PRIEST FAREWELLED

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1935, Page 11

PRIEST FAREWELLED

GATHERING AT NEW PLYMOUTH. TRIBUTES TO FATHER O’BRIEN. To bid farewell to Rev. Father J. O’Brien, who is leaving New Plymouth shortly for the Petone parish, many of St. Joseph’s parishioners gathered in Rolland Hall on Monday evening. The gathering was presided over by Rev. Father P. J. Minogue. He deeply regretted Father O’Brien’s impending departure, said Father Minogue. St. Joseph’s parish was very dif- $ ficult to control. Its northern boundary lay as far away as Awakino, and it took the priest in charge of the outlying districts almost a whole year •to obtain contact with the people to whom he was to minister. It was little more than a year since Father O’Brien had 'come, a young priest, to the parish. He now knew the people and, just when he was conversant with the work, he was to be moved on. It would take the new priest arriving to fill his place another 12 months before he would know his work. He sympathised greatly with the Catholics in the outlying parts, said Father Minogue. With Father O’Brien’s departure they were losing a hard-work-ing and zealous priest. Father O’Brien had been a real friend to the children of the Catholic schools in the parish and had encouraged them in their work and in their sport. He hoped that Father O’Brien would spend a happy time at Petone, and thanked him for his kindness, goodness, and courtesy during his stay at New Plymouth. Father Barr-Brown, assistant parish priest, endorsed Father, Minogue’s remarks. Their relations had been most cordial and happy. Presentations were made to Father O’Brien by Mr. T. O’Connell, on behalf of the New Plymouth branch of the Hibernian Society, of which the priest had been chaplain, and by Mr. McPhil- - lips, on behalf of the parishioners. Both expressed admiration for Father O’Brien’s work and qualities and regret ' at his departure. Father O’Brien acknowledged the kindness of the parishioners and the kindnessness and splendid example set •by Fathers Minogue and Barr-Brown. He paid tribute to the good work done by the Hibernian Society—the first Catholic society formed in New Zealand—and by the St. Vincent de Paul Society in helping the poor and needy at New Plymouth. He was very sorry to have to abandon his work in the backblocks and among the children. He would not forget New Plymouth and hoped to return some day. '• A short programme of items and com- / •-a immunity singing concluded the gathering.