ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS’ CHURCH, WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Tablet, 20 June 1918, Page 13

ST. MARY OF THE ANGELS’ CHURCH, WELLINGTON.

Judging from the meeting of parishioners of St. Mary of the Angels’ r -Bouicott Street, held yesterday afternoon (states the Evening Post of June 3), the -rebuilding of the historic old church recently' destroyed by fire will be carried out without much difficulty. There was a very large number of parishioners present and the meeting was most enthusiastic. Father S. Mahony, parish priest, said the' object of the meeting was to arrange to build a worthy temple in place of the old edifice, which bore sacred and venerable memories, and to none more than himself. Tie came into it when it was just built,, even before it was finished. Not only was it held in reverence by their own people, but they knew that it was held in veneration among non-Catholics, many of whom had expressed their sympathy when the disaster took place. Now they must erect a new St. Mary of the Angels’ Church. It would be gratifying to them to know that he had received the greatest kindness in dealing with the United Insurance Company, and the result was beyond his expectations. He had received the full amount of the insurance (£1600); other damages had been assessed at his own valuation, bringing the total amount received up to £1843 10s. (Loud applause.) He was counting on the generosity of the people to make further sacrifices, because the occasion called for sacrifices, and they had no doubt that within a reasonably short time they would be able to set about building a new church -which, would be worthy of the purpose for which it would be erected, worthy of the city of Wellington, and, he hoped, worthy of the Dominion. He had received a letter from Father Roche, of the Redemptorist Order, enclosing a subscription of £2O; from the Segrief family enclosing a subscription - of £4O ; and a very pleasant and encouraging letter from the Jewish Rabbi, Rev. H. Van Staveren. (Applause.) His Grace Archbishop O’Shea, in the course of a brief address, said it would be necessary to replace the present building by a new and more commodious and more beautiful church. That would entail , further sacrifice on the part of the people ; but they were not Catholics for nothing, and they’ knew how to make sacrifices. It was unfortunate that the disaster had occurred in war time, but the carrying on of works of religion was more essential in times of war than in times of peace, and there was nothing for them to do but to face the task before them, and make the necessary sacrifices, and to build the new church. He was sure they would have the practical sympathy of the Catholics in every parish of the city, and also the sympathy of a great many non-Catholics. For his own part he would give the sum of £IOO. (Applause.) The Yen. Archdeacon Devoy (Newtown) promised a donation of £SO. (Applause.) Major Halpin formally moved—" That a new church be erected, and the necessary means taken to carry out the work.” Mr. E. J. Healy seconded the motion. Several other members of the audience spoke in support of the motion, which was carried unanimously, amid applause. 1 The following were appointed a finance committee:Rev. Father Mahony, Messrs. Maurice O’Connor Robert O’Connor, L. Dwan, and T. Halpin. Collection lists were then passed round, the result being that a sum of over £4OOO was promised. The list of donors of £2O and upwards is as under: Mrs. Martin Kennedy £IOOO, Miss Kennedy £SOO, Miss A. Kennedy £SOO, Mr. Maurice O’Connor £SOO the Manst Fathers £250, Archbishop O’Shea £IOO , Dr P F. McEvedy £IOO, Mr .and Mrs. F. J. Oakes £IOO, Mr. Richard Dwyer £IOO, Mr. J. J McGrath £IOO, Mrs. Macarthy Reid £IOO, Mrs. Whelan £IOO ssraD^ ai i Bros - £IOO, Ven. Archdeacon Devoy f??’ ? 0b . Connor £SO, Mrs. M. J. Madden £SO Protestant Sympathiser” £SO, Mr. and Mrs. M. Segrief £4O, Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Lawlor £25 Mr R. Doherty £25, Major T. P. Halpin £25, Mrs!

Beauchamp £25, . Mr. and Mrs. Mat. ' Gleeson £25, the Redemptorist -Fathers £2O, Mr. D. Dalton £2O, Mrs. M. Maguire £2O, Mrs. M. McCarthy £2O, Mr. J. O’Neil £2O, Major Corrigan £2O, Mr. K. Kent £2O. The Rev. Father Mahony expressed his thanks for the very generous response. The subscriptions now total £4375.