Death of the Rev. Father Chastagnon

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 19, 12 May 1904, Page 19

Death of the Rev. Father Chastagnon

A letter has bcon received in Sydney from the Very Rev. Canon Curtin, of the famous Madeleine Uhurch, Pains, announcing the sad intelligence of the death of the Rev. Father Etienne Stephen Chastagjion, which took place on January 9 last at a sanatorium for ecclesiaMies a^ a place called Ciboure, nearsSt. Jean tie Ijuz, in the Pyrenees. Father Chastagnon (says the 1 Freeman's Journal ') will be remembered as one of the best known priests both here an,d in New Zealand. He was stationed at Rydal, near Bathurst, from 1868 to 1871. While in charge of this district he built a handsome stone church in the township of Rydal, then the terminus of the Western railway. After leaving Rydal he went to Dubbo, where his zeal was again in evidence from fB7l to 1875, undertaking as he did tvhe building of the present sacred edifice that adorns the town. This work was well commenced under his guidance. From EUrbbo he went to the diocese of Christchurch, N.Z., a.n4 was stationed at Darfield by Bishop Grimes. There he ministered until he left for Europe early in 1903. He graduated B.A. at Monflpellier, and was educated in Paris, being ordained at 22 by special dispensation. He spent only a few months in New Zealand before he came to Baithurst diocese. He was complimented by the Circuit Court for his Splendid work in the bushranging days in the Fish River district. He remained in New Ziealajfld, whither he went after leaving Dubbo, until failing in health sent him home lasit year to France to lecuperate. His Darfield parishioners made him a presentation on leaving. Canon Curtin says :— ' I made his acquaintance in Paris through one of the priests of the Madeleine, whose neice is married to his nephew, Charles Chajvignie, at Bort (Correze). It seems that after speeding some time with his people in Auvergne, he selected the climate of Ciboure, in order to spend the winter there. He did not believe that he was very ill, and although advised to do so by the priests arid nuns of the establishment he made no will and left no instructions of any kind. The mainy who remember the departed Father in Australia and New Zealand will join in mourning his death.— R.l. P.