ARCHDEACON DEVOY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10508, 9 February 1920, Page 3

ARCHDEACON DEVOY

POPULAR PRIEST FAREWELLED

There ■was a large and representative gathering at St. Anne’s Hall, Newtown, last week, to bid farewell to the most-esteemed and popular pastor, the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy, S.M., who has presided over the destinies of the Wellington South District for the past twelve years.

(Mr J. E. Gamble presided, and- there were also present the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, the Roy. -bathers Mangan, C.S.S.R., S. Mahony, S.M., Kimbeli, SAL, Dignan, SAL, Connolly, J. Campbell, S.M., JD, ...Campbell, ..SAL,. M. Devoy, SAL Apologies were received from the R-ev. Lathers Hurley, S.M., Smyth, S.M., and Fitzgibbon. The chairman voiced the deep regret of the parishioners at the departure of their parish priest and his esteemed assistants, Rev. Fathers Kijnbell, D. Campbell, and M. Devoy. He, paid a tribute ,to the pioneer work of the Marist Fathers, who blazed the track and founded missions which they administered with zeal and devotednoss. Archdeacon Devoy was one of those pioneers, and the progress of the Church in Wellington'was .a monument to his energy, capability, and true Catholic spirit. On behalf of the parishioners he read an,, address and presented a substantial cheque as a small token of the esteem and regard in which he is held, and wished him every happiness in his new parish. Archdeacon Devoy, in responding, was most enthusiastically received. He regretted very much - his . departure from amongst the, people of Newtown, where he had spent many happy years. It was very hard for a pastor to separate himself from a devoted flock. Ho was getting on in years, and as he had had a most strenuous life, his new parish of Island Bay would not cause him much worry, and he trusted in the evening of his life to have more time to himself, iu order to prepjf o spiritually for the ‘long journey from which no man returns. He took the opportunity of welcoming his successor, and introducing him to the parishioners in the person of the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, a life-long friend of his. He exhorted them all to loyally co-operate with him for the spiritual and .temporal weifal-e’ of the parish. The Very ReV. 'Dean" McKenna thanked the Archdeacon and the parishioners for their hearty welcome. He himself had led an arduous life, but he could see that hie work would b© still moro arduous in endeavouring to fill the shoes of so r great a predecessor as the Archdeacon. - He would do his best for them, and trusted that they would loyally co-operate with him in his arduous "task., ....

The Rev. Fathers Ivimhell,- S.M., D. Campbell, S.M., and M. Devoy also thanked the parishioners for their kindness, and expressed their regret at severing their connection with Newtown. They paid a, .tribute ~, to. . the. work of the Archdeacon, whose. Jargo heart provided them with a pleasant homo' during their sojourn in tho parish. During the evening Mesdames Grant, Logan, and Dillon, -Alias, Nellie Strickland, Mr Dillon, and Miss ' Lily O’Leary’s pupils contributed ah enjoyable programme, and the evening concluded with ringing cheers for the Archdeacon, Marist Fathers, and Dean McKenna.