THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Patea Mail, Volume LII, 12 October 1931, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

FIRST CHURCH OPENED IN 1881. The first Catholic priest to visit Taranaki was Father Bezant, who arrived in New Plymouth in the year 1852, and made several journoj s on foul through Taranaki, taking ou one occasion the route round the mountain .that was afterwards taken hy General Chute in his memorable march that virtually put an end to the West Const campaign against the natives. ■ He was probably the first priest to visit Pa tea, as he had under his charge the whole district from Wanganui to New Plymouth. In 18(50 Father Trcssalct took charge, of this largo parish, being succeeded by lather Pertuis in 18(53. In ISGS, during the height of the troubles with the natives, Father Holland, a fine soldierly man, who was not only parish priest, but a military chaplain as well, arrived and took charge of the parish from White Cliffs to Kai Iwi, ministering at the military encampment at Patca, where were stationed the 18th Royal Irish, th# 57th and the Goth Regiments. By his intrepid conduct under fire he made a name for himself and earned the esteem and respect of soldiers and civilians alike. Born at Verdun in 1834, near the birthplace of the writer of those lines, he died at Rcefton in 1003, respected and loved by all. In 1870 the late Dean Grogan was appointed to the charge of the Hawera parish, which then included Patca. It was he who was responsible for the building of the first Catholic Church in Patca, which was opened by. Bishop Redwood on Sunday, December 18, .1881, the sermon being preached by the Bishop and Mass being said by Father Chastagnon, assisted by Father Grogan. Father Grogan was succeeded in 1884 by Father Mulvihill, who held office until IS9S, when he was succeeded by the late Monsignor'Power as priest in charge of the Hawera parish. The late Dean Thomas McKenna was the first parish priest to bo appointed to Patca, and he arrived in .1891, ten years after the present church had been built. He was a young and energetic man, and- had the parish well organised in a few months. He added two fine rooms to Father Grogan’s old presbytery, and with the aid of several working bees, had the sandhills removed from it, and replaced with turf. He was succeeded in 1894 by the late Monsignor Power, who, after fifteen months, was transferred to Waipawa. In July, 1895, the late Monsignor Golden was appointed to the parish, and it was he who was responsible for the line additions to the Wavcrley Church. Monsignor Golden was in 1899 succeeded by the late Father McGrath, who established’ the Sisters of St. Joseph at Patca, building the present school and convent. Upon his death, in /190(5, he was succeeded by his curate, the late Father Duffy, whose gonial nature made him beloved by all. He enlarged the 'school at Patea, ami established the Sisters of St. Joseph at Wavcrley, building the present convent and school. He was also responsible for the present fine presbytery at Patca. After his death in 1920 Father Cahill had charge of the parish for ,12 months, being succeeded in 1922 by Father Phelan, who, brimful of energy and good nature, soon, raised the whole of the cost of the presbytery, some £ISOO. In 1927 he visited Ireland, and' during his absence for some 12 months, the parish was in charge of Father Lynch. Upon Father Phelan being transferred to Westport in February'-, 1928, Father Moore was appointed to the parish. After two years ’ ministry, Father Moore, who had made a host of fricudk in> the district, was transferred to Masterton, and was given a memorable send-off by a largo gathering of all denominations. He was succeeded by Father Hcgarty, who is still iu charge of the parish. •