OPENED LAST SUNDAY

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10, 9 March 1905, Page 6

OPENED LAST SUNDAY

(From our Special Reporter.) On SujnHay last the handsome new Catholic church erected at Otautau was solemnly blessed and opened for Divine worship,. It is now six years since the writer of these lines passed through that rich ahd fertile district of .Southland. It is, so to speak, one of the garden plbts of New Zealand, and in few places has theio beeiij of late years, a greater degree of activity among the many factors that have o-one to give sfcich a high degree of prosperity to the agricultural interest in the Colony. A favored climate, a rich soil, advanced add skilful methods of farming, pleasant homesteads within their sheltering plantations, rising hamlets, aJnd a sturdy and well set-up population, all combine to give to the Otautau district an air of settled comfort ami prosperity. Otautau has itself gDown considerably since the present writer's last \isit there, and it bids fair to become to the western di.s,t net of Southland what prosperous and go-ahead Gore is to the eastern. Closer settlement and other causes have combined to draw population to the district. These have reacted favorably en the Catholic as well as on the nonOathohc element. For some years past the Catholics of Otautau and district ha\e felt that the time was fast becoming ripe for the erection of a church. I'nder tihe guidance of their pastor, the Very Rev. Father Sheehan, a strong committee was formed for the purpose of 'bringing their hopes and wishes to a happy realisation. The committee consisted of the following • Mes-siis. P. Joyce, R. Sweetman, N. Kelly, F. Kettig, K. Prewdergast, J. Thornton, D. Murchison, P. Clifford, R Oavigan, P. Fahey, B. Fahey, A. Bulman, and J. Kil]\dly. The matter was taken u,p with great zeal, funds were rapidly collected, the church— the handsomest edifice in Otautau — was erected, and on last Sunday the good work was crowned by its solemn dedication to the service of the Most High. The Cfturch is built on a fine and well-planted three-quarter acre section in the maim street o! the town. With its various projections, its deep and Swiss-looking eaves, its flights of steps, its handsiorne windows and fine proportions, it presents a handsome and striking appearance. It stands back 60 feet from the main street and is raised three feet from the ground on a solid concrete foundation, neatly cemented ofl and furnished with two broad flights of concrete steps, the one leading to the main entrance through a "fme porch, the other tJo tihe s>acristy. The deep, gabled roof, is paintod in a warm red brown, and all the gables are finished with handsome gold-tipped ornamental crosses. The building is 58 feet long, wi,th 36 feet of nave. " The transepts measure 27 feet acrods, and the chancel 16 feet by 16 feet. The sacristy is 12 feet by 10 feet and forms an extra wing on the outside, as does als>o the entrance porch, both facing the north or town side and contributing very much towards the handsome appearance which the exterior of the churoh presents. The walls (in w.b.) are 12 feet high. The roof is pitched

high, trtie rafters measuring 21 feet. The roof is constructed of heavy principals (9 feet by 4 feet), with braces, purlins, and staking all shown, and all chamfered and well oiled and giving a handsome appearance to the interior. The roof overhangs the outside walls by three feet. The chancel is formed with a large Crothic arcn. Four broad steps lead to the carved altar, which is painted in dull white, picked out with" gold. The whole of the chancel is covered with a heavy crimson Brussels carpet, having the conventional ecclesiastical design of the lily woven into its texture— an appropriate emblem for a church that is dedicated to St. Joseph. Above the carved tabernacle are three nairow wiindows, lighting the ehajicel, which presents a handsome appearance to persons entering by the main door of tihe church. The main building is lighted on each side by three windows, and at each end of transept, as well as o\er the altar, is a large treble window. The glass in all the windows is of alternite diamond-shaped panes dull gold and violet. The walls of the building inside have a four-toot dado ,of picked red pine. The upper part of walls is calsomined in a delwate shade of dove grey. The seats and altarrails are all of beautifully raarkea red pine, and the supports ol the altar-rails and the ends of the seats are clarved. The sacristy is in every respect well furnished, and the church is lighted by massive lamps. Among the special gifts to the church are the following : A splendid pair of five- branched silver candlesticks (the late Mrs. Sweetman, Otautau) ; a full set of stations of the cross (Mrs. Joyce) ; a large missial (Mrs. Farrelly)a large crucifix, altar-linen, and communion-cloth (Mrs' N. Kelly) ; bell (Mrs. Culling). The church (which cos.t close on £700) was designed by Messrs. Mackenzie and Wilson, architects, Inyercargill ; aad the work of erection was carried out in, a very efficient manner by Mr. Joseph Swap cf Otautau. ' Opening Ceremonies. On last Sunday, the day appointed for the dedication and opening of the church, the weather conditions were unfavorable to a degree. The ram fell steadily for the greater part of the day. Nevertheless the church was densely packed in every part by a large congregation from the surrounding districts, and even from places so far beyond Otautau a s the Waiau, Heddon Bush, Riverton, etc. At 11 o'clock Solemn High Mass wias begun. It was celebrated by Rev. H. W. Cleary (Qunejdin), with Very Rev. Dean Burke a s deacon, Rev. P. O'Donnell subdeacon, and Very Rev. J. Sheehan (pastor of the district) master of ceremonies! The dedication sermon was preached by Rev. H. w! Cleary from the text : ' I -have sanctified this house which t-hou hast built, to put My name there for ever and My eyes and My heart shall be there always.' ' The mmsic of the Mass was rendered in very efficient style by the Invercargi'l choir, who were fortunate enough to also secure the services of Mrs Murphy, of the Bluff. The ' Kyrie,' ' Credo,' and ' Sanctnis ' were from Mo/.art's Twelfth Mass, and the 1 Agnus Dei ' from Weber's Mass i n Vr. Mrs. Murphy sang in exquisite style, as an offertory piece, Zelmaan's ' Tan turn Ergo.' In the evening, at Solemn Vespers, the cliurah was again densely crowded. Rev. P. O'Donnell was celebrant, assisted by Very Rev. Dean Bunke, Very Rev. J. Sheehan, and Rev. 11. W. Cleary. A fine discourse was givem by the Very Rev. Dean" Burke. He spoke from the text : ' By their fruits ye shall know them,' and showed, by an appeal to Me facts of history, what the Christian relipjion had done for the individual,' the family, and the State, referring in particular to the abolition of slavery and the elevation of woman from being a mere chattel and upper-slave to the pr-oiud position which she holds in the world to-day. In concluding his discourse, the preacher exhorted his hearers to make their religion personal and to show it in the actions of their everyday life. Fathdr Sheehan returned cordial thanks to tihe people for their sympathy and generosity , to the committee, whose work had been brought to so successful an issue; to the visiting clergy ; and the choir— and in a Special manner to Mrs. Murphy— for their valuable amd greatly appreciated assistance. During the evening Mrs. Murtnhy sang Cherubini's ' Aye Maria ' in finished style. Mr. Pasco gave a devotional rendering of Hummel's ' O Salutaris ' ; and he and Mrs Murphy also sang Rossi's ' Tantum Ergo.' Miss Hisitoon presided in a very efficient manner at the organ both morning and evening. The amou.nl contributed to the building fund at Mass and Vespers amounted to £104— a result which sipeaks well for the generosity of the congregations present on last Sunday.