NEW PRESBYTERY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 18, 23 January 1939, Page 11

NEW PRESBYTERY

IN LOWER HUTT

, OPENING CEREMONY -..'

The new Roman Catholic presbytery at Lower Hutt was blessed and opened yesterday by the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Connolly, administrator <of the archdiocese of Wellington. There was a large gathering of parishioners and friends, and over' a dozen visiting priests were present.

The Rev. Father Daly, in welcoming Monsignor Connolly, stated that he was a native of Lower Hutt and the first native of Lower Hutt to become a priest. At the time the first presbytery was built in Lower Hutt Monsignor Connolly was a little boy living in Connolly Street, which was. named after his parents. Now that little boy was returning as a prelate to bless and open the second presbytery in the Lower Hutt parish. , .

The completion of this building* marked the second stage in the transfer of the centre of Catholic activities in Lower Hutt from the old site in High Street to the new location in Knight's Road. The first step was the purchase of this property from Mr. John Lynch and the erection of the school. The presbytery building was not entirely new, as it was built partly from the old Lynch family residence known as Bantry Villa.- It had, however, been much enlarged and embellished, and was now an entirely modern fourteen-roomed dwelling. The first presbytery was.built by the Rev. Dean Lane, the architect being Mr. F. I. Haigh, of Wellington. It was completed in October, 1886, and was. an eight-roomed, two-storey building. The contract price was £506 2s 3d, about a seventh of the cost of the new building. ... Father Daly congratulated the architect of the building, Mr. Keith Cook, and the builder,- Mr. D. Daily. The" priests were loath to leave the old home in High Street, but the change had been made, necessary* because; of the sale of the old presbytery to the' Bank of New South Wales. They were, glad, however, to move into a new and up-to-date home, but principally because the move would leave, .the. .way clear for the third and final stage, the erection of a new church near the presbytery. A COMMODIOUS BUILDING. Monsignor Connolly, in declaring the building open, congratulated- the Catholic people of Lower Hutt on the erection of a very fine and commodious building. Although many things had changed in the modern world, one thing had not done so. That was the determination of the Catholic people that the very best should be provided for the work of the Church in their midst. Our Lord had lived in poverty, and the priests were quite willing to follow in His steps, but the Catholic people would never allow their priests to be otherwise than fittingly and properly housed.

The Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr. J. W. Andrews, said that he was pleased to associate himself with the Catholic members of the community on this occasion. He congratulated Monsignor Connolly on the high honour that had come to him.' . .

The Very Rev. Dr. Mcßae said that this was an important year for the Catholics of Wellington and the district, as preparations were being made for the holding of the National Eucharistic Congress in February, 1940, which was to be the Catholic contribution to the Centennial celebrations. It would be attended by a cardinal as Papal Legate. The work done at Lower Hutt would provide a standard in the renovations which would take place in preparation for that occasion. Dr. Mcßae made an appeal for funds for the furnishing of the presbytery.

Father Daly then presented Monsignor Connolly with a memento of the happy and historic occasion. The building was thrown open for inspection, and afternoon tea was provided in the school by a committee consisting of Mesdames Faubell, Cooper, McNamara, Nolan, Gray, E. O'Neill, Wysocki, Posselt, and Leydon, and Misses Hickey, Cooper, K. and A. .Wall, and Redmond.