PRESENTATION TO THE REV. FATHER BRIAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 6, 13 November 1891, Page 18

PRESENTATION TO THE REV. FATHER BRIAND.

Reefton, November 2, 1891. The gentlemen deputed by the Greymonth Catholic community and Literary Society to present Father Briand with a token of the esteem in which he is held by the Greymouth congregation arrived by the late coach on Saturday evening. At the Tawhai Railway Station they were met by a cumber of Reefton gentleman, who accompanied them to Reefton— Messrs T. Lynch and T. McDavitt, solicitors; O'Began, editor of the Inangahua Times ; and H. McSherry. The following gentlemen comprised the deputation :— Hewn M. Philips, F. C. Dupre, senr, J. Kennedy, W. Card, F. anlltf . Mulvihill, W. Ryan, J. Moore, J. Deere, and W. Sampson.

At one o'clock on Sunday tha visitors were entertained at dinner at the presbytery, when about 30 gentlemen, members of the Reefton church committee and some special friends, sat down to a sumptuous repast which had been prepared by the ladies of the Altar Society. After full justice bad been done to the dinner,' an adjournment waß m&de to the girls' school, where a goodly number, in spite of the wretched weather, had already assembled. The chair was taken by the Rev Father Rolland, who, after having welcomed the visitors, most of them so well known in Reefton, and introduced the object of this friendly gathering, presented expressions of regret and apology for unavoidable inability to attend, from Messrs P. M. Griffen, Doogan, Daniel, Graham, and W. Joyce, solicitor. He then invited Mr Philips to rend the address. Coming forward, the latter, sapported by Mr Dupre, explained how, owing to different circumstances and especially to the illness of Father Briand, and to his inability to comply with their request and visit Greymouth, they had been compelled to delay bo long this presentation.

The address, which is a well condensed and worded summary of six. different addresses, read as follows :—: — " To the Rev J. B. Briand, S.M., on his removal^from Greymouth to Reef ton.

" Dear end Rev Father.— We, your;many friends of Grey month on the occasion of your departure for another sphere of action, desire to publicly testify to the high esteem in whicb you are held by our Catholic congregation, and therefore ask your acceptance of this address and accompanying giftß. We trust tnat the culture, ability, and unwearying energy which have made you the leading spirit for so much good and promoted to so large an extent the work of the Church, will meet in your new district the recognition their great merits deserve. The wide extent of your good work in Greymouth is evidenced by the fact that your several friends, the parishioners of the parish, and several separate institutions take part in this public recognition of your worth, and through delegated signatories express their sentiments as follows :—: —

" I. The Rev Father Carew, P.P., on behalf of himself and the parish bears the highest testimony of your excellent and self-sacrificing work in the interests of our Holy Church, and expresses his great personal regret at your removal.

" 11. The Greymouth Catholic Literary Society, of which you were founder, reiterate their feelings of esteem and respect as expressed more at length in their address to you.

" 111. The Grey Catholic choir, which under your tuition acquired a premier rank in the musical world of the Colony, deeply feel your loss, and will ever hold you in affectionate and grateful memory.

"IV. The Altar Society, in whose good workyou were director and leading spirit, bear testimony to jour artistic skill and indomitable energy, and keenly feel your lose.

" V, The young men of the pariah, of whom you made a special charge, place on record their gratefulness for the good you have wrought in their behalf.

" VI. The Greymoutb Catholic Brass Jand, of which you were the founder and director, desire to express their sorrow that you are removed from their midßt The Altar Boys' Society, Apoatleship of Prayer, and the various institutions connected with the Church in Greymouth, all join in .the public testimony to your worth, and your numerous personal friends, by your removal, sustain a loss which will be long and deeply felt.

" Rev and Dear Father, — The summaries of the above addresses amply testify that your priestly labours have been unceasing, unwearying, and in the great good resulting from them glorify God and His Holy Church, and further that your personal views and sympathetic heart are appreciated by your friends and the parishioners of Greymouth. We pray that Gcd may long spare you in your useful career and reward you with the Clerical Crown given to those whose lives are spent in his service.

" Personally and in our representative capacitiea, believe us to be, dear and Rev Father, your sincere friends and well-wishers — For the religious :D. P. Carew, 8.M., P.P.— For the Greymouth Catholic Literary Society : P. M. Griff en, J. Doogan, James Kennedy.— For Catholic Choir : D. Jones, P. F. Diniel, M. Outhrie.— For fie Altar Society : Mrs P. M. Gnffen, Mrs C. L. Morice, Mrs F. C. Dupre.— For the Catholic youth : W. Ryan, James Moore, R. Philips.— For the Greymouth Catholic Brass Band : J. Deers, F. Dupre, W. Ains-

worth.—For the Greymouth Catholic congregation :E. A. Burke, W. Card, F. C. Dupre\ H. Graham, M. Hannan, W.Joyce. J. Keating, J. Matthews, M. O'Connor, T. P. O'Donnell, W. O'Kane, M. Philip's, D. Sheedy, J. W. Tymons."

Mr Philips then paid a high tribute to the Sev. Father. He was sura the Catholics of (ireymouth would long treasure a grateful remembrance of him, and he was sure also that the good effect of the rer. gentleman's labours would ba felt for many a day. No words of his (the speaker's) were adequate to praise the zeal, the disinterestedness, the unflagging energy of the man on whom they had on that day conferred a well-merited honour. Father Briand had done much to develop the latent talent cf their young men, and the result ff&a the Oreymouth Catholio Debating Society, an institution of which they were justly proud. Prior to the ad rent of the Bey. Father he (Mr Philips) never dreamt that such gifted young men were in tbeir midst, and he felt it unnecessary to advert to the good effect such a society mußt have on every ona connected with it. But this was not all. To the rev. gmtleman's labours they were indebted for the improvement which had been made to their school-building, and though he looked well after the culture of the mind he by no means lost sight of amusements. Mr Philips then referred to Father Briands love of music. Thanks to his labours they had founded in Greymouth a Catholic Brass Band, which ia point of efficiency was second to none on the Coast, and he trusted that when the railway was opened to Reefton the band would visit this place (hear, hear). People not acquainted with Father Briand might think it strange that a deputation ehouli journey from Greymouth to honour him, but anyone who knew him wonld agree that it was difficult indeed to overappreciate bis merits as a priest and a gentleman (near, hear). His (the speaker's) words were quite unequal to the task of expressing the sentiments of his heart, of his personal regrets, as being the father of a large family, mainly grown-up boys. He congratulated the Catholics of Reefton on securing the services of Father Briand, and he felt sure they would find by experience that the attachment shown him in Greymouth was not misplaced (^cheers). Mr Philips then presented the rev. chairman with the address, accompanied with a pur fe e of sovereigns, representing th 3 prica of a rich altar service, ordered from the best jeweller in Lyons, which he asked him to accept on behalf of Father Briaad.

Mr Dupre said that he was unused to public speaking, end as his friend, Mr Philips, had amply expressed the regard borne in Greymouth towards Father Biiand, he would not delay them by making a speech. He could assure them, however, that he tboughi the address and purse of sovereigns but a very small return f^rthe invaluable services which had been rendered them by the Rev Father.

la presenting the gifts to the recipient the rev chairman said that they were evidence of two things— merit on one hand, and gratitude on the other. He himself felt in common with his parishioners highly honoured at having the asMß'ance of a man so worthy as Father Briand (Cheers).

Messrs Deere anl H, M,ulvihill then piesented Father Briand with a photo of the Greymouth Catholic Brass Band. The latter gentleman made a neit speech, in the course of which he testified to the high esteem in which the Catholic young men of Greymouth held the Her Father. In losing him they had lost a siQcere ani devoted friend. However, his good qualities would show themsel/es wherever he went, and he felt sure that before long the Catholic young men of Reefton would have as much cause to be grateful to Father Briand as those of Greymouth.

Mr F. Mulvihill thei came forward and, on behalf of the altarboys of Greymouth, read aa original and very nice aidress, beiring the signitures of all of them, thanking him for all his care and kind° ness, and apologiz ng for all the troubles they gave him. He also referred at length to Father Briands sterling qualities. Were he to tpeak for a week he could not express the feelings with which he (the speaker) regarded him, and he knew that his own feelings were BJar«.d not only by those who besides himself bad journeyed to present him with sojie lulle evidence of thtir regard, but also by every Catholic in Greymouth. There was no better judge than RevF. Carew, who on the eve of Father Biand's departure, declared pabhcly before a 1 of tbem thit no priest on this s.de of the line might be compared to him for his actiwty, energy, self-sacrificing and spirit ; "in fact Father Briand was doing so much that he himself (Father Carew) had almost nothing to do (cheers). Fertonally he (Mr MuWihill) admired Father Biiand for his zeal for the culture for the young. Youth was tbe critical period in which the mind was easily swayed either for good or for evil, and he thought that the priest who in any way assisted to mould the youth, so that he could titreafter take his place in the world with honour to himself, to his leligijn, and the good of society, was a real pubiic benefactor (htar, hear). Mr Mulvihi.l then presented the address aad also a silver pencil case. Botb were of but small intrinsic value, but they would still serve to remind Father Briand of the esteem id which he was held by thosa for whom he had done so much.

Five other members of the deputatioa spoke ia support of the address, all expressing ia telling terms the loss they aad the community have sustained, an 1 the deep regret they felt at the departure of the Rev Father from Greyruoutb.

Mr R. Kennedy (member of the church committee) could not help remembering what he did for the good of the soulb, for the spiritual interests of the congregation ; and then he referred to his works in various parts of the district— the building of the school, due to his initiation, and the establishment of tbe Literary Society in Brunnerton.

Mr J. MoDavitt, who to the last day was bo cloiely connected with Father Briaad in matters that concerned the choir and the Literary Society, paid a high compliment to his able, untiring, and so successful management and training of the choir, and felt happy not to have departed from so good a friend since he (himself) followed him to Reefton.

Messrs W. Card, Satnp3oa, and W. Ryan also spoke in termi of praise of Father Briand, and referred to the void left in Greymouth by his departure, and which is more and more felt — the last-named gentleman remarking that previous speakers had forgotten to mention that the rev gentleman had also another good quality which could not fail to endear him to all, irrespective of creed or of condition. He never he3itated to give his valuable assistance to any worthy cause ; and he showed himself the true friend of all, and perhips ia a special manner of those who labour and toil under painful circumstance* He is pleased to record the deep regret and sympathy of the latter (cheers).

The Rev Father Briand, in reply, aaid that on an occasion like this silence on his part was preEerable to speech-makiug, while, however, he was deeply grateful for the gifts and addresses with which they presented him. What, above all, rejoiced him was the sincerity of the seatiments of affection, of regard, of sympathy, of good harmony that are expressed in so telling. It was a satisfaction and a comfrom to him to know that the Greymouth oommnnity had appreciated his good will, and recognised that he had at heart only their good, and that in all things he was guidei, even in the false steps he might have made, through the sentiment of justice, and th 9 desire of promoting the general good and tha welfare of the works he had in hand (applause). To that right appreciation were due all their kindness to him.all their generous and admirable.bDth moral and fiaaocial.support their great confidence, and those sentiments of regret they had so warmly expressed from thi tima of his removal. He also departed from them with a heart really broken. Even now he could not help missing so many excellent friends, all those works to which ha devoted the best of his heart and of his soul, and for each of whioh he found a word of kind and heartfelt remembrance, and yet ha had to leave them, just at the very moment he coald commence to enjoy the fruits of his labours. H; wa9 only sorry not to have bjen able to carry to their full completion his plans and his last enterprises. Bat he deemed it to be a duty of j as ica to declare that the success which had been achieved in Greymouth was not due to him a'oae. Allowance must be made for tb.3 aasutancj of Father Caraw aad also of the cooperation of many of the laity. Ha had done bis best but he coald do no m:>re than his share, and the result to be seea ia Grdymouth might be termed the outcoma of their joint labours He would he happy if he coald convey to all his sincere thanks for th it generous support, together with his sentiments of regard, of advice, of everlasting affection, of admiration he entertained for their gojd, Christian spirit, and great works of religion. Never will ho forget them before God ; and be feels con fiient that "whenever he will present up to tbe Divine Majesty the beautiful chalice be is about to receive from them, a still more fervent prayer will go up from hiß heart for their welfare (cheers)." Thea, turning to the ReeftoD Catholic congregation, he took the present occasion to thank them for the way ia which they competed with Greymouth in matter of kiidness and respect towards him ; notbing could be desired in his home life, so happy with the good venerable Father Rjlland, whom all of them respect and love. They had supported him so well in all the works he was requjsted to start ; they had taken aa in'erest so great in his welfare during the last seven weeks, lastly he would be ungrateful not to express hissatisfac tion and gratitude for the zeal with which the members of tbe church committed aad all the ladies of the newly-born Altar Society had prepared this splendid feast, which first of all was a compliment to his person. Now he bad devoted to tbem all his pjrsoo, to the last breath of this life of liia he had the only regret to o so waak aad so poor (long applause).

Mr P. Brennan, senr. (chairman of the County Council), said that the members of the deputation bad given another evidence of that gooi feeling which, he was glai to say, always existed between the Catholic priest and his people (hear, hear). In honoring Father Briand they were also honouring the people of this parish, who had reason to be proud at having such a man in their midst (cheera). Mr J. Lynch said that he would depart from the practice of bestowing praise on Father Briand, and would inflict a little chastisement. He had been removed from Greymonth because he had impaired bis health by over-exertion, and he (tha speaker) warned him against repealing that offence here (laughter). Clearly, if he worked too h\rd he would be removed just as his labours were bearing fruit, aad then —they would bd under the painful necessity of giviog another , puree of sovereigns (laugbter). Mr Lynch concluded by passing a high compliment on the artistic knowledge shown in the preparation of tse Hddresu, which had just received the best critique from the competent lips of Father Briand. It was. indeed, an excellent piece of workmanship, and reflected the greatest credit on Mr Zachariah.

A vote of thanks to the chair, proposed by Mr McSherry, and seconded by Mr Djeban, terminated the proceedings, and a friendly gathering, which for a long time will be forgotten neither by the R:efton ommumty nor by their Greymouth vieitors.