WINTON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 47, 18 March 1887, Page 17

WINTON.

The progress of Catholicity in this District is something extraordinary. Some six years ago such a thing as a priest or Catholic church existed only in the imagination or in the sincere wish of some devout Catholics, thci few in number ; now we have a church, thanks to the energy of the Rev. Father Kehoe now of Ta Aroha, Auckland, and the good Catholics of Winton, aud a resident priest. The name of the resident priest is Father Keenan, and from the zeal an<l energy displayed by him since his advent amongst us, I have no hesitation in saying that he is a worthy successor to that dear man (F. X.) who worked so hard to have our little church of St. Thomas what it is. The peopl* of Winton have great reason to be thankful to their dear Bishop for being so mindful of them, and to Almighty God for having his (Bishop's) choice fallen on piieats so eminently fitted for their parish and their wants. In Father Keenan we have got a man ripe in years and gifted with sound sense and reasoning, and with the assistance of the good Catholics of Winton I feel assurred nothing will be left undone to promote the interests of Catholicity in this district. As a preliminary canter the advent of a mission in our midst caused some excitement to all, and disappointment to a good few who were unable to attend through pressure of harvest operations as the weather at the present is very unsettled and the harvest in full swing. The departure of the good missionary was greatly regretted by all those who were unable to atteud. The mission commenced on Wednesday the 2nd inst. and concluded on Sunday, the stb. The mission was conducted by the Bey. Father Hegarty, a gentleman eminently fitted for the work. Nothing daunted by the appearance of a few when he first made his appearance, this holy father continued with the same energy as if he were working at a Dunedin congregation, and not content with those who visited the church, he, accompanied by our parish prist, visited as many of the Catholics in the country as he possibly could and by his prayers and fatherly exnortations induced them to come to tha mission and make their peace with God. At the conclusion of the mission he spoke in eulogistic terms of the people of Winton, dwelling for some time on the lively faith, the assistance and good feeling manifested towards him since his arrival among them, and he earnestly requested those of the congregation who were present to persevere to the end as it was those only who persevered to the end that would be saved.

At the conclrsion, the people felt that they should in some way testify their appreciation of the good services rendered them by this holy father. So they rouuded him up at the corner of the churchyard and deputed one of their number, Mr. Horan, to return him thanks on their behalf. Mr. Horan then addressed him as follows :—

" Rev. Father, — We have all assembled here to express our sincere sonow at not being able to meet you sooner to welcome you in our midst, but as the saying is 'better late than never,' the double duty of welcoming you and thanking you for your good services amongst us now devolves upon us. and on the spur of the moment, if I cannot find words sufficiently fitting to convey the lively sentiments of joy and appreciation at seeing you in our midst entertained by one and all, I hope you will be kind enough to take the will for the deed. JRev. Father, very few of us who hail from the mother country have not experisneed the kindly offices and good tervices rendered by those holy tathers of your Order, vvno go forth from the city of the Broken Treaty. We trust, rev. father, that when next you come amongst us, and I might say that your next will be more anxiously looked forward for than this, we k hope to be better prepared to receive you." The Rev. Father Hegarty replied as follows, as nearly as I en r*BMmber : —

" Mr. Horan and gentlemen, — I have to thank you very much for those kind sentiments conveyed to me, and, though I can lay no claim to yonr good wishes, being only amongst you a few days, still, I am able to natter myself that my advent ammg you has been crowned with success. The lively faith found in Winton it a matter of consolation to any priest. lam perfectly aware that many of you ■are come long distances and at great inconvenience to yo rselves to attend this mission, and I hope that Almighty God may bless you all and keep you in the state of grace until I roturn to you again. Perhaps during my time among you I may have said something that would offend some of you, but this cannot be helped *» the Holy Gospel must be preached. Again thanking you for your kindnei-s I wuh you all goodbye." He then gave thpm his blessing. It was truly edifying to see on the Sunday at 8 o'clock and 11 o'clock Mais the number of children who received th"ir First Communion, and also the number of adults who approached the altar and partook of the Most Holy Sacrament, and on the Sunday evening a most eloquent sermon was preached on the devotions of Catholics to the Bleated Virgin Mary.