DEPARTURE OF FATHER FOX.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2759, 20 March 1890, Page 2

DEPARTURE OF FATHER FOX.

run following is a copy of the address presented to Fathei-Foxon the eve of his dejarture on a visit to the Old Country where is .started oil Monday last, and his reply ihereto :— Hamilton, March loth, 1890.—T0 The liev. Father Fox, 0.5.8, Hamilton, —Dear Rev. Father, —On the occasion of pour departure from amongst us, on a temporary visit to the Old Country, we beg to ;ender to you our grateful acknowlogement jf your unceasing zeal as our parish priest for the last six years—and your constant jndeavours to promote the best interests of your Parishioners—in the matter of Catholic education. We heartily congratulate you on the very satisfactory condition in which you are leaving your parish financially—it being entirely free from debt— ;md in the matter of education we are most fortunate in possessing and excellent Convent School. It is mainly due to your careful management and good business habits that the Parish is in so satisfactory n state, and we feel that to your exertions also we owe the inestimable boon of good Catholic schools for the education of our shildren, as well as the great improvement that has been made in tho choir. We are sure that we express the sentiments of your parishioners throughout the district, many of whom will not have the opportunity of bidding you a temporary farewell on account of your hasty departure, when we express our heartfelt gratitude for your unceasipg zeal in one as our pastor, and your personal kindness and charitable actswishing you every happiness and a speedy return to the land of your adoption.—We beg that you will accept the accompanying purse of sovereigns, which, we are sorry to say, is not so large as we would wish owing to the short notice of your departure.— Signed on behalf of the Parishioners of St. Mary's, Hamilton, William Jones. To the address Father Fox replied: Dear Mr Jones, and dearly beloved brethren, "I thank you most sincerely for the very kind and flattering address which you have read to me, accompanied with a substantial token of your sincere affection and gratitude, Although the primary aim of all,especially a clergyman, should be to please God, and faithfully to discharge his dutie3 for God's sake, still we are greatly encouraged in our work if we have also with us the goodwill, love, and esteem of those for whom we are spending our lives. You have given me unmistakeable signs and tokens of your respect and co-operation during the six years I have been with you. You have surrounded ine with kindness— you have vied with each other to render my burthen light, aud I have felt it a pleasure tj live in your midst. I have felt lonely these last few days at the thought if leaving yon for a short time, but I console myself with the conviction that I will return soon to you. You allude to the business portion of my duties—without your liearty co-operation, what could I have ione ? To you, therefore, the best share of such praise is due. In tho year November, 1883, up to November, 1884, you gave as much as £340 for the good of the district, and Catholic education, irrespective of tho amount contributed for the support of the priest. This coming from a small congregation, shows what generous people I have to deal with. In reference to your spiritual ltfairs, I must be thankful to God for the nany graces He is continually pouring upon yo.ir souls, aud your attention to God's holy service convinces me that you are striving ;o gain God's approval. T thank the good sisters for their unremitting care of the schools, and for visiting tho sick. They ighlou my burden considerably, by educa.ing the children, and may God bless them :or"it Be kind to them. I thank the choir :or their devotedness to their duty, and I jongratulate them on the f/reat improvement n their singing, and I must not omit to ,hank the choirmaster, who so efficiently las conducted the choir in a gentlemanly uanner. 1 also feel grateful to the willing workers who have hitherto helped to keep ;he house of God neat and clean, and to lecorate it. This willingness has won my •*teem for you, and I hope God will reward *»• .