer at his funeral. In a brief address, Father Spillane said that it was not necessary for him to remind old boys of the work that Father Gilbert, had done for St. Patrick's. Of all the masters that had ever been 'there Father Gilbert had 'been perhaps the .greatest/and his work'>for the college would nofrbe forgotten." It, was only fitting that old boys should find time during the jubilee celebrations to pay a tribute to the memory of their honoured dead, from whose work had come the eminence which the college had attained in Roman Catholic education. He would ask all old boys to join with him-in prayers for the repose of the soul of one so loved and revered by all old boys. ■■■■•■•'■'.' After the reading of the prayers, in which all present joined in the responses, Father Spillane then called on Mr/Bourke to lay the wreath on behalf of old boys of the college.