MONSIGNOR GILLAN, V.G., WELCOMED HOME

New Zealand Tablet, 29 August 1912, Page 36

MONSIGNOR GILLAN, V.G., WELCOMED HOME

(From our Auckland correspondent.) August 23. St. Benedict’s Hall was the scene of a very pleasant gathering on Wednesday evening last, when the numerous friends, parishioners, and well-wishers of the Right Rev. Mgr. (Allan, Y.G., met to offer him a very hearty welcome on his return after a four months’ tour through the United States of America. The spacious hall was filled to overflowing, every available seat being occupied. The programme presented was one of which its promoters might pardonably feel proud. Rev. Father Forde, of St. Benedict’s, presided, and with him on . the platform were his Lordship Bishop Cleary, Right Rev. Mgr. Gillan, Y.G., Right Rev. Mgr. O’Reilly, Very Rev. Deans Darby and Lightheart, Rev. Fathers Tigar, 0.P., Holbrook, Furlong, Brennan, Ormond, Wientjes, Lynch, Dignan, Edge, Clarke, Smiers, Skinner, O’Malley, Finn, O’Doherty, Kirrane, Bernadine, Messrs. Mahoney, Darby, J. J. O’Brien, Taylor, G. Little, J. Treacy, M. Foley, S. Jackson, and D. Flynn. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Rev. Fathers Patterson and Williams, Messrs. Nerheny, Tole, and Larkin. The proceedings were opened by an orchestral selection, which was very much appreciated. Mr. Leo O’Malley, Miss Hunt, Mr. Exton, and Mrs. Shanley in turn contributed solos, which were warmly applauded, and Miss Hutchinson received an ovation for her selection on the harp. The musical programme was brought to a close by a partchorus under the direction of Mr. S. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson being accompanist. Rev. Father Forde, on behalf of the parishioners of St. Benedict’s, then welcomed Monsignor Gillan home, and in a few words eulogised his zealous and self-sacrificing work, after which he called upon Mr. Treacy to read the address of welcome. ‘ Dear Mohsignor,—The evolutionary linguistic artist sometimes fails to depict a mental picture sufficiently expressive of true kindred feeling and identity of interests. Such an occasion has now presented itself. With pleasure, then, that remains partly unexpressed, we, the priests of your" parish, I 'n conjunction with your faithful parishioners, assemble here to-night to offer you our . heartiest felicitations on your safe and happy return from your short holiday tour. It is not many months ago since your devoted priests and people, conjointly, at the desire of his Lordship Dr. Cleary, emphatically demanded that you should have at least a little respite from labor —a request to which, you reluctantly acquiesced. Full well we know the suggestion of undertaking an apparently arduous journey was not in harmony with your zealous wishes. But if there are times in the world’s history when it halts and looks

back, there is also a time in a zealous pastor’s career when he must halt, and step for a while off the beaten track. Such, tnen, was our motive in assembling here to wish you “au revoir.” Since that day we have followed you with our affections and our prayers, and to-day on your safe arrival we see the realisation of our hopes and the granting of our petitions. Now that we have the opportunity of returning thanks to Almighty God for your safe return, we eagerly seize it, and not only for your safe home-coming do we return thanks, but also for His giving you health and strength, so refreshed and renewed that you are now in every sense better fitted to carry on the work which awaits you. From gleanings here and. there from American papers, we were delighted to learn that opportunities were afforded you of exchanging fraternal greetings and of comparing notes with many eminent Bishops and priests, living in spheres of religious and scientific progress spheres where phenomenal advance is proverbial. During such a vivid scene of contrast, we trust a mental glance revealed to you a faint in at least genuine zeal on the part of New Zealand Catholics— parallel sufficiently developed to catch a glimpse of probabilities to eventuate in the future, in reducing to insignificance intervening barriers. It certainly has become a practical and accomplished fact, that progressiveness must be a marked characteristic of the Catholic body, if they are to preserve unity—the only factor that will work revolutions satisfactorily. Let us enthusiastically re-echo this sentiment, and hope that the good God, Who has sent you safely back to us, may enable you to plan and achieve even mightier works than those executed by you heretoforefor His honor and glory. ‘ In the concluding words of our welcome home, we, your united priests and parishioners of St. Benedict’s parish, are proud to assert and maintain that in whatever you undertake for the welfare of your parish you have the assurance of our whole-hearted co-opera-tion. Whilst it gives us unalloyed pleasure to give expression to these sentiments, we ask you to accept this cope and veil, as a token of our goodwill and esteem, and we trust Almighty God will spare you to zealously promote His glory for many years. * Faithfully yours on behalf of the committee—(Rev.) W. J. Forde (chairman). Michael Kelly (hon. secretary). (Rev.) IT. G. Tigar, O.P. (treasurer). Congratulatory addresses were also delivered by Messrs. Fernandez, Furlong, O’Meara, G. Little, P. Darby, J. J. O’Brien, Edmund Mahoney, Hall Skelton, Rev. Fathers Tigar and Holbrook. The latter, in the course of his address, dwelt with marked emphasis on the way Monsignor Gillan had labored to reduce the debt on the parish. Rev. Father Forde then called on his Lordship the Bishop, who was received with prolonged applause, and the more so as the occasion happened to be the anniversary of his Lordship’s consecration as Bishop of Auckland. Bishop Cleary spoke in the highest terms of the good qualities of Monsignor Gillan, after which he made the presentation of a beautifully illuminated address and a cope and veil. Monsignor Gillan in reply thanked his Lordship and the different speakers for the many kind things they had said about him during the evening. He spoke in eulogistic terms of the work which was being accomplished by the priests who were laboring with him, and also paid a special tribute of praise to Rev. Father Tigar, 0.P., who administered the affairs of the parish during his absence. c - A vote of thanks to Bishop Cleary was moved by Mi. Fernandez, after which his Lordship referred to the expeditious manner in which Rev. Father Forde had ananged and conducted the evening’s programme. His Lordship then moved a vote of thanks to the rev. chairman. The evening’s proceedings, terminated by the assembly singing ‘Long live the Pope.’