BISHOP BRODIE

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 October 1926, Page 4

BISHOP BRODIE

A GREYMOUTH WELCOME. h . ' The .', parishioners of St. Patrick s, Greymouth, extended a welcome Do His Lordshiji, Bishop Brodie, ‘of Christchurch, in St. Columba Hall last Evening, when, notwithstanding the otlier attractions, there wM a good attendance. , Mr H. F. Doogan extended a welcome to Bishop Brodie, and, in doing so stated that the Grejmouffi parishioners fted only one fault to find with’’ the Bishop a®d that w{<s that he did not visit theYJt often enough! If it were possible to have more frequent visits, the parishionet'il cw.Qixld hot only be pleased, but delighted- This could be said of the Bishop: he never came among them with a long face!. In acknowledging the welcome, extended to him, the Bishpp said he did not know what to say to Mr DCogan's “hauling over the cpals!” There were many> calls fl v bishop’s time, an<v though he. .always enjoyed his. visits to the West Coast, he was afraid there would -be some difficulty iri- coming oftener. He had a very tryipg cere-mony-before him on. Saturday, and Sunday-, • -when.-he would, consecrate the new alter in-the chufch. Perhaps theconversazione was for tne. purpose oi putting him in a good hum&pr, before he had to undertake the duty* (Laughter). He had'heard of fjji musical taW on-the West Coast.;/ Quite recently ofl«f of the /Trinity-. : College examiners > bad told him there ivas nothing better to be found anywhere in New Zealand, and he believed it, after the rexcellent .programme which had been presented by the various pet; formers during the evening. .Were hp to express the praise he feit r .item,by item, he would run out of epithets of commendation long before he. reached Hie last. It had been a genuine treat for him. He had closed his.eyes and imagined the instrumentalists were’ matured players, when he found they were really young folk, some of whom were in the primary school. The vocal music had lieen most enjoyable, .and he commended the musicianly ability of the various singers. The whole programme had shown yyhat the standard, of musical culture in Greyin cufh was. Coming back to the new altar, he would confess to them that, whilst at his devotions last evening, his mind had strayed to the altar, new sanctuary floor, the altar rails and stained giass windows, and he found himself estimating their prcbable cost, which he thought must be in the vicinity -of £3OOO. was a- splendid tribute to the liberality, of the congregation of-St. Patrick’s, arid made a W'onderfuj- transformatiqn in th® church. He commended th' 'generous aud devotional spirit pf .the parish. When the late Dean CartW had been in Rome, and was being .shown thebeauties of St. Peter’s, h-i had been credited with . saying : ‘ ‘By ! We have as good in Greymouth ■ ’ The late Dean Qarew had an itodying affection for his parish, and it .looked as if Father Long was vying jvit“ the Dean in his love for the Greymduth people. He deeply appieciated t*i® spirit of the people towards the church 9 the school, and the parish (Applause). During the evening, a musical programme was given, in which the following took partrVocal quartettes, “Hark to the Indian Drums;” “Evening,” Misses Warnes, Adkins, Drake and Coburn; vocal duet. “I Heard a Voice in the Tranquil Night,” Misses Warnes and Adkins; vocal trio, “My Lady, the Countess,” Misses Warnes, Cobjirn and Adkins ; songs, “Sortiewhere a voice is galling, ' Rev. Father Maguire (enpore, - ‘ lr Vale”); “Maire, Rev. Father. O’Meeghan (encore “There’s a cotttage in old Ireland” ; instrumental sextette. “Intermezzo, Misses M. Coburn and Martin, Cehrai Keating, C. Uddstrom, D and G. Fogarty; violin duet ‘Chorus of Hour IS (Schumann), D.'and G. Fogprty; and an instrumental: select’.on, “Spring Greetings,” Misses Martin.and Coburn, Celia Keating, C. Uddstroni, D. arid G. -.Fogarty, and K. Higgins. The latter iteni, Mr Doogan mentioned to the audience in confidence (?), was composed by > Sister Anthony. The accompanists were Misses L. Higgins, K. Knell, and K. Fogarty. At the close of the evening, sumptuous. refreshments were handed round and enjoyed by all present. Among the clergy present were Kev. Fathers Long, Houlihan, Maguire, Finnery (Kuniara) aud O’Meeghan (Ahaura). A pretty incident, during the early part of the evening, was the presentation to Bishop Brodie of a “good luck horseshoe” in flowers, the presentation being made by little Miss Nellie McDonnell. It was announced that the sum ot £l5 10s had been realised by the conversazione.