PRESENTATION TO DEAN HACKETT, WAIHI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 22, 30 May 1901, Page 5

PRESENTATION TO DEAN HACKETT, WAIHI.

Prior to his departure from Waihi the Very Rev. Dean Hackett was entertained at a farewell gathering, at which there were between 400 and 500 persons present. The function (says the Waihi Daily Telegraph) was most enjoyable aud its arrangements, whioh were almost entirely dependent upon the ladies, were such as would do credit to any committee. Miss B. Parkinson, the hon. secretary, and a committee of ladies worked wonders in the oomparatively short lime they had before th« fnnction eventuated. In the large number present other denominations were well represented, instancing the good feeling which exists between the local religions bodies. After a few items of the programme had been disposed of the Rev. Father Brodie explained the object of the gathering, and said that some ten weeks ago Dean Hackett relinquished the care of the Waihi district. Before his departure his parishioners and friends had not an opportunity of making any pnblic recognition of his labors in this district, but they had since been able to procure a beautiful address accompanied by a magnificent gold chalice, whioh were now to be presented to the Dean as a token of the gratitude and esteem of his Waihi friends. The chairman stated that it was a very pleasing duty to be called upon to occupy the chair and to witness such a generous expression of gratitude for the labors of his predecessor, and congratulated the presentation committee on their wise selection of such appropriate gifts. He then called upon Mr. John MoDonnell to read the following address, whioh waa signed on behalf of the Catholics of the district by Messrs. Edward H. Pilling, Charles Molloy, Nicholas Toomey, Patrick Hogan, Thomas Collins, H. L. Simmons, Thomas Olarkin, Edmund Parkinson, Thomas Donnelly, W. McCarthy, B. Drumm, Francis Crosby, Patrick Cooney, James Geary, Walter Dance, John Keane, Edward Bain, Patrick Ryan, Richard Cotter, Nicholas Toomey, jun. THE ADDRESS. • Very Rev. and dear Dean Hackett, — We, the Catholic residents of Waihi, have heard with pleasure that Waihi is now to be favored with a resident priest- But, while rejoicing at this wise disposition of his Lordship the Bishop, we regret that it is the occasion of your departure from our midst. Before you relinquish the care of our district we deßire to place on record our grateful recognition of your zealous labors amongst us. For seven years we have been under your spiritual care, and during that time you have most faithfully disobarged the duties of your exalted vocation. Amid the many cares of an extensive and populous parish you have ever been ready to administer to the wants of your people — tedious journeys, unfavorable weather, and other difficulties have never prevented your prompt discharge of your sacred obligations. While administering to our spiritual needs, you have not neglected our temporal well-being, and we have ever felt that in all our trials we could appeal, with confidence, to you for help and guidance. We pray that you may long be spared to continue the good work for which Almighty God has destined you, and to exercise the salutary influence of the priestly office. In parting with you we beg your kind acceptance of thiß address and the accompaying chalice as a small token of our esteem and grateful remembrance of your zealous labor in our midst ; and may we ask you, wheu you stand at God's altar to offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass, that you will sometimes remember in prayer your former and ever-grateful parishioners of Waihi.' DEAN HACKETT'S REPLY. Dean Hackett, in replying, said he was not skilled in the art of phrenology but he had it on good authority that when a hatter was making a hat for an Irishman he must always make room for the bump of self-eeteem, consequently being an Irishman he must preBume that he possessed that particular bump. If he did not, their presence in such large numbers that evening, the eulogistio language of their address, and the beautiful souvenir they gave him as a parting gift would have such an effect, on him as to make him believe in future that he was after all somebody of importance, and he would not be in the least surprised, after all he saw and heard that night, if he were obliged to leave his measure for a new hat very soon. He thanked them sincerely for the kind sentiments embodied in their address, but hoped they did not expeot him to take all that was said literally. He had to make vast allowances for the personal deficiencies to which they did not allude. He thought the gentlemen deputed to draw up the address belonged to that privileged class who, at some period or other of their lives, kissed that historic stone which imparted to lips that touched it that superabundance of eloquent flattery commonly known as ' Blarney.' He would truthfully state, however, that if action on his part always corresponded with good intention and feeling he would not feel unworthy of such praise. He now felt that in the capable hands of his successor, Father Brodie, their needs would be attended to, as he would reside amongst them. Already they realised Father Brodie's worth as a priest. They would find in him an able administrator, a zealous priest, and a genuine friend, one who would sympathise with them in their sorrows and rejoice with them in their joys. By enoouraging Father Brodie to come and take full charge of that prosperous and populous part of his district he (the Dean) felt that he had made compensation for the past. The iare well that evening was but a parting manifestation of the kindness and friendship he experienced from the very first day he set foot on their goldfield. It would ever remain with him an abiding and pleasant memory that during the seven years of his administration he had made so many friends and so few enemies. Had he incurred the enmity of none he would consider himself a man without principle, character, and opinion. God Himself had pronounced sentence against the man who had no enemies — ' Woe unto you when all men ■peak well of you.' He had, he said, been singularly fortunate

in having amongst so many friends one or two enemies who thus saved him from the consequences in store for those of whom ' all men speak well.' The Rev. Dean went on to say that in all business matters, as between man and man, whenever his judgment and sense of justice pointed out to him the right course he always made it the rule of his life to follow that oourse irrespective of consequences, and he was glad to say he never had occasion to regret having done so, although by his adherence to that principle he may have incurred the dipleasure and forfeited the help of people whom it would be policy on his part to pleaise. The sacrifice of principle appeared to him too great a price to pay for the friend* ship and temporal help of any man. The gold ohalioe whioh they gave him as a parting gift he considered the mo«t appropriate presentation they con Id h»v« made him. Never since he left Rome had he seen a chalice whioh could be compared to that in riohness and design. The chalice reminded them of what took place ou that ever-memorable and sorrowful night when Christ waa about to depart from those He loved. On that occasion He took into His blessed hands the chalice containing the wine and changed the wine into His own preoious blood, and then gave them to drink of it, saying, ' This is My blood ' ; 'Do this for a commemoration of Me.' For nineteen centuries the priests of the Catholic Churoh have faithfully carried out in its reality the solemn injunction given by Christ to His apostles. That first chalice in the hands of Christ contained on the night of His Last Supper the blood which redeemed the world, and it was the type of every chalice used in the Catholic ohurohes since then. During the Bacred moments of oonsecration their gift that night would be a link between heaven and earth ; it would be a link also between his heart and theirs, binding them together in the sacred bonds of love and prayer. In conclusion, Dean Haokett tendered his grateful thanks to the various committees of ladies and gentlemen who had worked so well in bringing about such a magnificent demonstration. To Father Brodie, at whose suggestion the presentation assumed such an appropriate and acceptable form, he expressed his deep debt of gratitud* ; and to the Rev. Mr. Aykyn, the Anglican clergyman, who honored him by his presence that evening, he returned thanks. To all his parishioners present as well as to the generous and liberal-minded members of the denominations assembled he would now say ' good-bye, 1 and while bearing away with him their good wishes that night he brought also with him a memory of them which would never fade through life. Their crowded attendances at church on the Sundays he was there, the happy moments he spent amongst the miners, the pleasant ohata they had would not be forgotten, the memory of such would be mutually cherished. ' Remembrance oft will paint the scenes Entombed beneath the past And o'er our souls like sunset gleams A holy radiance cast.'j During the evening the following musical items were given the accompaniments being played by Miss Nancy Power;— Duet Miss Geary and Miss Newdick, ' Life's dream is o'er' ; Miss Walker, ' Flight of ages ' ; Mr. McMahon, cornet solo ; Mr. Robins, ' Maid of Athens ' ; Miaa Newdick, ' Only a leaf ' ; Miss Adelaide Parkinson, violin, and Mr. Col ley, cornet, solos. The social was one of the most enjoyable that had been held in Waihi for a very long time.