POPULAR PRIEST LEAVES

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1933, Page 7

POPULAR PRIEST LEAVES

FATHER HENLY FAREWELLED

FRANK TRIBUTE FROM MAYOR.

DEPARTURE FOR DUNEDIN TO-DAY.

A large gathering of parishioners of St. Joseph’s, New Plymouth, and representatives of various public organisations with which the Rev. Father J.. Henley has been associated in the four years he has been at New Plymouth combined last night at the Rolland Hall in an impressive farewell to Father Henley, who will leave to-day for Dunedin. At the outset the parish priest, the Rev. Father P. J. Minogue, announced that the committee had decided to cancel the social part of the gathering because of the death that day of Mr. J. J. Bennett, who had been an esteemed and particularly active member of the parish. This was Father Henley’s wish also, and the function itself would have been cancelled had it not been Father Henley’s last evening at New Plymouth,. He was pleased the gathering had been arranged because it was in honour of Father Henley, who had worked so zealously in the parish during the past four years, said Father Minogue. On the other hand he was very sorry that circumstances necessitated the calling together of the parishioners on such an occasion. Father Henley had had charge of Waitara and the backblocks portion of the parish and in a scattered area he had never spared himself. In the town, too, Father Henley had relieved him of a good deal of responsibility and worry, said Father Minogue, and Jie was very grateful to him, especially during the period a few years ago when he had felt anything but like work. Father Henley had taken on this work uncomplainingly and because of the relief thus afforded him by Father Henley he was able to feel so well at the present. ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY. On behalf of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, to which Father Henley had been chaplain, Mr. A. McHardy said that not only spiritually but also in his knowledge of conditions generally through the district Father Henley had been of great assistance. He hoped that the success which had attended Father Henley’s efforts in the district would be continued wherever he went. Mr. C. Hannan was spokesman for the Hibernian Society and the Holy Name Society. Father Henley had been an inspiration to members of the society on the spiritual' side, he said. He was always encouraging members to live up to the ideals of the society. Not only on the spiritual side had Father Henley been appreciated, but his fellowship and companionship had also been much- valued by members. One of Father Henley’s greatest works had been in encouraging new members. During the period of his chaplaincy the society had appreciated more in its membership than it had for a good period previously. Indeed, he did not think the society had ever been in such a flourishing state as it was to-day, and it was felt that this was in a great measure due to Father Henley. The Holy Name Society, which Father Henley had founded last year, said Mr. Hannan, had been most successful, due to the energy, spiritual zeal and organising power of Father Henley. When he set his hand to anything he would not consider failure.

As a parent, continued Mr. Hannan, he assured Father Henley that in the hearts and minds of the children of the parish school there was a living monument of Iris work which would remain for all time. In their outside games and on the field of sport he had taken a keen interest in the boys and girls, and particularly in the boys’ winter games. Miss Simpson on behalf of the Convent Old Girls basketball team, in which Father Henley had shown interest, expressed regret at his departure and made a presentation to him. For the Heidelbetg Convent school committee Mr. J. Quinn added his tribute. Father Henley had taught the boys to be men, not part of their .time- but all of the time, he said. ' J NEVER SPARED HIMSELF. For the parishioners Mr. Douglas ,L. McKay said Father Henley had endeared himself to them by the charm of his manner and his wonderful energy and enthusiasm. Father Henley never spared himself. The annual charity ball which he had organised had in three years raised £3OO for the S. Vincent de Paul Society. His services to the backblocks parishioners would also be remembered. He knew Father Henley had tramped miles through rain and mud up to his knees to do his duties. The people there would never forget the way he had stuck to them and carried out his work over the past four years. On behalf of the parishioners Mr. McKay presented Father Henley with a cheque.. For the choir Mr. McKay made a further presentation. “Father Henley to me has been an absolute white man,” said the Mayor, Mr. E. R. C. Gilmour. The town could ill-afford to lose Father Henley, he added, and from a social point of view in hospital and other work he had not found finer men to deal with than he and Father Minogue. In voicing his personal regret at the departure of Father Henley he knew he was expressing that of the citizens of New Plymouth. Father Minogue called upon Mr. P. E. Stainton, chairman of the Mayor’s Relief Council, whom he said from a social viewpoint was a man after Father Henley’s own heart, to speak. Mr. Stainton expressed his admiration of the sterling character Father Henley had shown in his work among young and old. By Father Henley’s departure the Mayor’s Relief Committee members were losing a friend, but those in the district he had been able to serve were losing a greater friend. The relief committee knew no creed or class, and if a person w-s deserving of assistance Father Henley was the first to step into the breach. On behalf of Sister Corkill and other members of the committee Mr. Stainton presented Father Henley with a pencil suitably inscribed. For the North Taranaki Primary Schools’ Sports Association, which had already officially farewelled Father Henley, Mr. Leach spoke of the work Father Henley had done in the larger field of primary school representative Rugby. His organising powers and his wisdom had been of great value to the executive and his place would be hard to fill. The teachers of North Taranaki would be indeed sorry to lose Father Henley. Mr. J. McLeod voiced the sentiments of the Taranaki Rugby Union. Father Henley had not only shown himself a good coach but had also inculcated a sense of sportsmanship into the boys, he said. As a fellow townsman Mr. McLeod paid tribute to the tolerance and broad sympathy of Father Henley. Responding, Father Henley said he would always remember New Plymouth, if that evening was any indication of the generosity and lovableness of its people. He had not deserved all that had been said because he had already shared in their kindness. Much of the good work which it had been his fortune to accomplish woiild not have been practicable or achieved if he had not received the whole-hearted support and sympathy of the people. At the monthly meeting of the Hibernian Lodge the members made a presentation of a suitcase to Father Henley.