DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, 21 August 1919, Page 27

DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

Another of those successful , socials promoted by St. Joseph’s Men’s Club, and which have proved such a feature of the club’s ,activities during the present season, was held in the Victoria Hall on last Monday evening,’ when a very enjoyable few hours .was spent bythe large gathering of members and their friends. ‘ The many , friends of Mr. H. Poppelwell, who, prior to leaving for the Front, was tenor soloist and also secretary of St. ; Joseph’s Cathedral choir, were pleased to welcome him back on last Friday, after 1 upwards of two years’ active service with the N.Z. Expeditionary Force. It is gratifying to know that Mr. Poppelwell has rejoined the choir, and that his services generally in musical circles will again be available. . . The appeals in aid of the Maori . Missions which have been, made throughout the diocese of Dunedin by the Fathers of t St. Joseph’s Missionary Society, who control the missions among the Maoris in the Auckland diocese, will conclude on, Sunday next, when the Very Rev. Dean Van Dyk (Superior) will address the parishioners of Port Chalmers, and Father Bowen those of Mosgicl. ‘ ■ ■ ■ v ■ Very Rev.. Father Coffey writes :This week the Sacred Heart Home (Little Sisters of the Poor), Anderson s Bay, was enriched by the presentation by the Bristol Piano and Organ Company of a handsome American organ. The inmates of the home are deeply grateful to the company for their beautiful gift, and fully appreciate the kindly sentiments which occasioned it. T hey wish to make this acknowledgment of the company’s generous action. FAREWELL TO MR. AND MRS. J. 11, WAIGTH, SEN., ROXBURGH.. The appointment of Mr. J. H. Waigth, Sen., to the management of the . Otago Fruitgrowers’ Co-op. Association, Dunedin, has deprived the Catholic Church at Roxburgh of on© of its oldest and for. many , years most active members. To mark their appreciation of Mr. Waigth’s work during the past 40 years in Church affairs, the Catholics of the district entertained Mr. and Mrs. Waigth at a social evening on-Wednesday last, the I3th. In making the guests of the evening , a presentation of a 300-day clock on behalf of the congregation, Father O’Neill contrasted the . length of years Mr. Waigth had been prominent in Church affairs with the short time that he (Father O’Neill) had been in Roxburgh. This fact (continued the speaker) did not prevent him knowing something: of . the worth of Mr. Waigth to the Church in Roxburgh for the past 40 veal's, for he knew that the late Monsignor O’Leary held him in the highest esteem. Other ‘ speakers would speak in detail of his services to the Church, but even he (Father O’Neill) during his short time amongst them, had evidence of what they owed to Mr. Waigth. If the Church hero regrets his loss, still he had left it children who, true to the example of their father and their deceased mother, are ever true to the principle “Deo et ecclesia,’’ for God and the Church. Messrs. Morrin, Laloli, and Woodhouse made speeches referring to the particular activities of Mr. Waigth as founder of the choir, first church secretary, and a prominent mover in the one-time parish picnic that was held annually on Easter Monday for, some 20 years or so. Hearing these speeches recalled to mind the memory of pioneer Catholics like the Honners, Rickards, Ward, Woodhouse, and Malone. . ;k. Mr. Waigth in reply thanked the congregation for its handsome gift and the various speakers for their kind remarks.. He had been associated- with the congregation for 41 years, and he had at all times , endeavored to do his duty in accordance with the directions of the various priests who had ministered in the district. He briefly traced the history of the Church in the early days, first under Father Crowley and later under the late Monsignor O’Leary. He had acted as .secretary to the.congregation, and it was probably due

to that fact' that' he came more prominently under the notice of the people, but he assured them equal credit was ; due to those'; men with whom he had been associated in those days, and the names of Edward Ward, James Woodhouse, Edward Malone, David CormackJohn and William Honner, and the Rickards, were to be honored and revered, as those of men who ; had done much to establish the Church in this district. He was ? glad to know that their sons were following in their footsteps, and it gave him special pleasure to°see present that evening Mr. Malone, with whom he had been 'associated in Church affairs for over 40 years. He ? thanked Father O'Neill and the other speakers for 7 their kind references to his family. In his late wife he had a. strong helpmate, : and they always endeavored to interest their family in the. work of the Church. The best advice ho could give to young parents was to encourage their children to take air interest in Church affairs, for he believed this:-. way of great assistance in bringing them up. " He congratulated -the present pastor -upon the success that was attending his ministrations. The handsome church approaching completion was evidence of the success of the parish, and of the energy and zeal of its pastor. Though leaving the district he would still consider himself a meixber of the congregation and would always watch with interest its progress. The speeches were interspersed with instrumental and vocal items contributed by the following: — Misses Bennett, Mullane, Sullivan, Mrs. Woodhouse, Messrs. Laloli, Waigth, jun., Morrin, Dunlay, and Murphy. Supper was provided by the ladies, and a very successful evening concluded with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne." On the following afternoon Mrs. Waigth was entertained by the ladies of the congregation and presented with a pair of silver vases. . Mr. and Mrs. Waigth and child left for Dunedin on' Friday.