GROWTH OF THE PARISH

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 December 1928, Page 8

GROWTH OF THE PARISH

WORK OP THE LATE MONSIGNOR POWER.

St. Joseph’s Church in Hawera celebrated its jubilee in 1925. The sketch of the work of the Catholic Church in the district prepared then by the late Very Rev. Mousignor P. J. Power showed the remarkable development and growth of the work of that Church in Taranaki, ancl specially marked the work of the Hawera Parish, with the history of which Monsignor was so closely associated for a period of nearly thirty years. The parish was founded in January, 1875, with Father Pertius in charge, beginning in a very humble way. A small cottage moved from the Waihi cemetery formed a combined church and presbytery. But his energy soon effected an advance, and he was able to build a beautiful little Gothic j cliurch, a forerunner in a humble way of the magnificent edifice of to-day. In a few months he opened the first Catholic school, and one of the first teachers was Miss Guerin afterwards Mrs. A. J. Whittaker. He was followed by Father Ryan in 1878, Dean Grogan in 1879, and Father Mulvihill in 1884, who was in charge until, in 1898, Father P. J. Power was appointed Perpetual Priest of the Parish. The work flourished and spread under the two last-mentioned, F'ather Mulvihill building a new church in 1887. This was enlarged later under Father Power, and has done duty until the present time. Father Power, later Right Rev. Monsignor, came to Hawera in May, 1898. He at once began a policy of expansion, securing extra land, and by bis energy and enthusiasm being enabled’ to secure the erection of further school and convent buildings and presbytery, the climax of these building schemes being the fine stucco school, a work always very close to his heart. He had then the whole district from the south ljoundary of Hawera right across to Manai'a, Okaiawa, Kapuiii, Eltham,’ and Kaponga, and in succession churches and convents were built at these centres, and in the course of years the areas were made separate parishes.

In ]9l(j tiie idea of a fine new church lor Hawera was mooted, and the work of collection for its erection began and has continued ever since. Mons'ignor Power lias recorded in his “History of the Parish” that the idea came from a parishioner, Mr Thomas La-very, who opened the subscription list with a donation of £IOO. Various schemes 1 were -mooted' for raising money, and an objective of £25,000 was set before the parish. The work went on. Monsignor Power making that one of tiie great aims of his life" He pursued it with the generous aid of parishioners and the energetic assistance of hundreds of workers, and at length sufficient was in hand to justify the drawing of plans and the preliminary work on the proposed new church. Unfortunately, Monsigmor Power was not permitted to see the work brought to fruition. In October, 1927, he was stricken down with a mortal illness, but despite this he took an active part right to the end of his life, and he had the great satisfaction before he died of signing the contract for the erection of the building and of ; seeing a tender accepted.