PRESENTATION TO FATHER O’REILLY, PORT CHALMERS

New Zealand Tablet, 8 June 1911, Page 1041

PRESENTATION TO FATHER O’REILLY, PORT CHALMERS

St.- Joseph's Hall' was filled /overflowing on Wednesday evening of last" week when the Catholics of Dunedin and North-East Valley assembled for the purpose of presenting the Rev. Father O'Reilly; who was recently / appointed to the t charge of Port Chalmers, with an address and purse of sovereigns, as a token of their warm appreciation of his work as a priest during the five and a" half years he has been connected with the, Cathedral parish. v The chair was occupied by Mr. J. A. Scott, who was supported by the other members of the Presentation Committee. Among the clergy present were the Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., and Rev. Fathers Corcoran, P. O'Neill, and D. O'Neill. Apologies, were received from the Rev. Father Delany, South Dunedin, and from Messrs J. B. .Callan,; jun., and L. Pavletich. ....;.. .. ... .'.,~ . . . .' s Mr. J. A. Scott, before reading the address,/said that; speaking for the laity, he would say that they appreciated Father O'Reilly as a, priest and as a man. He told the story of the Irishman who had asked a strolling fiddler to play.-the Boyne Water,' till ' he saw how long he could stand it.' Father O'Reilly, the speaker knew, would find it hard to listen to even a few words of praise spoken in his regard but there; was such a genuine and general •appreciation of his work and worth that it was only right that it should be allowed to find some expression. Father O'Reilly, had carried out his allotted work in the parish with a thoroughness, a fidelity to duty, and an all-round ability that was deserving' of the highest praise. He (the speaker) had been fortunate enough to enjoy the friendship of many priests, but he had never come into contact with anyone who had a higher idea of the priest's calling. or a higher personal standard of priestly duty, than Father O'Reilly. Into every department of his, work he threw himself ' l with whole-hearted earnestness. This was very noticeable in his sermons, which were effective because they were reasonably short, because the preacher always took care that he had something to say, and because they were delivered with a dramatic ability that compelled attention. In the ordinary work of the priest—the sick, tending the dying, giving counsel, encouragement, and assistance to those who needed it—Father O'Reilly had lived up to i the best traditions of the Irish priesthood, and higher praise than that he could not have. . The speaker' referred -in eulogistic terms to Father O'Reilly's personal qualities geniality, his absolute straightforwardness, his loyalty as a. friend, his open-heartedness,— and ; concluded by assuring him that his work amongst them had been deeply appreciated, and that he had, and would continue to have, a warm hold on their affections. /; v _ :/:: Mr. Scott then read the following address ' Rev. and Dear Father,During the five and a-half years you have labored amongst us we have learned to highly value and esteem your genial and kindly disposition, and your many sterling qualities of head and heart. Your work as a priest amongst us has been marked by pulpit ability of an exceptionally high order, and—what is much more, important —by an affectionate zeal in ministering to the sick and dying, by a never-failing charity to the poor and unfortunate, and by an unselfish and whole-hearted devotion to all the duties of your high calling which we can only speak of in terms of the highest praise. In losing you from the Cathedral parish we are losing at once a much-loved priest and a valued friend. Whilst deeply regretting your departure, we are pleased at your well-deserved advancement to the parish of Port Chalmers, and we trust and confidently anticipate that your labors there will be as successful, as fruitful, and as warmly appreciated, as they have been in the sphere you have just left. We ask you to accept the accompanying purse of sovereigns as a small token of the affectionate esteem in . which you are, and ever will be, held by your Dunedin friends.We, beg to remain, Rev. and dear Father, on behalf of the Catholics of Dunedin and North-East Valley, J. A. Scott (chairman), J. B. Callan, jun., Jas. O'Neill, L. Pavletich, J. McGrath, T. B. Conway, R. Rossbotham.' After presenting the address, Mr. Scott handed Father O'Reilly a purse containing 105 sovereigns. The Rev. Father Coffey, in/ an appropriate and feeling speech, expressed: his affectionate regard for Father O'Reilly, and his profound regret at losing him as a colleague at the Cathedral. Deservedly as his pulpit ability had been appreciated, his real worth was even more truly evidenced in his solicitude for the sick and the poor. He congratulated Father O'Reilly on the handsome testimonial he had received, which spoke .volumes both for the way in which his work had been/- appreciated,, and for the generous loyalty of the Catholic people to their priest. They hoped still to hear his familiar voice in the Cathedral from time to time. ; , v •' ;;. ...-, •,.■ The Rev. Father O'Reilly, who was received with longcontinued applause, asked his friends to accept his sincerest thanks for the honor they had done —an honor as unmerited as it had been unexpected. He was not so foolish or so vain as to suppose that he had in any way deserved their L ,kind, encomiums. From the day he .came to Dunedin; until the hour he left it he had experienced/at their hands nothing but the most consistent* goodwill and affection. Three years ago medical men had almost given lrra-

up for dead; and the Catholic people then, with characteristic goodness, had put it within his power, to seek fresh health and strength in other; climes; and their presentation that. night was. but another evidence of the unbounded kindness that had followed him from the first. • With reference to his work as a priest, ho was only, too conscious of his many shortcomings. I\ Realising that fhe rhad : no claim on the generosity that had been extended to -him, he could only see in it another evidence of that unbreakable chain which ever binds; Catholic priest and people in closest . friendship. After cordially thanking Father Coffey for the groat kindness ; and - consideration always shown towards him, Father O’Reilly concluded hy saying that in leaving the city he -would carry away with him the happiest of happy memories of Dunedin and its warmhearted people, and their measureless kindness and generosity towards him. ■ The Rev. Father Coffey, on behalf of the priests, and Mr. Scott, on behalf of the laity, extended a hearty welcome to the Rev. Father P. O’Neill, successor to Father O’Reilly at the Cathedral. ' ' During the evening songs were contributed by Mrs. Power, Mrs. Fraher, Messrs. Poppelwell and McGrath, two much-appreciated recitations by Miss Madge Lemon, and a violin duet by Misses Burke and Millar. Mr. A. Vallis and Miss Millar rendered valuable assistance; as accompanists. ", ,