Opening of a New Church at Kilbirnie

New Zealand Tablet, 27 January 1910, Page 144

Opening of a New Church at Kilbirnie

• (From our Wellington correspondent.) The new Catholic Church at Kilbirnie was blessed and opened by his Grace Archbishop Redwood on Sunday afternoon, January 23. His Grace was assisted by the Very Rev. bather O’Shea, V.G., Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M. (Provincial), Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, and Rev. Fathers Herbert (master of ceremonies), Hickson, Tubman (Timaru), Bowden, Herring, Venning, Quealy, and Eccleton. . ■ The Yen. Archdeacon Devoy traced the circumstances that led up to the building of the church from the mission held at Kilbirnie by the Redemptorist Fathers eight months ago. Mass had been said every Sunday since that time, at . first in a public hall, and since Christmas in the new church. A largely-attended Sunday school was also being carried on. Particulars regarding the new building were also given by Von. Archdeacon Devoy, and in conclusion he acknowledged the valuable services of the committee (specially mentioning the Messrs. Bourke), the ladies who had helped to raise funds, and a number of priests and friends of his own who had sent donations from different parts of the Dominion. His Grace said he was grateful to find such a large congregation present to show an interest in that building, and the advantages it would be the means of securing for the parish. It was a very good thing to have a proper place in which to meet and assist at the great sacrifice of the Mass. He hoped they would have Mass there every Sunday, and perhaps before long the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament every Sunday. His Grace congratulated Archdeacon Devoy, whose heart, he said, was in the work, and who must have been surprised to find his hopes fulfilled so completely and in so short a time. He also complimented the architect and contractors on their work. After announcing that the church had been named after the great apostle of Ireland, St. Patrick, and congratulating the parishioners on having erected such a neat, serviceable building, his Grace continued: ‘ But while I congratulate you very much on having a church, I congratulate you still more on having a school. If you have not good schools your churches will be enipty. No work is so important, so influential, or so necessary as the carrying on of good Catholic schools for the Catholic people. You will have excellent teachers, devoted to the work, and your children will be able to have a perfect and complete Catholic education. I hope all the Catholic children will come here. They are out of place anywhere else but in a Catholic school; they are in danger anywhere else. It is a sin to send them anywhere else, unless under very exceptional circumstances. Let them be trained here to become a joy to their parents, an honor to the Church, a blessing to society, a guarantee of order and virtue to the Dominion of New Zealand, and well-pleasing to Almighty God. They would have admirable teachers entirely devoted to their work and a building specially suited for its purpose. Their children would, therefore, receive a complete Catholic education greatest blessing God could bestow upon them. As their children were brought up so they would be through life. The Archbishop concluded by expressing the hope that that day would mark the beginning of a period of extraordinary blessing for the district. A collection was then taken up, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed. Subsequently , Archdeacon Devoy announced that the collection had realised £241 in cash and £3 10s in promises. The church is situated off the main road at Evans Bay. It is conspicuous for the absence of over-much ornamentation, and by its simplicity and fine proportions at once commands attention. The outside of the building has been painted in tints that harmonise well with _ the red asbestos tiled roof. The interior is as well designed as the outside. .Not an inch of space has been wasted, and there is a sober yet cheerful note in the decoration of the nave. The walls are formed of match-boarding painted a sage green, and having a four-foot dado of varnished rimu, the natural beauty of the wood showing through. The ceiling is painted white. Not only are there ventilators all along the sides of the building, but the windows can all be opened with ease. At the east end is a platform, and here are two great easy-sliding doors. These cover up the altar when the building is being used for secular purposes, as it will —namely, for a school by day and for social work among Catholics and their friends in the evening. Light for the nave is obtained by day through a liberal number of side windows and a ■ large three-light window over the west door. At night 1200 candle-power is obtained from the three clusters of four large Osram electric lights. At the back of the church is a diningroom and other conveniences for the Sisters of Mercy, who will have charge of the school by day. The same apartments will be at the disposal of officiating priests on Sundays. The interior dimensions of the building are 60ft long, 27ft wide, and 25ft high. It will seat 200 people at present, but seats can be provided to take over 100 more if required. The altar, built by Mr. H. Fielder, is of Celtic design. It is expected that the school will begin with fifty children, some of whom have been going to the Sisters’ school at Newtown. The contract price was

£650 for the building, and extras ran into some £3O more. The seats have cost £53, and the altar £25. It is expected that the whole undertaking will cost about £BOO. The site consists of about half an acre, and fronts the main road. It comprises sections given by the late Mrs. Crawford and - Mr. J. Bourke,