Presentation to Father O'Reilly at Oamaru

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 12, 22 March 1906, Page 4

Presentation to Father O'Reilly at Oamaru

A social gathering, which was very largely attended was held \n St. J.oseph's Schoolroom, > Oamaru on Wednesday evening of last week for the purpose of .saying farewell to Rev. Father O'Reilly, who had been for four years in Oamaru. The chair (reports the ' Mail ') was occupied by the Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay, and besides the guest of the evening there were also present Rev. Father O'Neill, Messrs. Oooney, Corcoran, Rooney Duegan, O'Neill, and O'Grady. Musical items and recitations were given during the evening by Misses Cartwright, Sweeney Hannon, Donovan, Taylor, Mons,ignor Mackay, Father O'Reilly, and Messrs. J Curran A Black, Moriarty, and Duggan. ' The following address from the parishioner* was read by Mr. O'Grady •.— ' Dear Rev. Father,— With keenest sorrow we tfv parishioners of Oamaru, have heard that the' sphere of your ministrations is to be removed to the Cathedral parish at Dunedta. Of the four years you have labored in Oamaru only very few months were needed to establish you with a lasting firmness in our affections In you, ■we soon found a sympathetic friend, a sharer in our joys, a condoler in our sorrows— ever ready with both consolation and even with material aid in the hour of bereavement and affliction. What wonder, then that parting with you-a true Soggart Aroon-is a ' rude severance! of tender cords in the Celtic heart. Yes Father, •we gnevo at this parting, but with a submission born of faith, we bow without murmur to the voice o<f authority. We are sincerely grateful for the innumerable kindnesses and benefits we have received at your hands ;, for yiour zealous and priestly labor in directing us by your counsel and example in the paths of virtue and rectitude. We thank you for the interest you Have taken in our schools, 'manifesting your earnest desire that our children should be equipped by a sound Christian education that in after life they may tread their various paths in a manner worthy of the best traditions of our race. And, finally, on behalf of the citizens of Oamaru-for we .assure you, dear Father that the grief at your departure is by no means confined to the Catholic body— we thank you for your influence in maintaining those feelings of charity and kindness which happily exist in so marked a degree in North Glago. Now, dear Father, we beg to offer you the accompanying purse as in some small measure a tangible expression of our gratitude and esteem We fervently pray that God may long spare you to carry out His work and that it will sometimes be our privilege to see you if only for a shoit visit, amongst your lovine: people m Oamaru.' J B Mr O'Grady said that before their guest had been among them any_ length of time he had succeeded in impressms them with the spirit of nationality , with which he was im.bued. He had since proved an excellent workci among his people, and his efforts in their behalf had been marvellous. He had visited the poor and the sick and made their homes brighter "by his cheery manner and his ministrations. The parish was losing a great man^and one whose removal would cause the utmost +n v\\ C °°nZ .^ reasurer of the fund) then handed over to Father O'Reilly a purse of 100 sovereigns in the acceptance of which he said he hoped the Rev Father would find as much pleasure as it had afforded "the contributors to give. Monsignor Mackay congratulated Father O'Reillv on the many and deserved compliments paid him during the evening. Father O'Reilly had been in Oamaru to? nW,, yCa f r V nd dUr [ n f lhc s P eaker 's absence had <been in] charge of the parish for one year, and so successfully did he manage during that time that affairs were run, ning very smoothly on the speaker's return Mr Duggan eulogised the work of Father O'Reilly and referred more: particularly to his enthusiasm in connection with the school, where he had frequently been of the most assistance in interesting parents and children in the work, and where his kindly thought for the children had always 'been thoroughly , appreciated. The Hib™a"S«ty was another institution which had benefited from the stay in Oamaru of their guest and dur ing the past four years it had regained something of its pristine fame, thanks mainly to father O'Reilly Father O'Reilly said that he felt touched deeply touched by the warmth of the welcome extended to him; did he not feel thus touched he would not be human, and, because of that feeling, he found it impossible to give adequate expression to the thoughts and sentiments which burned within him. The ibSgKt and happiest years of his life had been those speTt among his people in Oamaru, for not only from his CathoSS

fneiids but also from the people generally he had received nothing but courtesy and genuine hospitality. It was this which had made his stay here four years of unalloyed happiness, but it had made the parting (painful in the extreme. He was unconscious of having done anything to merit the sentiments expressed that" night concerning him, and the exceedingly kind feelings exhibited towards him., bmt less than all was he deserving of their more than generous gift. For this extreme and wondrous generosity he knew not what to say. But why should he eulogise Oam aru generosity ? There were many monuments in Oamaru to the devotion and unlimited generosity of its townspeople. There was one to whom he wished to pay a tribute, and he was glad of the opportunity to do so. He referred to Mrs. Desmond and those with her. It had been his duty to visit the hospital on all occasions and at all time,s, and he had always found Mrs. Desmond and her staff kindly, capable, and sympathetic in carrying out their work of mercy. He thanked his hearers for the kindness they had extended to him during his stay, and thanUed MonBignori Mackay, who had always been considerate and leady to make the speaker's path easy and smooth. He congratulated the teachers and pupils on the success attained in the schools, often under adverse circumstances, and impressed upon his hearers the necessity for Sully realising the benefits conferred on them by the Catholic schools. Father O'Reilly bespoke a warm welcome for his successor, Father O'Neill, a welcome such as only Irish hearts could extend. In him they would find a friend ready to sympathise in time of trouble or to rejoice with them in their happiness. Father O'Neill acknowledged the kind words spoken on his behalf by Father O'Reilly, and trusted that he would receive the same kindness from the people as had been extended to his predecessor. The gathering broke up with cheers for Rev. Father O'Reilly.