Silver Jubilee of Very Rev. J. O'Neill

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 16, 18 April 1907, Page 23

Silver Jubilee of Very Rev. J. O'Neill

"(From our Special Reporter*)- ' . On Tuesday iast the Ye y Rev. Father O'iNeill (Milton) celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of lids ordination to the priesthood. Father O'Neill Is anati.eof the city of Limeiick (Ireland).. He toad a distinguished course m the Limerick diooesam college and fet. Jehu's Waterford. Being too young for ordination to the priest-hood, he came to Dunedin as subdeacon, and was later on raised to th« sacerdotal- dignity by Bishoo ffS^ ?lio S h Jose P hl>s Cathedral on Low (Sunday ( AP" I 1 J), 18S2. He w-as the first priest ordained- south of Cook s Straits. After his ordination he served in St Joseph s s Cathedral , next -in Queenstown for two years after which he was appointed (in 1884) to the pastoral charge of Milton, a position which he has held for the past 23 years. w ac ° n^ Tv !f dd * y J?f} a solemn M ass of thanksgiving was, offered in MHton^in oomnectkn with the VeT Rev. Father's silver jubilee. There was a lar-ae congregation present. The celebrant was the iu'bilarian • M aC Hnwa?7 R « V - £ °:Donnell: Donnell (Gore) ; sub-deacon, Rev! M. How ai d (South Dunedin) ; master of ceremonies', Very bVv S T> ™ Th * re *<*« also present the nSiiv p g T- O- Leary , Rev. P. Hearn, Rev. J Tir/n^Sn T rD ?P n ?? the - ni^ cf the Priesthood >vas i 'it iSi i e «^ ery THeyT Hey - Mgr - O! - Lear y from lhe ' fS \ rf for a presbytery. With the generous by tendering to the jubilarian the congratulations and gad wishes , of his, fellow-priests of the diocese of dS. The^uSe^of sa s ctuai 7- wr . e beautifully decorated, choir mil wLh c Ma !- wa - s liicely rendered by the choir, Miss Wocds presiding a t the organ. children of th^n o^^ was given by the O'Nen? ThJ *«* nn a i th ? lie , s^ol in^ honor of Father L JNeill. The school was handsomely decorated, and the

children, in gay attire, -greeted the jubilarisiri's ei> t-rance. with a welcome in Irish, followed "by the chorus ' Viv/at. ' Two other choruses were also nicely rendered — ' The meeting of the waters ' and' A jubilee wish,' the latter -an appropriate and sparkling original • composition. A recitation, 'Do I remember Ireland.' was .given with spirit -by one of the boys, .and' Miss Woods (Lawrence) con-trrbuted a piano solo in a brilliant manner. An. .address - was read on behalf of the pupils, and Father O'Neill replied in touching- tdrms. Monsignor o' Deary also spoke. During" the day messages of congratulation reached Father O'lseill from the Bishop and from clergy and laity in every part of Ne.w Zealand. The Social Celebration *- In connection with Father O'Neill 's sacerdotal silver jubilee took place in the Catholic school en last Tuesday evening. The schcol was densely packed by people representing! every creed arrt class "in the community. The local Anglican ekrgvman (the Rev. J. C. Small)

was present, in the midst of a group of the jubilarian's ecclesiastical confreres. The Mayor (Mr. Reid), presided. He was (be said) pleased to see such a splendid''gathermg of all classes and shades' of > religious belief" assembled together to honor Father O'Neil'L(applause). He (blue speaker )"bad known the "guest* Of trie evening for the past 23 years ; a close friendship existed between them; tie bore testimony to the Father's worth as a-citi-aen,, .and hoped- they., would a/11 be present at his diamond jubilee (applause). ' - _ Mr. Moroney (secretary) read and presented a beautiful illuminated and framed address, which runs as follows :—: — . . . Address. To the Very Rev. Father O'Neill, P.P., Milton, on the occasion* of the Silver Jubilee of his Priesthood. -Soggjarth- Arocjn,— Wo .heartily congratulate you that vo.u have attained the silver jubilee of your years in the priesthood. T warty-three years agci, you oameto preside over Milton parish, when the sacred anointing was. stall Ji-esh upon yo-i, and around- you shone the radiance -'of a youth nurtured amid -the hallo wins: influences of the Old Land, r ,i- ing clear promise of the grand record That is yours to-day. No more youthful parish) priest was ever set over a .parish, but you are a scion of the < princely O'Neills,' and it was a foregone conclusion that you would prove email to your responsibilities. A true father you have been to your

people. In sunshine and in" storm, in adversity and in prosperity, you have _shared our joys and our sorrows. By precept and by example you fiavie ' taught us fidelity to the Gramd Old Faith, 'love of Country, pride in its traditions, and self-sacrifice to the interests of religion . and genuine patriotism. Your broad amd enlightened views, and generous genial" sympathy hav.e made your name dear to the heart of the Gael, be he Highlander or Irish, to v whom you are a ohaeftai'n and a loader. " May you be spared to reach your" goWen jubilee crowned, as to-day, with the love and e&teemi of your faithful people. The accompanying; gift is but a small token of our proud -appreciation' of your talents, your zeal, your genial MndnessTYour devotedness, and your many gifts of mind and heart that have enabled you to do so much for the advancement of religion and education in New. Zealand. Signed on behalf of the parishioners of Milton-:— W. Kirby, chairman ; Jiohn - Moroney, secretary ; A. Kelly, treasurer ; R. Grealish, sen.; J. 'K'ane; D. Hassitt; J. Scanlan; J. Boyle; J. Lynch.April 16, 1907. " " At the conclusion of Ihe address, Mr. Moroney prescnled Father O Noill with a purse of sovereigns. On behalf of the Hibernian" JBocieity, Mr. J. -P. Lynch congratulated Father O'Neill, and expressed In happy terms their appreciation cf his services during the past 23 years. Monsignor O'Leary spo\e on behalf of the clergy, of t-lte cli-ocese. It was a [.leas are tci him- to see there representatives of all -creeds and classes in the com-munity—-a proof of the esteem hi" which Father O'Neill was held even by these outside his own congregation (applause). Ik? spoke of Father O'Neill's successful acadomic career, which was completed when he was canonioally three years too young to receive priestly orders. Tlio speaker also detailed the circumstances (already briefly referred to at the beginning of this report) under which the jubilarian came to Dunedin and was raised ' to the priesthood by Bishop Moran, by -dispensation, while still eighteen months un-der the canonical age, Mcnsignor O'Leary also reviewed Father O'Neill's long and fruitful career as pastor of Milton, referred in kindIv terms to 4iis unfailing good spirits, his geniality, jus generosity, ami in ihe name of the clergy hoped «md prayed that h-c would be spared 'ad multos annos ' (applause). The Rev. J. C. Small (Anglican) in the course of a witty a«d pleasant- speech said it was not the first occasion on which he was honored by being on the platform to address a meeting organised forHhe- purpose of biiovwng the. gen-erai esteem and regard in which Father <) Neill was held in (he district. He congratulated the jubilarian on having attained the 25th anniversary of nis ordination to the priesthood. His late Holiness i ope Leo XIII. once said to a noble lady, a religious uho had been praying that he might live to see his hundredth year : 'Dear Sister, why put such a limitation to tne decisions of Divine Providence? ' Why did previous speakers only hope that Father O'Neill might . reach his gclden jubilee ? On" behalf of the community ?! U /] • J, le (the s P«» ker ) was a member, he prayed to the Almighty that Father O'Neill might ions be spared to continue his good work to the glory of God and the honor of his Church (applause). The mayor paid a fresh tribute to Father O'Neill a s a public man and a churchman, and to his generous people who though a small community, had built churches schools, etc., and had not a penny debt upon " thwn. f • What a splendid people ', said he, ' the IrteS In rising to reply, Father O'Neill was greeted with prolonged applause. He had never before experienced - the same difficulty in giving expression to the feelings Wtiiv 61 ?, 8 ?* 111 ?-^^ his ITiind " He than ' ked the^ heaitily for tne jund things they had said. It was to hi? iai,-ii a i,-i 7+i sreat, rejoicing. The religious aspect of his jubilee took the foremost place' in the -day's festivities He had-a great deal to be thankful for to the rr alr°rl a Ir°rl1 r°rlH er - ff f all ,u gOOd . thin S s - He was raised to thl sacred ministry through the instrumentality of one of whom it had been said that 'he was every inch a bishop and a gentleman to his finger-tips '-the late lamented Bishop Moran. -(Applause) To have served under him was in itself a liberal education of the hl £lies* order. -And when Providence raised him (the speaker) to the position of « the youngest parish priest in tbe world,' he was favored by being placed' over a people whose faith and devotion and love of relSioS were not surpassed. (Applause). His youth' and ifexpenence may have been obstacles to success, but he had discharged the duties Providence placed upon him to the best of his ability, and they '(his hearers)

were pleased' to -say, in, terms far ibeyond ,his deserts,, tha-t his labors had not been entirely- unsuccessful.There was one other subject for which' he was grateful- to Providence. He had been made one of a body of clergy better than* whom were not in the Church, of G»d. (Applause). A more.,,loyal, devoted, and selfrespecting body of priests was not to be found in the wide world. The example of his fellow-priests arid their ready, generous, and "aid had, been the greatest strength and- consolation to him. " He had alsci been lortunate_ that, in the? work -of education, he liad cc~" operators who left nothing to be desired. The secular teachers had- done good" worE ; but" from -the time the Dominican nuns took charge, an . immense .load had Keen in tea oft his , shoulders. Their work was thoroughly well done. (Applause). Without the proper training of the children,, our- Church would" not be in the condition mat it is ; our hope was in the rising generationr-and when its education was, attended to, we h^e-no fear or the future. (Applause;. There was one other matter for which- he had 1o be thankful-that his lot-Had Been cast among people who, even, where they difiered' on the nest essential matters, displayed a of practical good will, and from . the first showed only SSo-^a 1116 ! m °sV hearty co-operation in. his undertakings (Applause), He .therefore tendered his most ' neaitfelt thanks to his separated- brethren for the-finan-?K 2?ffi I ? + °™ 1 + t id , which " had ?e? cl P ed him to overcome the difficulties that bestrewed his path. The speaker concluded with thanks to the mayor, the- children? tS nuns^ and to all -(prolonged applause). i,«T;S urins i' he evening; a filie programme -was presented— S w n S? berß - b I Mr^ King ' Mrs - Porter > Ross JnfanX ««V M nSt w^ n 5 al - by MAss Woods cSL n?< Hai f (llohn)( l lohn) ; and Nation <<Mr. KS r$Z i7 ct S &2£Z£j£ supplied .by a^com-