VERY REV. DEAN M'KENNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 9016, 16 March 1908, Page 5

VERY REV. DEAN M'KENNA.

SILVER JUBILEE CELEBRATION,

COMMEMORATION SERVICES AT ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH.

SOME INTERESTING SPEE3HES

Special services in houour of the Very Rev. Deau McKouua having achieved his silver jubilee as a priest, on Wednesday last, wero held iv St, Patrick's Church-, yesterday.

At 7 a m Miss was celebrated by his Grace Archbishop Redwood, and at 8 am., by tiie venerable Archbishop Devoy. At 10 30 a.m. Solemn High Mass was colebrated, the Rev. Deau McKouua beiug the celebrant. Father T. McKeuua was deacon and Father Hicksou sub-deaoou. Archbishop Redwood presided. The choir, uuder the able conductorship of Mr A. R. Buuny, saug Turner's mass, "St. Mary Magdalene." The Rev. Fathor Keogh, Rector of St. Patrick's Collego, Wellington, delivered au impressive address ou the Priesthood.

THE ARCHBISHOP'S ADDRESS

At eveuiug service after the Rosary, His Grace the Archbishop, addressing tho cougregatiou, said during the quarter of a century of Deau MeKeuua's priesthood, tweuty-oue years of which had beeu speut iv the Wairarapa district, nothing could exceed his zeal aud devoti m ii the various charges ho hal giwi him Nit ouly the parish of St. P »r.n.-,_'s, Misterton, but mauy other congregations owed the Deau a gre ; it debt of gratitude. Think of the thousands of masses he hal offered on their behalf, day after day, for unre thau a score of years. His private prayer-; also had gone up to God for them day by day aud night by uight. His time his strength, the vigour of his" manhood, had beeu given for them No priest cau entirely futrill all that a priest ought to be aud to do, but few had more nearly realised.it tbliu the mau who had so long been the pastor of this parish. Tho very large attendance at to-day's services, iucludiug the presence of mauy of other demouinatious, showed how Deau McKeuna was appreciated. And so did the substantial pecuniary douatiou—absolutely spontaneous—for no one had been asked for a sixpence. "I congratulate you," concluded the speaker "on having had the benefit of his labours, and I congratulate him on the attainment of his silver jubilee, aud wish him loug life aud every prosperity here, aud eternal happiness hereafter."

The following address was read during the service by Mr B, J. Dolau; —

To the Very Reverend Deau McKeuua.—Very Reverend aud Dear Father,—Ou tho 11th March, 1908, you attained the 25tn auuiversary of your ordination to the sacred ministry of the priesthood. For tweuty-oue years of that period, the greater part of your sacerdotal life, you have beeu the pastor of this parish. We, your parishioners, desire to offer you our heartfelt congratulations ou this the occasion of the celebration of your silver jubilee, aud we feel ourselves bound to do so by every dictate of respectful duty. When you were first appointed, the parish was in troubled waters, overburdened with a heavy liability, and there was no apparent prospect of uplifting it. But your admirable administrative capabilities soou devised the means of extiguishiug the debt, aud to-day the financial position of the parish is satisfactorily assured. Uuder your careful stewardship great thiugs have beeu achieved. Beauteous Convent grounds adoru the vicinity of the Church, whereon picturesque aud commodious edifices have beeu erected, whence the saintly aud accomplished Sisters of the Brigidiue Order disseminate sound knowledge, religious aud secular. St. Patrick's Church aud the adjacent Presbytery have beeu exteuded, rud new churches nave beeu built at Eketahuna aud Mauriceville. We recognise that those advantages owe their existence almost wholly to your eminent zeal aud ability, aud we desire to express our full appreciation of the work you have dove for tho flock committed to your care. We trust aud pray that God may loug spare you in the exerciso of your priestly functions, and that it may be your lot to yet celebrate your goldeu jubilee amongst your loyal aud devoted parishioners. Signed ou behalf of the parishioners, ARTHUR R. BUNNY.

The sum of £110 was then presented to Deau McKenna.

Mr A. R. Bunny, made a few remarks ou the growth of the church in Wairarapa. He briefly traced the early history of the church, from the days wheu occasional missioners from ■Wellington used to pay visits iv order to administer to the people who were thou without a resident priest. Frequently, said Mr Bunny, these missiouors arrived by foot aud had to wade across rivers and swollen creeks. Still the}' persevered against all these trials ou account of their love for the church aud their unflagging devotion to their duty in attending to the distant members of their flocks. Iv 1870 the first resideut priest iv the Valley, the Rev. Father Anthony Halbwach, was appoiuted. Father Halbwach built a presbytery at Cartertou, theu the population centre of Wairarapa, aud also a church. During his sojourn in the Wairarapa Father Halbwach also built the church at Masterton aud churches at Greytowu ami Te Nui. He did good work in all parts of the large parish aud put all his energies into the work, but these undertakings left tho church with a very heavy debt, which hnug like a millstone I round tho necks of the parishioners. Tiie debt amounted in all to about £1000. The arrival of Deau McKeuua infused new life into the parishioners. He worked hard aud gave practical evideuce of that capable administration of the affairs of the church for which he was famous. After a time he succeeded in wiping out the debt. Not only was the debt liquidated by Dean McKeuua but he had also added to the church at Mastertou aud had built churches at Mauriceville and Eketahuna, and the parish was now in a sound position. Incidentally Mr Bunny referred to the assistance the church had received from persons of other denominations, aud particularly from tho navvies who were eugaged ou building the railway live, who, he said, contributed very freely. DEAN McKENNA'S ADDRESS IN REPLY. The Very Reverend Deau McKeuua, in reply to the various addresses, said, "If my voice could express what my heart feels I should be able to thank yon with the eloquence which yoar kiuduess deserves. But I am overpowered by the greatness of the occasion. I may well indeed feel proud." Tho Deau weut on to refer to, the kindness of the Archbishop in com iug to the day's colebration, and to the honour dove him by his dear friends among the clergy, who bad come ou a Sunday, at groat inconvenience, iv many c.ses, to themselves, as they had had to provide substitutes iv their own churches. Not ouly had he to thank those now 'present, but he had received mauy letters aud telegrams, aud two cablegrams frooin Australia, oue from Deau Viucefield, and the other from Father McNamara. He (Doan McKeuua) folt deep and heartfelt gratitude for all their kiuduesses He must offer his thanks to the Press for many kiudly notices, and he was specially pleased with a reference to

this celebration in a sub-leader in the Wairarapa Daily Times', written in beautiful language. Ho folt deeply grateful to the writer of it. And he had always received generous treatment from the public meu of the dis-

trict, aud Mr Hogg in particular, who was the first to send him a

letter of congratulation, aud whom ho was glad to see now present. His

gratitude must also bo offered to the Rev. A, M, JohriHon, of the Anglican Church, and the Rev, A, T. Tbompkou, of th<» PreHhyterfan Church, both of whom had mnt him kind letters written in a truly OlirJMfcmu wpirit. Tin? poopbj of tho district had dono

him a #rcat honour in flocking hero, and If he lived to celebrate vis golden jubilee ho «hould nnvcr forget to-day's celebration. The mim which had been presented to him would not be applied to his own personal nee. It was always bin ambition aud desire to keep the church, and especially the altar aud its surrounding.-*, in the highest state of beauty, and this sum would enable him to do moro in that direction. He had to thank Mrs Holmes, of Matahiwi, for the beautiful set of

vestments which he had worn at the morning's Mass, and for the beautiful piece of lace which now adorned the frontal of tho altar. He had received au address from tho school children

which he greatly appreciated, for he

was a true lover of children, and he knew tho value of their love, as they were to become the successors of the preseut cougregatiou. Again, he had

to thank the Children of Mary, who had made a special offering, aud the Sisters of St. .Bride's Convent, from whom -lie had received so mauy and great kindnesses, aud fiually the members of the Hibernian Society. Referriug to his past life, the Deau said that he had been trained for the Miuistry uuder Fathers Viucefield and McNamara, aud tweuty-oue years ago had beeu placed iv charge of the Mastertou parish, theu extending from Palliser Bay to the Mauawatu River, and from the Tararua Mountains to the East Coast. His first work was to try to extinguish the debt of £1000 which had beeu rightly described as "a millstoue." He soon, however, saw daylight through that. Then the Presbytery was built to replace tiie original four-roomed cottage. Pahia-

tua was occupied by few aud scattered

settlers. He ministered there seven years, and got the church built, and

five aud a-half acres added to the church laud. He was succeeded by Father Todd. At Martiuborough he was successful iv getting a church

built, which was a prominent feature at this day, aud three acres were added to the church property. He got a considerable sum spent at Featherstou, aud the church there was completed. At Greytowu he had got additious built, aud a gallery erected. At Cartertou the Presbytery was reuovated, a sanctuary added to the church, and twelve stained glass windows put iv. Eketahnua aud Mauriceville had already been referred to, and he would complete the list by mentioning the additions to the church at Te Nui.

The Deau dien described how great the burden of maintaining the parish schools had been, aud the help he had received from the Trust Lands Trust; aud "the work of his life," the erection of the Convent aud the beautifying of its grounds. All his success he attributed, under God, to the kind aud constant generosity of the people throughout the great Wairarapa District.

He concluded: "I have to admit mauy faults and shortcomings, but you have overlooked them, and only seen my good poiuts. I shall go on boldly, aud we will proceed shoulder to shoulder till perhaps God, in His goodness, may allow me to see a golden jubilee.

. . . . Let us watch faithfully for His com iug, aud may He take you aud me to His presence, where we shall be happy to all eternity. "

The Beuediction of The Blessed Sacrament concluded the Offices of the day.