A POPULAR PASTOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18466, 30 January 1922, Page 7

A POPULAR PASTOR

FAREWELL TO FATHER COFFEY.

A representative committee, -with Mr J. J Marlow as chairman, Mr T. J. Hussey as treasurer, and Mr 'J. H. A. M'Keefroy as secretary, -has -been engaged , for some weeks arranging ii fitting send-off to Father Coffey, on the eve of his departure for the Homeland. So as to permit of as great a number as possible of. the Catholic citizens of Dunedin and of the friends , generally of Father .Coffey tp participate in a suit, able ■valedictory,, a garden party was decided upon. This tpok place on Saturday afternoon in the grounds of St. Dominic’s Priory, and was attended by a large gai-Her- ' ing froOi all ports of the city and suburbs. The formal proceedings wore carried' but from a dais upon which were seated; besides 'tho guest of-the occasion, the Right Rev;, Dr Whyte (who presided), Rev. Dr .Kelly, Rev. J. Delafiy (South ..Dunedin), andßev. Brother Pur ton (principal of tho Christian Brothers’ College, Adelaide). Members of •tho .’Hibernian Society in - regalia,were present, as were also several others of the clergy, and members of the Testimonial Committee. Musical eelootions were -given by St. Joseph’s Glee Club, arid- choruses were nicely rendered by children from--St. Vincent’s (girls)- and St. Joseph’s* (boys) Orphanages. , .t . .■■->■'' In : callmg upon the chairman of Testimonial Committee to " address the assemblage,- Bishop Whyte wished Father Coffey a pleasant voyage, a happy, holiday, and a safe return. • Be* would be greatly, missed, not alone by his own people, but by tho community generally, in the pnhlio life and interests of which hohad taken-a Very active part. Bat •by none would Father Coffey- bemissed, to a greater extent. than by .. hiniself- (the.-speaker). All would-‘look forward to Father Coffey’s return to resume . his fine work in the diocese, and, if possible, to, add to the splendid record of welldoing which already stood to -his credit. , Mr ,J. J. Marlow, in-.appropriate terms! asked. Father Coffey to accept for his ■ mother in' Ireland a beautifully bound and mounted album of views of Catholic buildings which he had been. insirumentai-in erecting,. and others with which ho .had been closely • associated during his lengthy period of service in Dunedin. - v Tho album contained- the following address, which was tastefully and artistically letteredTo.*the VeryJßev. James Coffey, Adm. Very. Rev. and Dear Father,- —The laity of St. Joseph’s Parish, embracing'Dunedin, . North-East' Valley. Koikorai, - and Mornington, • also South Dunedin ' ■ and numerous'* friends throughout, the diocese, ask your acceptance, of this, album of views of Catholic buildings with which you have been;,- intimately , connected. During tho whole of yom-..< thirty-two years’ ■ tehn of office in tire diocese of Dunedin, over fifteen years .of which have been spent' in the administratorship of St. Joseph’s, you have earned tho respect and confidence -of the .whole, of the community and the.:enduring affection and.admiration of your own people. On the ere of your visit to the* Homeland, wo tender the accompanying gift l .as a .token of our good, wishes, and trust "you will have a pleasant holiday and a safe return.—-On behalf of the Catholic laity,— J. J, Marlow, chairman; T. J; Hussey, treasurer; J. J. O’Neill, J. A. Hally;,-'Mrs M. A l . Jackson, J. ,H. A. M’Keofrey -honorary secretary.. T. J. Hussey then Ooffey withv a . cheque for £650.-; This amount, Mr Hussey explained, represented contentions from., all over the- diocese,whichhad been, given with a spontaneity cheerfulness that' was unsurpassed in ms experience. There was, however; a stipulation attached to . the presentation -to , “I®.-Jmcgt that the recipient must apply if to his personal requirements. -..-v-,■ . Other-gifts mcluded a handsome travelling nig from the Hibernian Society. -At. thednyitation of Bishop Whyte, Rev. ■ Wf her, Purton Paul .-a tribute -to "the great' Coffey had accomplished'for -Catholic //education. His nome‘-' > was known - -wherever the • Christian- Brothers' Were v established, y and gratitude' was : oxpressed .towards-Kim on-all sides for having pi-ovided. ,in the city of Dunedin? not aloiie ' the.- finest school of -any in which the Brothers' .taught, blit also the-: finest residence possessed by them. As anr ox-pupd of the old Rattray Street Schools bo; |% speaker) was naturally interested m- tjie . progress made’in recent , And he greatly valued .tumty -giyen. him of; joining the' large gathering on .the present occasion tp do honour to the /popular pastor of * Dunedin. ,Un behalf of the local Brothers, who - were absent on; holiday, he wished' Father Coffey .every happiness and. enjoyment during his ton?"’ an d, orl his return,. many happy: years of health to .carry on his devoted work 'in the diocese. , . : Father Coffey, who said he found it very difficult to express ’hia 'feelings, thanked the vanoua speakers for their kind sentiments and the people generally for the generosity they had extended . towards him, not only on that-occasion, but also during the lengthy period of his association with them when pressing needs had tp be provided for. On no occasion during his experience in the ; diocese " had -. the people failed /to respond >jvhep the;;rnpcessity :arose- for- carrying any . unpomnjU-prdjebt to »• successful conclusion. ,He acknowledged with gratitude-the people’s handsome'contribution towards his travelling, .expenses; as-well -as those .of the clergy, Dominican nuns, and Sisters of'Mercy' the total amount, being £IOOO. At the conclusion of/ the proceedings -cheers were given for Father Coffey,-who afterwards said gopd-bye to largo numbers who, gathered■ around. , ■ ; -< ! - ! batner-Coffey intends, leaving Wellington on Friday by too Ulimaroa for Sydney,,and from there will voyage by the Orient' liner Ormonde, leaving Sydney on the 18thTmt. Ho intends, besides staying for a lime in Ireland, to Holy Land, Italy,’. France, and Belgium, vie wing,,during nis tour .' the.' battlefields oj. the Allies. Alto gether* he .anticipate? , spending about IS months - abroad; arid! he purposes returning via America, Ho will, have its , fellow-pas-sengers as far as Port Said (where ho will disembark for Palestine), the Eight', Rev. Dr Bro-die (Bishop of Christchurch), -.and the Rev. Father Schaeffer, 5.M.,. of St." Patrick V College, Wellington‘ and from .Sydney the additional company of the Rev Fathers Walsh and Dalton, of the Archdio;oese Of Sydney; Father Coffey will be Succeeded by the Rev. J. Foley, assistant'pnesi at Oamaru, aa administrator of St. Joseph's Cathedral.'