HOMEWARD BOUND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 20, 14 May 1903, Page 3

HOMEWARD BOUND

« FAREWELL TO MONSIQNOR MACKAY.

On Thursday of last week the Catholics of the Oamaru parish wished the Right Rev. "Mgr. Mackay a pleasant journey to his native Scotland and a safe return to the scene of his successful labors. In the afternoon a very interesting farewell entertainment was given in his honor in St. Joseph's Hall by the pupils of the Dominican Nuns. Ball drill and sash drill were given in capital style, and there were two nicely played piano selections, and several well rendered and appropriate choruses, concluding with ' Will ye no' come back again?' At its close Monsignor Mackay suitably thanked the teachers and the children in a happy little speech.

In the evening 1 a farewell social was tendered to Monsignor Mackay by the parishioners. The hall was nicely decorated for the occasion with flowers, evergreens, and pictures. The chair was taken by Mr. T. O'Grady, and the hall was crowded to the doors by a representative gathering of the Catholics of Oamaru and district. The visiting clergy present on the occasion were Very Ilev. Father O'Neill (Milton), Rev. Father Aubry (Waimate), and Rev. Father Cleary (Dunedin). Apologies for nonattendance were received from the Hon. T. Y. Duncan (Minister of Lands), the Very Rev. Mgr. O'Leary, and Rev. Fathers Murphy, Regnault, Tubman, and Coffey. The proceedings were opened by the chairman, who, in the course of a complimentary speech, referred in terms of warm admiration to the great energy and activity of their pastor. To these qualities, and to his great architectural knowledge they owed the erection of the magnificent row of buildings which were a credit not only to Oamaru, but to the whole Colony (applause). The onus of erecting the convent, the presbytery, and the basilica had rested on the shoulders of MonsLgnor Mackay, though his efforts had been nobly seconded by the parishioners. The parish had never been a poor one, and there was something upon which Monsignor Mackay could draw to carry on his work. The people of Oamaru had not alone erected those noble buildings, but they had also contributed according to their means for the erection of ecclesiastical edifices in Dunedin and elsewhere. Their guest had arrived in Oamaru about March thirteen years ago, and, though they were not usually given to criticising their friends, there were many among them who at first regarded him as being somewhat slow. But all would agree with him that he certainly had been very sure (applause). There was hardly a stone that he had not seen deposited on the basilica, and that building was a standing monument to his energy and architectural knowledge which the people of Oamaru did not fail to recognise (applause). Monsirnor Mackay well deserved the mark of distinction they were giving' him, and the attendance of his church people in force showed that they wished him a pleasant voyage, and he could promise him that on his return he would ,receive a right hearty welcome (applause).

At the close of the chairman's address, Mr. Ardagh presented Monsignor Mackay with a handsome pJarse containing 105 sovereigns. Miss Nellie Rowlands (o n behalf of the Altar Society) and Miss Annie Corcoran (on behalf of the Children of Mary) then presented him with an address and purse of sovereigns. Monsignor Mackay's health was then enthusiastically toasted with musical honors.

Mr. John Cagney made a characteristically humorous speech, in the course of which he dwelt upon the long and arduous labors of the guest of the evening for the people of the Oamaru mission during the past 13 years, in the course of which he had worn out a great deal of shoe leather (applause). Oamaru had long been noted for its buildings, but the climax was never reached until the Catholics put their hands in their pockets to find money to erect their fine buildings. No man stood higher in the estimation of the people of Oamaru than did their Sastor (applause). When Monsignor Mackay went Home c would have many warm friends, but their friendship would never be so warm as to replace the affections of the people of Oamaru, and when he returned he would be received in the same whole-hearted manner as that in which he was being sped on his journey (applause).

Mr. P. Corcoran, in a bright and happy speech, wished Monsignor Mackay a pleasant voyage and a safe return from his native land. He hoped that the day was not far distant when the guest of the evening would see the wish of his heart realised in seeing the magnificent basilica completed in every detail and opened free from debt (applause).

Father Cleary said that the evening's demonstration reflected credit on Monsignor Mackay for the splendid work he had achieved, and on the people foi their generous aid and their recognition of the labors of their pastor. The noble piles of church buildings in Oamaru were a monument to Monsignor Mackay 's ability and energy and to their piety and generosity (applause). Referring to their early impression as to their pastor's cautious slowness, the speaker quoted the Italian proverb : 'He that goes slowly goes safely, and he that goes safely goes far.' The Monsignor had the admirable quality of Scottish caution, and this, coupled with his knowledge of architecture and his great business capacity, enabled them to raise those splendid ecclesiastical buildings at the minimum of expense (applause). The speaker compared Monsignor Mackay to the great Irish legendary Wuilder, the Goban Seor, who (as the popular myths said) erected the almost indestructible round towers — ' those conquerors of time.' The results of Monsignor Mackay's labors were monuments that would tell of hi 9 zeal and their piety in generations to come (applause).

Very Rev. Father O'Neill, in the course of a humorous address, said he had expected a very hearty social, and had not been disappointed (applause). He had known. Monsignor &lack.ay perhaps longer than anyone else in the hall, as he had for some time been helping the mission as curate 'under their worthy pastor. He had lately been visiting'the country from which Moiir signor Mackay came, and he knew that a hiaitv welcome would be accoided their pastor when he arrived there. He would f<n 1 that the Catholics had increared in his old town of Aberdeen, and that a fine new college had taken the place of the old one in which he (Monsignor Mackay) had received a ) art of his tiaimng. and which must be associated in his mind with many tem'er recollections He concluded by wishing Monsignor Mackay a pleasant vo.\ aero and a safe return to h>s people Father Aubry said they in Waimate were indebted to Monsignor Mackay for many acts of kindness. Whenever there was anything going on m the diocese of Christchurch they were happy and honored to have- h'm amongst them Although he was pleased to find that Monsignor Mackay was taking a well-earned holiday, he feared that their pastor would be weatly missed (applause). He looked forward to the time when Monsignor Mackay would be in Waimate again, when he would receive a light hearty welcome.

Monsignor Mackay received a great o\ation on rising to reply. He deprecated the praises showered upon him as undeserved. The man who followed the plough did but a small portion of the work—his team did nearly all. Those who had done the work were those who had contributed He could not find words to express Low deeply he felt the new proof of their generosity that they had just gi\en him. He had thought that the number of appeals made lately had drained their resources, but they again lesponded gei,e: ously He would apply the money as far as he could in seejng- in other lands 'monuments and worlds of art, winch might assist him in further adorning their own thwrch (applause\ Ife doubted not that the piaises bestowed were given in all sincerity, but they were certainly against his own conscience! When he fast came to Oamaru horn Queenstown he conceived the idia of a new church. He was laughed at when he stated the amount that it would cost, and even when the building had bee-n opened, it looked so tin-p-^Linly. tha.l he had 'de<termin(vd to put^a, proper face /'n it. For all these works the money had been liberally forthcoming, and now, whm it had "begun to show foit'h in its facade its original design, all had come to realise its beauty (apph,w<-e) Imitation was the best form of flattery. Their chunh wrs the first in New Zealand that was erected in the basilica 'tvle Others had followed His Grace the Archbishop of V.pllinuftrn hud le f t hi>re intending to build n church on similar lines, but he had to confess later thai he had been eclipsed (applause) In concluding his reply, Monsignor Mackav said he \alued not the gold half so much as the golden sentiments expressed by his people, which had so impressed him to

ESSS aSslau d se mb - ** TeaXmed hiS Seat amidst in >TT r h ti^ rr y als between the- various speeches were filled in by the various items of an interesting programme A piano solo was played by Miss Hannon. Songs Were by Misses Falconer and K. Cagney, Fathers S »°vL and ° li6jlly> £ nd Mr - M - J - Harming, and mlss Donovan gave a much-appreciated recitation The accompaniments; to the vocal items were played by Misses Hannon and Duggan. At an interval in the proceedings refreshments were handed round. A most enjoyable s?*lfui7TlS Z &S brought to a close by the singing of norldcav & ty CheerS f ° r * Io " si Sin«r M i? BI TO r Ma <£ a^ reached DunWn on Monday evening He leit on Wednesday afternoon by the Mararoa on his way to Auckland, whence he proceeds by the V^w 0 SU M a ' whi £ h , point ho J oins the Moana for hv ht, ? «i * Mon^enor Macfcay is accompanied to Europe by his sister, Miss Mackay. The Dunedin clergy and many lay friends assembled at their departure to wish them a pleasant voyage and a safe return