ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, GREYMOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 6, 1 June 1888, Page 7

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, GREYMOUTH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

The most prominent building that will catch the eye of visitors to Grey mouth, either by boat or tram, will now be St. Patrick's Church, which, in a very few days, will be out of the hands of the contractors. This magnificent church is built on an eminence in the most central portion of the town, contiguous to All Saints' Convent, St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's school-rooms, all occupying a rectangular block, several acres in extent, and commanding a good view of Grey • mouth. On the opposite side of the street is the presbytery — the Rev. Father Oarew's beautiful residence, built on a gently-sloping hill, and commanding a magnificent view of the town and harbour, as well as of the convent, church, and' schools in its vicinity. It is now over a year since the fdundation-stone of this church was laid by Bishop (now Archbishop) Redwood. Since then the contractors, Messrs. Arnett and Seabrook, of this town, have strenuously carried on the work, and doubtless would have had it completed for St. Patricks Day last, on which date it was originally intended that his Grace Archbishop Redwood should open it, but for unforeseen circumstances, chiefly delays in procuring the best material, such as cement, etc., which retarded the progress of the building by about two months. This noble edifice is cruciform in shape, and substantially built of brick in lime mortar, reared upon a concrete foundation, and roofed with iron. The style of the building is of Gothic architecture, with lancet-pointed doors and windows, such as prevailed in the church architecture of the 13th century, and known as early pointed. The building runs north and south, and its length over all when the tower is completed, will be 125 ft., and width, 47ft. The tower foundations are put in concrete to the level of the surface, and it will, when completed, be 120 ft. high, including the spire. It will be entered by three porches —the north, main and south porches — corresponding to which are three doors now entering the nave and aisles. The nave is 84ft. long by 28Jft. broad, and the two side aisles are 84ft. by sft. 9in. each ; the sanctuary is 24ft. by 24ft. ; the nuna' chapel on the right is 16ft. by 20ft. ; and the sacristy on the left of the high altar is of the same dimensions. The end wall at the main entrance, which will be connected with the tower, rises to 31ft. at the eaves, and 56ft. to the point of the gable. The clerestory walls, which spring from eight lift, massive octagonal concrete columns, forming seven arches on each side of the nave, rise to 31ft., and the aisle walls to 16ft. above the floor level. From the floor to the roof of the clerestory is 43 ft., and to the top of the coping 56ft ; the sanctuary roof being 40ft. 6in. from the level of the sanctuary floor. The ceiling of the nave, which resembles a semicircle, is very handsomely done with 4in. tongue and grooved and beaded red pine lining, laid diagonally, and neatly varnished. The sanctuary ceiling is also diagonally planked and divided into squares, to correspond with the sanctuary walls which are to be decorated after the same fashion. The sanctuary arch springs from two large blocks of Oamaru stone, neatly carved and supported by shamrock-shaped piers. On each side of the high altar, are two archways. The two on the epistle side leading to the nuns' chapel are provided with a neat metal railiDg, while the two arches on the Gospel side are bricked up with the exception of a doorway leading to the sacristy. Over the arches on both sides of the altar, will hang ornamental screens of antique design provided with doorways for entering the nuns' chapel and sacristy, whose floor is on a level with the sanctuary floor and raised one step above the main floor. The sacristry and nuns' chapel are ceiled with lath and plaster, and ornamented with a neat cornice and centre piece, the former also being supplied with a fire place. The high altar will be thf very handsome one at present in use in the old church, and the communion rails are of cast iron of a very neat pattern, the gift of Messrs. Scott Brothers, Ironfoundere, Chnstchurch, and selected by Mr. F. W. Petre, the church architect. Tha tracery window over the sanctuary is of an elaborate design, and in every respect suitable to the magnificence of the building. All the framework is of Oamaru ■tone, artistically and beautifully carved throughout, and solidly set in the masonwork. It is fitted with leadlights containing cathedral glass of variegated colors, on the top panes of which are the letters, I. H. S., artistically painted. This window was supplied to the contractors by the church committee, and was prepared by Messrs. Munroe and McMamara. The leadlights for all the other windows (of which there are 35), were also supplied to the contractors by the committee. The arches leading from both aisles into the nuns' chapel and sacristry are also bricked up, leaving niches in which are placed the side altars ; one containing the statue of St. Patrick, and the other that of the Blessed Virgin ; both statues being removed from the old church. The choir gallery is situated over the main entrance, extending the width of the nave, by twelve feet deep, and supported by two iron pillais, which are the gift of the Greymouth Foundry Company. The gallery railing is of wood done in mock panel-work. The staircase for the present, leads from one of the aisles, awaiting completion of the tower, and the opening leading from the gallery to the tower is, for the same reason, bricked up and supplied with three neat lead-lights from the old church. All the walls throughout the interior are plastered and finibhed with lime putty, while the piers of the nave and sanctuary are finished in cement plaster, as are also the concrete base of the building above ground, copings, door-canopieß, buttresses and weathering blocks. The flooring is white pine laid on heart of red pine joists, and sleepers. The seats of the nave are 19ft. 6in. long, being divided in the centre by a transverse bar, and so placed to allow a passage of 3ft. 9in. on each side between them and the nave piers. In the aisles are placed small seats about 6ft. long, and which will be used only for the younger portion of the congregation. The building is well supplied with gas, each pier being BupDlied with a gas bracket, in addition to which a number of centre lights are on their way from England. The confessionals are situated on both sides of the main entrance under the choir gallery, and the pulpit occupies a position on the gospel side of the altar near the communion rails. This is an elegant piece of furniture, and a

great ornament to the church. It was manufactured by Mr. D. W. Woods, of Dunedin, from a design by Mr. F. W. Petre, and a detailed description of it appeared in the Tablet of the 13th April. Tha seating accommodation of the church is very large, it being calculated that it will seat over 1000 people. Considerable alterations were made on the original plans of the church. It was first intended that the walls ahould consist of brick with concrete hearting. The piers of the nave and sanctuary were shortened by lft., while the two end walls of the nave were lowered by 2ft., and the other walls in proportion. The side chapsls, which were to bj entered by the aisle arches, were to contain the confessionals ; but finding these wo»ld considerably curtail the floor space ot the sacristy and nuns' chapel, they were omitted from the building. The roof was to be of slate, and the nave piers were to be ornamented with carved caps of Oamaru •tone. A'Lthese were omitted, reducing the contract price by considerably over £1000, The bricks and lime were manufactured at the Bruuner Company's works at Brunnerton, which has the reputation of turning out the best bricks in the Colony . It is estimated that over 160,000 bricks were used in the construction of the building. 100,000 of which together with all the lime used in the construction of the church were the generous donation of Mr. Martin Kennedy to the building fund. The total cost of the building, exclusive of fittings and construction of tower, will be about £3,500 : the tower will cost £1,200 more, but it is not intended to erect it for some time. Too much praise cannot be given the Rev. Father Carew, who has been the originator and moving spirit in connection with St. Patrick's church; in fact, since hie arrival in Greymouth, he has never been out of the building line. On his arrival here in January 1884, All Saints' convent, which was then newly built, was not out of debt. Since then two lar^e additions have been ma le to the convent, chiefly out oL the funds of the Sisters, and under the careful supervision of Father Carew. In addition to this, he has built a commodious and substantial church at Brunnerton, and now he has the pleasure of seeing his greatest work of all, St. Patrick's Church, completed. It wag a heavy undertaking for the number of Catholics of this parish, and at a time when they had only just completed an expensive convent. But where there is a will there is a way. Nearly all contributed according to their means, the contributions extending, in quarterly instalments over a period of two years. The Church will be in debt some £800 or £900, which, I have no doubt, will be soon liquidated, as the Bey. Father Carew is an excellent hand at providing the sinews of war. All the work in connec ion with the church is faithfully carried out, nothing being used in the building but the best material procurable. The build* iug was underthe able superintendence of Mr. Courtney, clerk of works who was if anything too scrupulous as to having every detail carried out to the letcer of the specifications. This led a few times to unpleasantness with the contractors, but Mr. Courtney used his authority and suspended all work on the building until the contractors found the material to his satisfaction. It may be truly said that this church will be an enduring monument of the faith of the pioneer Catholics of Greymouth, and a lasting memorial to hand down to their posterity. In it they have another noble structure raised to the glory of God on this southern hemisphere, where the progress of the Catholic Church for the last 50 years is indeed something phenomenal. In it, too, may be seen another evidence of the apostohcity of the Irish race. Driven from their native land by the operation of unjust and cruel laws, they carry with them that undying love for their religion ; and whatever land may be the country of their adoption, in that land will assuredly be raised grand temples to the honour and glory of the Creator.