Welcome to Monsignor Mackay Oamaru

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 17, 28 April 1904, Page 29

Welcome to Monsignor Mackay Oamaru

• x£ * Joseph's schoolroom, Oamaru, was well filled with Mon&ignoi Mackay's parishioners on the occasion of the welcome extended to him after his trip to the Old Country. The hall (says the O&maru « Mail ') ,was nicely decorated, and a pleasant evening was spent, 'and much Interest and enthusiasm evinced by the audience as they followed fcheir pastor in his wanderings through the various counUies he had visited in the course* of his tooir. The chair was occupied by Mr. T. O'Grady. The chairman s>aid it was. a pleasure to him, and he was sure that pleasure would be shared by all to see Monsignor Mackay again, and he trusted that their pastor would be long spared to the parish. Monsignor Mackay had been instrumental in providing the Catholics with many fine buildings, and he was certain that with the help of his people he would accomplish his dearest object in life, which was the completion of the church. On behalf of the Catholics of Oamaru he had the greatest pleasure in welcoming Monsignor Mackay home after his well-earned holiday. Mr. J. Cagney said it was just twelve months ago since the guest of the evening left on his trip to his native place, to renew his acquaintance with familiar sjpots, and to regain his health. Monsignor Mackay had carried with him the very best wishes of every man, wom)an, and child in the parish, and received a warm reception amongst his friends at the other end of the world. It must have been gratifying to their pastor to feel that when he was going on an extended trip he could leave behind him to take up his work such an energetic deputy as Father O'Reilly. Mr. P. Corcoran expressed his pleasure at the return of Monsignor Mackay, and at his renewed health. Father O'Reilly said it was a source of extreme pleasure to give Monsignor Mackay a real, genuine Irish welcome home. During the time Monsignor Mackay had been away they had followed his movements with deep interest, and had always rejoiced to learn that he was enjoying himself. Monsignor Mackay had for twelve or fourteen years been serving them, and had spent his health m serving them. He had been their true guide, philosopher, and friend. He had sorrowed with them in their moments of sadness and rejoiced with them in their moments of joy. He had labored assiduously to make it possible to carry out the work of erecting the fine buildings they saw around them. He reimced to see Monsignor Mackay home in renewed health, and trusted that he would be spared for mjany years to continue the good work at which he had labored so earnestly and so long. Monsignor Mackay said it scarcely seemed more than yesterday when he had met them to say good-bye for a time Since he had returned he had received nothing but the best (4 wishes and he felt? extremely grateful With regard to his journey, he was sx> full of it that he s'caicelv knew where to begin. He had planned to meet t/hem at different periods throughout tihe winter months and to retail his experiences bit by bit, mahing his account more entertaining with the assistance of some \iews he had collected in the various countries thiough which he had passed. But those who labor about ships are not always the most considerale of people in regard to the passengers' 'lugga>ge — they usfually know veiy little about the value of things ai.d care less He had lost a considerable number of his slides through breakages, and his lantern had also suffered. His intention on setting out had been to take exhaustive notes of everything he saw, but v he had been attacked by an old enemy — rheumatic gout — in Fiji, and he was not relieved of this ailment until he had left Dublin. At times, however, the magnificence of the scenery made him almost forget his trouble. In Fiji he met Bishop Vidal. in charge of the diocese of Suva, and was cordially received by him. During the afternoon of Sunday the Bishop disappeared somewhat mysterio-.isly, and t'hi.T rousing h's curiosity he investigated t»he matter. He found Bishop Vidal preaching to the Polynesians, whose language he spoke fluently. During the service thcie wandered into the cathedral a New Zealan.d legislator, of whom there were 36 present in the island at the time, and who expressed pleasure at the efforts made to instruct the natives. Next morning he went with a party up the Rewa River to look over the large tobacco and sugar works which, he might mention in passing, were carried on by Aberdoniaiis. This furnished another example of the proverbial enterprise of the Scotchman 1 . He was greatly impressed with the beauty of the interior of some of the houses, which were magnificently ornamented. The Fiiian evidently studied ihe science of construction, and had much more knowledge of architecture than the Maoris. The apex of the roof was often forty feet from the ground and im-

mense pillars adorned the building like the pillars of a chlurch. The mattings were more delicate than any he had previously seen, and some of them he had the pleasure of handling were of such fine texture that they could be crushed into almost the same space as a silk harder chief. Indeed, all the native work was beautiful. He visited a school conducted by the Marist Brothers, and though he had not actual knowledge of the number of sptoolars, some idea might be formed when he told triem that the school had a brass band of 45 boys. The chief roads of the village were, like those of Venice, on water. The boys had so widened and deepened the liver in one of its branches as to provide a short cut to the li arbor. The widening was compaxatively easy work, but about 200 or 300 yards of solid rock had to be removed by blasting before the undertaking was finished. With the stone thus provided the scholars were building a splendid church, the necessary lime being obtained by burning the coral, of which there is an inexhaustible supply. The front of the harbor was protected by a coral reef, which makes the water inside as calm as a millpond. Monsignor Mackay also treated briefly of his travels in Canada, etc., and promised to deaJ with Scotland on some other occasion. The chairman, on behalf of the audience, thanked Monsignor Mackay for his interesting account, and said it would be even greater pleasure to hear him recount his experiences in his own native country. Three hearty cheers were then given for Monsignor Mackay, who returned the compliment by asking for a vote of thanks to the chairman. During the evening Miss Hannon played a pianoforte solo, Father O'Reilly sang 'My fairest child,' and Mr. M. J. Harming ' The Irish emigrant,' and Mr. J. Gallagher provided a recitation. The accompaniments were playeid by Misses Hannon and Falconer.