PRESENTATIONS TO THE VERY REV FATHER HACKETT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 22, 28 September 1894, Page 23

PRESENTATIONS TO THE VERY REV FATHER HACKETT.

TRIBUTE TO A WORTHY SOGGABIU AROON.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

When it became known that St Patrick's Cathedral was about to lose the services of their beloved and energetic administrator, Father Hackett, and when the parishioners had recovered from the shock occasioned by the news of the unwelcome severance from their exemplary soggarth aroon, meetings were held on all Bides, the people as a body, Hibernians, Literary Society, choir, school children, altar boys, all contending with each other to do honour to one who was at all times an honour and a pride to them. At last everything waa in readiness, and Father Hackett was summoned from bis rural parish to the city, where, on Thursday evening, the 13th ioßt, in the large room of St Patnek's presbytery, before his Lordship the Bißhop, Dr Esan, Father Lenihan, Mr J. D. Connolly, D.S Consul, the parishioners' committee of ladies and gentlemen, and representatives of tha various societies assembled, the following addresses were read. The first was the parishioners, which was read by the United States Consul, Mr Connolly, who prefaced his reading with an eloquent speech, in which he bore personal testimony to the good work and example set by Father Hackett, laying particular stress upon his love and fidelity to Ireland. The following is the parishioners' address :—

11 To toe Very Rev Father Hackett. Dear Rev Father,— We, the parishioners of St Patrick's Cathedral parish, together with your numerous friends, take this opportunity of expreesing our sincere regret at your departure from our midst, where you have for seven years labound incessantly for our spiritual and temporal necessities. Evidence of your good woiks remnn with us in the confraternities and societi. s promote! and fostered by you as potent auxiliaries of our H ily Chu eh. Your eloqaent au i powerful appeals to us from the pulpit and la private, your sound and practical admonitions and exemplary coniuct; your unceasing efforts to reclaim the wayward, and to succjur the needy, and fijally your ardent love for dear Ireland all combine to enhance your strong claim on our gratitude, and we will ever pray that Goi may grant you health and strength ta labour ;u ttut eialtei spherj^in waic i you are sj bright an orna-

Tha a xi address was thit u£ thj Auckland branch of the U.A C B. Society, which was read by Mr William Kane, Secretary. " Rev and Dear Sir, — We, tha members of St Patrick's branch, No 81, of the Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society, desire to express our he irtfelt regret at your removal from this city, our high appreciation of your incessant labours in the interests not only of this, but of the various societies -md works appertaining to your ofh'ce during your administration. We have recognised with pleasure your love of holy religion, patriotism, exemplary conduct, and chari. table dispositioD, all of which ever endear the Irish priest to his flock, and perhaps seldom more than in thia instance embitter the parting. We earnestly hope and pray that God may grant you good health and many happy years to diffuse the light of faith amongst His people, thit Heaven may ever bestow on you its choicest favours and blessings. la conclusion we humbly and devoutly request you to grant us yGur blessing, and remember us in you prayers, (Signed) James Smith, president ; Hu^h Dufftrin, vice-president ; D. Flynn, treasurer ; John Patterson, past president ; W.Kant, secretary." The address from the Auckland Catholic Literary Society as follows, was read by Mr William Tole, senior vice-president :—

•' Deer Reverend Father,— lt is with mingled feelings of pleasure and pain that we, the members of the Auckland Catholic Literary and Debiting Society, desire to ask your acceptance of this addresß and the accompanying volumes on the occasion of your removal from the cathedral paneb, and your consequent retirement from the offic* of epni'ual d i actor. We recognise in you all the qualities which combine to pro-lncd the zealous pastor and the true friend and workLr id the ctmo of the people. Our society, founded by you, has earned o.i i.s goo 1 work, thanks to your untiring exertions, and has served as a model and an example to neighbouring pariehcß.

Neither have you neglected to instil into oar minds a love for that land in which you and many of us have first seen the light, dear old Ireland. We are pained to tbiak that in the performance of your self-sacrificing labours your health has failed, but we fervently hope that the change which you have made may fully restore you to , health and strength. We shall ever look back with pleasure" to the ' many happy and profitable hours we have spent together, and in ask- j ing you to pray for our future spiritual and temporal welfare, we | promise you in return that no exertion shall be wanting on our part ' to render our society a monument to your zeal and labour in the cause of mutual improvement. With our kindest regards and best wishes, we subscribe ourselves, dear Rev Father, yours very eincerely> Officers of the Society." The above three addresses were nicely bound in one large volume, the covers of which were made of Russian leather, with suitable inscription in gold letters on the front. The designs and illuminations were very goad. On that of the parishioners were a beautiful picture of the Cithedral, and of St Patrick, a view of Auckland harbour, several Irish emblems, and a border of shamrocks. Mr Clarke, for St Patrick's choir, read their address as follows : " To the Very Rev Father Hackett, Adm. St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland— Very rev and dear sir : The members of St Patrick's Cathedral choir desire to express their sincere regret at your departure from St Patrick's on account of ill health, and to convey to you the expression of their appreciation of the warm sympathy always manifested by you in all matters connected with the choir. We ask you to accept the accompanying dinner 83t as a token of esteem, and we trußt that in your new sphere of labour you may enjjy that improvement in your health which we all devoutly hope for, and that all other blessings, both spiritual and temporal, may be accorded to you. On behalf of the choir, P. F. Hiscocks, conductor." The Marist school boys' address was illuminated by one of the pupils, Master James McVeagh, who also read it : —

" To the Very Rev J. J. Hackett, Adm.— Dear Rev Father : We, the children of the Marist Brothers' school, Auckland, cannot al.ow you to depart without showing you some manifestation of gra'itude and es'eem for your unremi ting solicitude in attending so lon^ and so well to our spiritual wan s. Not only must wj thank you for the priestly care lovingly bestowed, but a'so for the great mterest you have so assidaously taken in all else that tended to our advancement, The only thing that consoles us on your leaving is knowing that you have stayed so long as your health permitted. We trust that our loss will not only benefit yourself in every way but others who now are to enjoy the fervent and fatherly instructions you so mu^h liked to give us on all fitting times. Dear Rev Father, our words are unable to convey to you the grief caused by your departure ; rest assured, however, that distance will not lessen our mutual love. Wishing a share in your prayers before the altar, we remain, dear Rev Father, your devoted children, the pupils of the Marist Brothers' School, Auckland, September 3rd, 1894 :— The sanctuary boys of the Cathedral now grouped around their late pastor, and presented him with a beautiful photograph containing the whole of their portrait?, and Master Thomas Guscott read their address as follows : — "Very Rev J. J. Hackett, Adm. St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland : Dear Rev Father — We, the sanctuary boys of the Cathedral, beg your acceptance of this souvenir, as a tokea of the es'eem and love we have for one whose memory, as a priest and friend, will ever be enshrined in our hearts. Under your masterly direction the ceremonies have been carried out with all becomingnesp, and we, as sharers in carrying them out, have to thank you for the training we have received from you. Sorry, indeed, we are to lose you, but we rejoice at the prospect that the change may restore you to a perfect state of health, and prolong for the interest of the Church the life of one who works so unflinchingly for the Master's cause. Praying toe Sacred Heart of our dear Lord to give you health and lons life, and recommending ourselves to your good prayers, we are, dear Bey Father, yours affectionately, the sanctuary boys of St Patrick's Cathedral."

Mr Daniel Flynn, hon treasurer, and Mr M. Sheahan, hon secretary, then stepped forward, the former handing to Father Hackett a purse containing sixty sovereigns. His Lordship then stood up and said he felt bo gratified and pleasei at being present on such an occasion, and he would say, that good Father Hackett was indeed worthy of the manifestations shown to him, as he had always found him a zealous priest and warm-hearted friend. He reiteratad all the encomiums pass;d on him to-night. The rising of Father Hackett was the signal for a genuine outburst of long applause. It was Bomt minutes before he could speak, and it was notbeible that within him a battle was raging, and that it cist him a great eft )rt to subdue it ; in fact, this was evident throughout the whole of his reply. Father Hackett said :—: — My Lord, Rev Fathers, Mr Connolly, ladies and gentlemen :— I feel so deeply affected by the testimony of the goodwill aod kindness of the parishioners of St Patrick's^Cathedral towards me, that I can hardly find utterance for the sentiments of gratitude with which my heart is moved. Permit me to convey to them through you, Bir aDd the ladles and gentlemen of this deputation, the expression of my deep Bense of the honour which they have conferred upon me by the kind sentiments in my regard embodied in their valued and affectionate address, and also my most grateful thanks for thg accompanying gift, expressive of their warm-hearted generosity. I should be vain, indeed, were I to allow myself to believe that my feeble efforts to promote theiri spiritual and temporal interests while here, entitled me to the merit ascribed to me. lam too con- | scious of my own shortcomings to recognise myself in the picture drawn of me, but, if action through life always corresponded with intention and feeling, I should not feel unworthy of the eulogistic language employed. Whatever little I may have been instrumental in accomplishing towards the advancement of the undertakings to which allusion is made, I attribute it to God and the zealous co-opera-tion of the devoted young men and women who have worked so unitedly with me from the beginning. It will be a constant sourc©

of genuine pleasure to me, while labourirg in my new parish, to learn that the societies founded here are carrying on the good work for which they were established, and that the love of faith and fatherlacd will be ever cherished and increased amongst the people from whom I now part with regret. Their farewell address will be preserved by me tbrongh life, It will inspire me with renewed zeal in the service of our Divine Master and help t) make me more worthy of His love and m ire deserving of the high place given me in the hearts of Buch a grateful people. All then shook hands with Fa'her Hackett, wishing him goodbye. He then proceeded to the steamer, numbers accompanying him to the wharf, and as the steamer went oS three hearty cheers were given for him, The last act of Father Hackett was to hand two guineas to the hon secretary of the Irish National Federation, to be sen 1 ; with their contributions to Ireland. Father Hackett's name will for ever be revered in the history of St Patrick's.