PRESENTATION TO DEAN REGNAULT, S.M

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 20, 20 May 1909, Page 11

PRESENTATION TO DEAN REGNAULT, S.M

(From our Special Reporter.) The Oddfellows' Hall, Waimate, was crowded in every part, and even many persons were unable to gain admission, on Thursday evening of last week on the occasion of a farewell presentation to the Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M., who had been for about 20 years pastor of the district, until his appointment last year as Provincial of the Marist Order in New Zealand. The composition of the audience gave clear indication of the high esteem in which Dean Regnault^ is held by every class in the community, a large number of those present being members of non-Catholic faiths in the district. The speeches , delivered by the various speakers reached-, a very high level, and one and all passed high eulogiums on Dean Regnault's labors as a priest and as a citizen. The greatest enthusiasm was displayed throughout. The local Pipe Band, Brass Band, and the orchestra (the last-named under the direction of Father Aubry) contributed selections during the evening. Apologies were read from the Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay, Yen. Archpriest Le Menant des Chesnaisj anl others for their unavoidable absence. The Mayor of Waimate (Mr. N. Francis) presided, and there were on the platform, in addition to the guest of the evening, Rev. Father Tubman (Timaru), Rev. H. W. Cleary (Dunedin), Drs. Barclay and Hayes, Messrs. J. Manchester, J. Foley, F. Lundon, W. H. Hamilton, A. Harris, Freeman, Craighead, Sinclair, Edwards, A. C. Perry, L. Glendining,,, A. J. Manchester, and Connelly. *# 'y^ The Mayor said they were there that evening to sfiojv their appreciation of the services rendered togfche Waimafto district by their guest. He was sure that thfr large audience present that evening was a better recognition off his worth .than any album or anything else they might present to their guest, the Dean. There was no one more popular than he' had been. He possessed a genial disposition, a ready tact in a critical moment. Many of the teachers in this district were' indebted to the Dean for their knowledge of French, which he most gladly taught them. The Mayor went on to say that when they got 4 man broadminded like the Dean, they were glad to see such in#public life. And the Dean had done his sharevin^ecuring both water and gas in Waimate. As a member of Cemetery Board he had also taken an active part. Then the Bands had come that evening to do the Dean honor. The Dean was naturally modest, yet he was always available for public meetings and ready to serve on committees. It was as a public speaker that they perhaps knew him best, as when there was anything of importance to be done he was always there. He pushed home his morals in such a way that they could take no offence. In loyalty, peace, or war they could not beat the Dean. As ~a business man he had always shown great capability. In a short time he- had been instrumental in erecting a church that would be an ornament to any town. It gave his Worship great, pleasure to acknowledge the Dean's value as a citizen. They had in Fathers Aubry and Tymons worthy successors to the guest of the evening. The following address, which was artistically illuminated, was then read by the Rev. Father Tymons: — . ' With sad hearts we assemble to bid you farewell. So thoroughly have you entered into our every day life, that we can scarce believe we are really losing our devoted friend, generous and true. To us you were all in all. On occasion you were banker, lawyer, legal adviser; you drew up our wills, found us employment, fought our battles, settled our disputes, you helped the needy and turned not the beggar from your door. Facts not flattery is our theme. Prompt at every sick call, you were undismayed by length of distance, unformed roads, darkness of night, snows of winter, fierce rains, and piercing blasts, and often returned famished and fasting to begin the heavy duties of Sunday. In the sick-room, in the hospital wards, beside the sick bed your presence was felt and sighed for; your soothing words and kindly smile, gentle ways and cheery voice soothed the pain, drove off despair and anguish, and worked comfort in the struggling soul* while your priestly ministrations strengthened and sanctified the dying. As a memorial of your business ability coupled with indomitable courage and energy, stands the excellent financial state of the parish. No debt, but rather a substantial credit to the parochial account, the school account, and Altar Society account; twenty-two acres of land, two cottages for educational purposes, a snug presbytery, a modest convent, the Morven, the Makikihi, and the Hakateramea churches, solid and devotional, planned, built, and paid for. The new church, a massive, Solid, ornamental, and architectural gem, your last undertaking, crowns your labors of twenty years. In the strength of its walls, m the beauty of design, in the choice of site, it stands to-day a monument to immortalise the name of Dean Regnault.

As priest of God you moulded the model parish, as your confreres love to call it. " Educate the child, teach him his religion," was your maxim. At once the convent rose, the nuns came, the Waimate Catholic children were under Catholic discipline. No journey, no opposition, no fatigue^ blocked you from reaching every Catholic child attending the many Government schools that dot this large district from the Waitaki to Tavistock, from the seashore to Hakateramea, and this for many years without a curate. The teaching of the catechism in these schools, together with your scholarly sermons on sound Christian doctrine, prepared with diligence and delivered with force, has raised the percentage of the Catholics, crowded the ' churches, filled the confessionals with penitents, and multiplied the communicants. Your religious superiors, though far removed, soon discovered your worth, your tact, your energy, and so entrusted you with the grave responsibility of the highest position of the Marist Order in New Zealand. We

congratulate you, but with regret. We thank you, and shall ever cherish your memory and pray to God to bless you.' Mr. Foley said he had great pleasure in making a presentation to Dean Regnault, who had been- their devoted pastor and kind friend for about twenty years. Catholics and non-Catholics had contributed to this, and the donors trusted he would keep it for his personal use and not spend it on the Church, as he had done with the last cheque that was given him. Mr. A. Harris said that the Dean having reached one of the most important milestones in-his life, and now that his connection with Waimate had been formally severed, a few words on his" career would not be out of place. The Dean was born in Brittany, in France, a strong Catholic centre, very much as Ireland was to the United Kingdom. In 1880 the Dean went to Ireland, where he became imbued with much that was characteristic of the people 5 in fact, it had been frequently remarked that the Dean was more of an Irishman than a Frenchman. He came out to Timaru, then went to Hokitika, and then came to Waimate about twenty-one years ago, following a good man in Father John. They had rough roads then to traverse, but the Dean was made of the 'right stuff, and he ministered to his people over a • wide district. In that time the parish had changed and advanced. Churches had grown up in different parts of the district.' The Waimate church had been his crowning effort. His labors had been appreciated by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The speaker concluded by hoping that the Dean would be spared to continue his workin the future with the success he had achieved in the past. Mr. O'Callaghan (Morven) voiced the feelings of the Catholics in the outlying districts, where Dean Regnault had built churches that were monuments of Catholic faith, and the country people owed a great debt to him. They had found Dean Regnault a thoroughly self-sacrificing priest. He never missed a service, and when the Waihao was in flood he bad known him to go round by Waihao

Forks in order to get to Morven. Then there was the education that had been given to their children. In their joys and in their sorrows Dean Regnault had been all in all to* them, and there would always be warm hearts for him in Waihao. Mr. O'Reilly (Makikihi) paid a tribute to the work carried out by the Dean in his district. Dr. Barclay dealt with the high qualities of Dean Regnault both in public and private life, and referred to the part he took in the celebration of the Centenary of '98, the reception of the"*troops on their return from South Africa, and the unveiling of the -troopers' memorial. The Dean was ever ready to help the sick, and frequently he would be at the hospital at 6 o'clock in the morning, before he commenced his other duties of the day. He made no difference between rich and poor, and -he left Waimate with the deepest regret. He was beloved by his own people, and an ornament to the Church. His memory would be kept ever green by the love he brought to their homes irrespective of creed or denomination. Mr. John Manchester said that since the early days they had advanced from the rush-light to the gas, and from the bullock-dray to the motor-car. Dean Regnault had met with the early difficulties in carrying out his priestly duties. The first minister he had met in the district was a Catholic priest. He agreed with all that the previous speakers had said. The Dean had maintained a high standard of character, and they must have that to look the whole world in the face without-. a blush. His high standard of moral excellence had elevated him into power. Another thing about the Dean was that he knew how to mind his own business and leave others alone. He was devoted to his work and attended to his labors. The church and school were monuments to his energy and ability. He regretted that the school had to be carried on under difficulties. He saw the other day that Sir Robert Stout had said that more criminals were coming from the private than the public schools. He challenged that statement. The denominational schools taught all that was taught in the State schools, and in addition they gave religious instruction, and he could not see how denominational schools by doing so could encourage criminality. In conclusion, he wished the Dean every happiness. , The Very Dean Regnault, whose rising was the signal for long-continued applause, began his reply with a few witty remarks, which were greatly appreciated by the audience. Continuing, he said : .1" have met with so much kindness during the years I lived in your midst that I am not very much surprised at the demonstration of loyalty and affection witnessed here this evening; yet I need not tell you that my heart is full to overflowing with .feelings of gratitude for this new expression of kindness and affection. When at the call of my superiors it was my painful duty to sever my connection with the parish, I was so deeply affected that I hoped to depart in the same unostentatious manner as I had come to Waimate for the first time on March 28, 1889. At the time of my departure, some twelve months ago, the walls of your new church had just risen above the ground. Frequent appeals had been made, your generosity was taxed to its utmost, and I could not bear to think that, under the circumstances, any call would be made upon your purse on my behalf; hence I declined at first to come and accept this expression of your generosity and love. I hinted to those responsible for the movement that if any money had been collected for the purppse, it should be handed over to the church building fund. However, such were the entreaties of my friends that it would have been bad grace on my part to make any further objections, and to-night I am proud to be here. Such a gathering as this serves to bring forth a side of human nature which does not always find expression in the midst of the business and cares of everyday life. I mean the tender feelings of the human heart — feelings which make intercourse amongst fellowcitizens so pleasant and relations amongst friends so cordial. This side of human nature, it appears to me, finds its highest expression in the relations which exist between a Catholic congregation and its pastor, its priests, particularly when the members of that congregation are, in a great majority, Irish or of Irish descent. They look upon their pastor as the appointed minister of the Most High, and ad one endowed with special prerogatives and privileges. Even when a Catholic thinks that he is justified in differing from his pastor on matters of policy, etc., he still respects his priestly character, and is willing to receive the ministrations of the Church at his hands. There is another reason. During the long centuries of the most bitter trials, the most ' extreme poverty and sufferings, the Irish Catholic had but one friend — a friend who suffered with him, who consoled him, who stood by his side on the scaffold, and who died with him. That friend was the priest. In your beautiful address and the speeches that have been made you have been good enough to bestow

praises upon me; you have traced the portrait of the priest such as I should have been, such as, in the generosity of your hearts, you believed me to be. I fear I do not deserve all you have said of me. When I came to Waimate I had before me the noble examples of virtue, of piety, of self-denial, and untiring zeal of predecessors, the Rev. Fathers Chataigner and Ohervier, who visited this district periodically in the sixties, and the Rev. Father Goutenoire, who succeeded them. It only remained for me to walk in the footsteps of those noble men and continue the work so well begun. As lam not altogether blind to my faults, I fear, however, that I have fallen short of those high ideals. You have been good enough to mention the modest convent, the churches, and other buildings erected during the time of my ministration in this parish. These buildings are monuments not so much of the zeal of the clergy as of the faith and religious spirit of the people. Your new church will be such as any city might be proud of. I have to thank the Rev. Father Aubry, who has continued the work with such zeal and devotedness and so successfully. You have mentioned a particular work, which cannot be passed over in this address — a work I always had at heart, and from the performance of which I have derived much satisfaction. I refer to the work of imparting religious instruction to all Catholic children who, by force of circumstances, were unable to attend the Catholic school. As every child is bound to acquire the knowledge of h:s origin and the end of his existence, of the claims his Creator has upon him, and of the duties which he owes"

Now in course of erection. The completed structure will have a handsome tower and dome over the facade. (Photo, by Rev. Father Tymons, Waimate.)

to God and to his fellow-men; and as such a knowledge is not imparted in the public schools, and cannot be sufficiently imparted in «the home, then every Catholic child must be brought under the influence of his Qhurch, and" not only at the time he is preparing for his First Comor Confirmation, but from his earliest years. If "that child is not able to place himself under the direction of the priest, I take it that the priest is bound to seek that child either in the public school or in the home of the settler, just as the Good Shepherd went after the lost sheep, and impart to that child the highest <f sciences, that of his salvation. If that child does not come under the direct control of the Church, he will never learn enough about God or his religion to care, and he will go to swell the ranks of careless Catholics. Thanks be to God, if other duties have been neglected in this parish, this paramount duty has been discharged. Here I must express my gratitude to the teachers and school committees of this district for the great facilities given us at all times, and sometimes at great inconvenience to themselves. The result of this teaching has been to fill our churches with men and to multiply our churches so as to accommodate our increasing congregations. I see here many friends who do not belong to the Catholic congregation, who have come here as a mark of sympathy to their fellowcitizens and of friendship to myself. I beg of them to accept the expression of my deepest gratitude. In conclusion, the Dean thanked the committee, especiilly Father Tymons, the ladies, the bands, orchestra, and ill who had assisted in making the gathering such a success. On the motion of Dean Regnault, a vote of thanks was iccorded the Mayor for presiding. The Dean, in speaking. ;o the motion, said that Waimate has been particularly " ortunate in its mayors, who were all men of high charac;er.

Light refreshments were then handed round, and a pleasant hour was spent in sbcial intercourse. .