PRESENTATION TO DEAN MCKENNA,

New Zealand Tablet, 2 January 1913, Page 31

PRESENTATION TO DEAN MCKENNA,

MASTERTON » " rm ” j (From our Ma'sterton correspondent.) St. Patrick’s Church, Tinui, was crowded on Sunday week by the parishioners of the Very Rev. Dean McKenna, who presented him with an address and a purse of sovereigns. Mr. J. R. Brown, as chairman, referred to the manifold and sterling qualities of the Dean, who, during a quarter of a century, in fair or foul weather, never hesitated in fulfilling his duties. In the Dean the congregation had a strict, but eminently just, pastor, one quicker to comfort than to condemn, and to whom every member of the parish, young and old, rich and poor, could confidently appeal to for sympathy in his spiritual and even temporal troubles. hie had by his attitude of goodwill and mind endeared himself to all denominations.

Mr. J. McGann, Annedale, in a retrospect of the difficulties that had to be contended with in the matter of bad roads in the early days, paid a tribute to the splendid physique and tenacity of purpose which char- 1 acterised the Dean during his mission of over a quarter of a century in the Masterton parish. He only echoed the wishes of the other members of the parish when he said he trusted the Dean would be spared to them for at least another twenty-five years.

Mr. Edward Collerton read the following address, signed by a number of the congregation, and presented the Dean with a purse of twenty-one sovereigns; ‘ Rev. and Dear Sir, —We, your parishioners of Tinui, together with your many friends throughout the district, cannot allow the twenty-fifth year of your ministration to this parish to pass without expressing in a public manner, the feeling of deep respect and affection we have always entertained for you ; feelings which we assure you shall ever remain unaltered. We have felt that in you we have a pastor to whom all our concerns, interests, joys and sorrows were matters of personal interest. We now acknowledge with gratitude all the help, sympathy, and counsel you have given us in the various vicissitudes of life. It is due to your untiring zeal and able administration that the church in which we are to-day is in such an excellent condition both financially and otherwise. In conclusion, your parishioners trust that God may spare you for many years to come, and also that your health and strength will never fail, that you may enjoy length of days to preside for many years over this little church in Tinui. —(Signed) W. T. Collerton, F. Kelly, J. McGann, John Powell, N. O’Kane, T. O’Connor, J. R. Brown, W. R. Collerton, Peter Kelly.’ Dean McKenna, in reply, said that he would be devoid of the finer feeling of human nature if he were not touched and delighted with that magnificent manifestation of a people’s affection and good will. At a similar meeting in Masterton recently he had said that there were times when words failed to express what one wished to convey, and he would say the same that day. He desired to thank the good people of Tinui and surroundings for their tangible expression off good will, and instanced the friendship of half a long life-time existing between himself and Mr. W. T. Collerton and family.