SHAND'S TRACK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 12, 16 July 1886, Page 7

SHAND'S TRACK.

(From an occasional Correspondent.) A requiem Maps was celebrated at Shand's Track ChurcTi, on Thursday, the Bth inst., for the repose of the soul of the late Mr. Walsh of Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny — the beloved father of the Rev. T. Walsh, Lincoln. Father Chervier was celebrant, and the following clergymen also attended— viz., Fathers O'Connor, Lyttelton ; Hurley, Rmgiora ; Chastagnon, Ashburton ; Bowers, Christchurch ; O'Connor, Victoria ; and Walsh, Lincoln. The congregation was one of the largest ever seen at Shand's Track— all the Catholic residents vicing with each other in expressing sympathy with their young ' sogarth aroon,' in his sad bereavement. The Leeston parishoners were in full force, forming the greater part of the congregation. Some time before Mass, tbe children of the Leeston and Shand's Track Catholic schools met in the schoolroom, formed in order and marched two and two through the church ground to the church, under the superintendence of Mr. J. McCabe, whose marshalling abilities were tested to their utmost, but were quite equal to tbe occasion, as he easily stowed away the greatest possible number of children into the smallest possible space. The Office for the Dead being recited, Mass waß proceeded with. After the first Gospel, Father Hurley ascended the altar steps. This gentleman is young, wears a full beard ,|is of slight build, and possessing a splendid voice, command of choice language and appropriate gestures, is a preacher every inch of him. lie commences his sermon|in alow tone.graduallj increasing in strength till the key is reached, with which all should be pleased. He took for his text words from the book of Job. " Miseremini mci, miseremini mci, saltern vos amici mci, quia manus Domini tettigit »ns" — " Have meicy on me, Have mercy on me, at least you my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched me." Like all great preachers, he handled his subject in a very masterly manner.ref erring especially to the love of our Holy Mother Church, not only for her living, but also for her deceased children. Many of his audience were visibly affected when he referred to the deceased, for the repose of whose soul the Mass was offered. During Mass the assembled pTiests sang alternately the hymn " Dies Irae," in that solemn and plaintive Gregorian Chant peculiar to itself. The choir, under the the able direction of Miss McCabe, at intervals discoursed music suitable to the occasion, and with good effect. The church, always neat, was stripped of all its floral decorations, the altar and candelabra being simply draped with crape, so that the whole appearance, though modest, was beautiful in the extreme, thanks to the exertions of Mrs. McCabe. The deceased gentleman had reached his 64th year, when death called him from the scene of his active labours to receive the crown of the just, and was a native of the Barony of Iverk — a district lying between the river Suir on one side, and Tory Hill un the other, and the birthplace of many good bishops and priests, who labour in the vineyard of the Lord, not only in their native diocese of Osßory, but all the world over. Even here, in distant Wellington diocese, you can hear, from not a few pulpits, the accent of South Kilkenny. Headers, pray for the soul of him who died in the Lord. — R.I.P.