Valedictory to Father MacMullan, Ranfurly

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6, 6 February 1908, Page 19

Valedictory to Father MacMullan, Ranfurly

(From an Occasional Correspondent.)

At the close of the mission — the most successful that has ever been held in this parish — on last Sunday evening, a very pleasing ceremony took place at the Catholic presbytery, Ranfurly. Mr P. Bleach, J.P., introduced a deputation, consisting of representatives from all parts of the parish, for the purpose of making a presentation of a purse of sovereigns to their popular pastor, the Rev. Father MacMullan, on the eve of his departure for a trip to his native land. Mr Bleach was asked to make the presentation, and did so at the close of a happy speech in which he eulogised . the personal worth of Father MacMullan and the splendid work done by him In the parish. Mr Bleach's remarks were received by the deputation with warm expressions of approval. Father MacMullan cordially thanked the* people for their generous gift, which (he said) would enable him to visit many places that he otherwise could not have seen in his approaching journey to and from his native land. The longing to see the dear Old Land had long been upon him. After 18 years of continuous work, he felt entitled to a holiday, in accordance with the custom of the 'diocese, and his request for a year's absence from duty had been most willingly and graciously acceded to by his Lordship the Bishop. Great approaching incidents of the year also drew him towards Europe — the Pope's Jubilee, the Eucharistic Congress in London, and the probability of some reasonable measure of self-rule for his native land. It would, as far as lay in his power, be his privilege to be a spectator of these historic incidents. And when*in the dear old Home Land to which many of them owed their birth, it would be his pleasure and his pride to testify to their love for Ireland, their fidelity to the National cause, and their hopes and prayers for the welfare of their native country. Referring to their kind words in regard to his work in the parish; he attributed in great part to their generosity and hearty co-operation the fact that a parish with a numerically small Catholic population had accomplished ' so much in so short a time — had provided over £2000 "towards works of religion, and left the parish now free of all debt. , It was pleasant to him to know that he was entering upon his holiday with the kindliest feelings of his people towards him — and not alone of his people, but also of his fellow-priests, _as was testified by them at the diocesan Synod.

The ladies of the parish also made Father MacMullan a present of a splendid and costly Mosgiel travelling rug and a silver-mounted umbrella.

Father ' MacMullan has been seven and a-half years in the Ranfurly parish, and has collected and expended during that time the sum of over £2000; built a fine church in Naseby and a presbytery in Ranfurly; and has gained the love and respect of everyone in the parish. All join'in the hope thaft he will have a pleasant journey and a safe return to his parish, in the Maniototo. - -

Father MacMullan was also presented with a purse of sovereigns by the clergy of the diocese, as a token of the high esteem in which he is held by them. He proceeds by Auckland to Sydney, where he joins the Ophir.