Presentation to Dean Grogan

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 36, 3 September 1903, Page 5

Presentation to Dean Grogan

(From our Wanganui correspondent.)

On Monday, August 24, the Very Rev. Dean Crrogan attained the twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The celebration of the important event by the parishioners was nearly passed by, as the Dean was reticence itself with regaid to it. However, the fact that his silver jubilee fell on that day leaked out, and hurried preparations were at once made to celebrate the occasion in as fitting a manner as time and circumstances allowed. The result was- that St. Mary's Hall was filled to overflowing on Monday night, when the celebration took the form of an impromptu concert and conversazione. During an interval in the proceedings some of the most prominent of the parishioners appeared on the platform, and Mr. T. Lloyd explained, in a characteristic speech, the object of the gathering that had assembled that evening. It was to celebrate the silver jubilee of the Very Rev. Dean Grogan's ordination. Because Dean Grogun had been a resident only a few months in the parish was no reason why the people should not celebrate that event. They had heard of his labors elsewhere, and his name was familiar for many years to the Catholics of Wanganui. Mr. Lloyd said that lack of time had prevented them fiom making the piesentation as handsome as it might have been. He then called upon Mr. W. J. Mahoney, hon. sec. of the presentation committee, to read the following address, which was beautifully illuminated by the Sisters of St. Joseph :—

Very Rev. Dear Father,— We, the Catholics of Wanganui, heartily congratulate you upon this, the occasion of your silver jubilee. Fhe and twenty years of zealous labors in the vineyard of the Lord entitle you to our esteem and love. Only a small portion of one year, it is true, has been spent in our midst, but we ha\e heard of the success of your labors elsewhere, and we realise that yiour time and energy have been expended in advancing the cause which is dear to the hearts of all Catholics — the cause of Holy Church. As a small token of our affection and esteem we beg your acceptance of the accompanying present. Owing to pressing demands upon our resources and other causes we have not been able to offer you a gift more in keeping with the importance of the occasion, but we ask you to accept the will for the deed. In conclusion, Very Rev. and dear Father, we pray that Almighty God may, in His meicy, grant you every blessing, and may spare you long to labor for the advancement of His holy cause amongst the people of New Zealand.

Signed, on behalf of the Catholics of Wanganui. R. T. N. Beasley, W. Beswick, J. Bates, F. Neylon, B. J. Kelleher, W. J. Mahoney, T. W Tymons, P. Lundon, G. McCullock, J. Dempsey, 11. Tyrrel, T Lloyd, N. Neily, J. Robinson, I). Ball, W. Koorcy, J. W O'Brien, C. J. McCarthy. Dean Grogan's Reply. The Very Rev. Dean Grogan, on rising to respond, was greeted with loud and prolonged applause. He thanked the people for honoring him in such a manner that evening. lie did not expect it. There was no reason why they should do so. Had he been in Napier, where he could point to lasting monuments as the result of his labors in the Lord's vineyard the situation would be altogether different. Had he been among his old parishioners he was sure that they would celebrate his silver jubilee. But in Wanganui he was a comparatively recent arrival, and the monuments had been the work of a zealous man, who was now stricken with a serious illness. Here the Dean paid a glowing tribute to the work done by the Very Rev. Dean Kirk in the parish of Wanganui. Continuing, Dean Grogan said that he looked back upon three days in life in particular with great pleasure. The day on which he took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the day on which he was invested with the high dignity of the priesthood, and the day on which he landed in New Zealand. He said that he had never regretted becoming a priest, and were he a boy now on the benches of the Marist Brothers' schools, he would work up his way to the priesthood. He had, at his ordination, dear friends who counselled him not to go abroad, but in the first ardor of his vocation he had asked his Superior as a special privilege to allow him to come to New Zealand. He had never regretted this step ; he was proud of the land of his adoption ; from his first arrival, it had become his aim in life to spredd the truth among its people, to suffer with them, and, if needs be, to die in their service. Dean Grogan's remarks were received with loud applause, which continued for some time.

The concert was arranged by the members of the choir, and proved a great success. The following ladies and gentlemen gave items : Mesdames- Parker, A hern, and Meehan, and Misses Dempsey, Dickenson, Kiely, and Northcote. Mr. Sheenan gave two recitations, and

Messrs. G. McCullock, Wadman, and Armstrong contributed songs A very pleasant social evening was also held on Friday, August 21, at which there was a large attendance.

On the following Tuesday Dean Grogan was invited to the convent schools, where the young lady boarders presented him with an address, also a beautiful pastoral stole, with some other pretty and useful articles. The address was beautifully illuminated by Sister Xavier, and was greatly admired. A school operetta was then ably executed by the young ladies, after which all the children were given a holiday, with sweets to their hearts' content.