PRESENTATION TO FATHER KELLY, FOXTON.

New Zealand Tablet, 6 March 1913, Page 26

PRESENTATION TO FATHER KELLY, FOXTON.

The parishioners of St. Mary's, Foxton, and representatives of the Shannon congregation, assembled in St. Mary's Schoolroom on Thursday night, February 13, for the purpose of farewelling their first resident priest, Kev. Father Kelly, who has been transferred io Kaikoura (says the Manawatu Herald). Mr. P. j. Hennessy, who presided, said it was a little over four years since Foxton and Shannon were constituted a separate parish, and the guest of the evening was their first resident priest. They all deeply regretted his departure. His humility, devotion to duty, and self-sacrifice, together with his fine intellect, made him an ideal priest and endeared him to them all. The erection of the convent and school was due to his self-sacrificing efforts. The chairman, here calling upon.the secretary, Mr. J. Golder, to read the following address, said he hoped they would in the near future welcome Father Kelly back again as their parish priest. (Applause.) The address was as follows: Reverend and Dear Father, your parishioners of Foxton and Shannon, wish to take advantage of this occasion to tender you the expression of our appreciation and our heartfelt gratitude for the work you have done in our midst during the last four years. There is a two-fold tie of affection which binds you more closely to us than any other priest. Not only do we look up to you as our model and our guide, the dispenser of God's choicest gifts for our spiritual welfare, one in whom we could confide in all our difficulties, but you have been our first parish priest. In you we have seen realised the fondest hopes of many years—hope of having a priest residing in our midst. You have seen the beginning of this parish, and have done everything in your power by word and deed, especially by the example of your own personal generosity, to establish this parish on a sound footing. Thanks to your persevering efforts, the presbytery has been furnished, a beautiful convent has been erected, and a school built and equipped. And now, though we are but few in numbers and poor in earthly goods, we can .proudly boast of being on a level with the oldestestablished parishes of this Dominion. It is with sad hearts that we say farewell to you. In you each one of us loses a personal friend. You have won your way into our hearts, not by the glow of brilliant exterior accomplishments of one craving for popularity and applause, but by your sterling qualities and your truly "priestly virtues. We have always looked up to you as a true Christian gentleman and a model priest. Your memory will always be cherished by your parishioners of Foxton and Shannon, and wherever the will of God may call

you, we hope and pray that his choicest blessing may ever accompany you, and help you to do the Master's .work faithfully, even as you have done it amongst us.— Wo remain, etc.' The chairman said the parishioners desired to back their sentiments up with something more substantial and in this connection Shannon was not going to be outdone by Foxton. In handing Father Kelly a well-filled purse of sovereigns, Mr Hennesy said that their departing priest was not to do what he had previously donegive back the gift to the church. He was to spend it upon himself. • x l Mr. Moynihan, in a few well-chosen remarks appreciative of their departing priest, on behalf of the Shannon congregation,' also handed a well-filled purse of sovereigns to the Rev. Father Kelly, amidst applause. - The Rev. Father Kelly was deeply moved, and in acknowledging the address and presentations, said: '\. thank you all very sincerely for the kind way in which you express your feelings at my departure, for the friendly and cordial way in which all have received Mr. Hennessy's and Mr. Moynihan's good words You are the first Mew Zealand friends who have paid me such a tribute. I cannot feel that it is owing to any merits on my part that you Have assembled here this evening. On the contrary, I feel that it is due to your partiality and to your belief that I have endeavored to discharge faithfully my priestly duties. I am grateful to everyone present for these manifestations of kindness and generosity. You invited me here ; you have given two substantial presentations, one is from my congregation at Shannon, and one from my Foxton congregation; you presented a grand address; Mr. Hennessy and Mr. Moynihan outlined, and the address completed, a beautiful picture, the ideal, the perfect priest; but I fear that my resemblance to the model priest portrayed is very, very faint indeed. It is difficult for me to adequately express my feelings at the present time towards you, but I promise to do for" the parishioners of Foxton and Shannon what all good Catholics earnestly desire to have done for them—to remember you often at the altar. lam glad to be able to offer this grand requital, for you have many claims on my prayers. And now, my dear people, while say: ing good-bye, I ask you all to kindly remember in your prayers your first resident priest. May God bless vou all.' J The chairman said the lady members of the congregation also desired to present Rev. Father Kelly's sister and niece with tokens of their esteem. The departing ladies' quiet, unassuming natures had endeared them to all with whom they had come in contact. To the former was given a handsome silver embossed toilet set and chaste brooch to the latter. In acknowledging the gift on behalf of the recipients, Father Kelly said he looked upon the young ladies of his congregation as model young women. The gift would be treasured as suitable reminders of their Foxton friends. During the evening a programme of musical and vocal items was contributed by Mrs. Curtis Messrs B. and W. Hooker, Golder, Hornblow, and a step dance by Mr. Curran, of Shannon. Mr. Bethold played a number of selections on his pianola. The accompaniments were played by Miss Lenihan. ■ Speaking as a citizen, Mr. Hornblow also expressed regret at the Rev. Father Kelly's departure from Foxton. His deeply spiritual nature, quiet unassuming manner, and self-sacrifice was a pattern for his congregation The work he had accomplished in the erection of a school and convent would remain as a monument to his ministry. He wished him every success in his new sphere of labor. The ladies of the congregation supplied an abundance of refreshments, and were accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The affair concluded with the singing of tho National Anthem. & 5