REV. FATHER GOLDEN'S JUBILEE CELEBRATION

New Zealand Tablet, 17 March 1921, Page 18

REV. FATHER GOLDEN'S JUBILEE CELEBRATION

A WORTHY PRIEST HONORED. The golden jubilee of the ordination to the priesthood of Rev. Father Golden, was celebrated on Saturday, he having been ordained in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Auckland, by Right Rev. Dr. W. J. Croke, then Bishop of the diocese, on February 26, 1871 (writes our Auckland correspondent, under date March 5). Father Golden celebrated Mass at the Home of the Little Sis-

ters'of the Poor on Saturday, February 26, and it was served by Mr. M. J. Sheahan, who had the honor of serving at Father Golden’s first-Mass. Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated by his Lordship Bishop Liston, at nine o’clock, in the chapel of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Fathers Buckley and Colgan being deacon and subdeacon respectively, and Father Forde, Adm., master of ceremonies. Right Rev. Dr. Cleary and Father Golden were seated in the sanctuary, and thebe' were present Right Rev. Mgr. Mahoney, Right Rev. Mgr. Gillan, and Very Revs. Dean Cahill and Chancellor Holbrook, and many of the priests of the diocese, as all have been looking forward to this day for quite a long period, to have the opportunity to testify to Father Golden the profound esteem and respect in which he is universally held throughout this and the other dioceses in which he has labored so zealously for half a century. A choir of the Sisters and men of the Home sang the music of' the Mass. After Mass the old folk of the Home and many guests of the Little Sisters of the Poor adjourned to the dining-room of the institution, which was beautifully decorated with festoons of crimson and gold, beautiful ferns and artistically lettered greetings, such as “We joyfully hail our father’s Golden Jubilee,” “Long live our prelate.” Bishop Liston presided, and there were present Monsignors Mahoney and Gillan, Dean Cahill, Chancellor Holbrook, Fathers Forde, Furlong, Doyle, O’Malley, Colgan, , O’Doherty, Duffy, and O’Bryne. Father Golden was the recipient of many congratulatory cables, telegrams, and letters, some of which were read by Dr. Liston. “On the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary of Father Golden’s ordination the Holy Father most cordially imparts his Apostolic Benediction.—Cardinal Gasparri”—was the cable received from his Holiness the Pope, and in referring to, it Bishop Liston said—“ Rarely has the Holy Father ever sent a better blessing to a better priest.”

He also eulogised the work of Father Golden during the past 50 years, and said that like his Divine Master, he had gone about doing good, and had done all things well, and he prayed that God would bless him. A poem o~~;U„n.. -v —— ] i— •nv4-i 10 ~ near? uu-UipUDCU wy i.' tuiici j.T.i.a/iiga/11, kJKj. JLt-. y cvj.iv*. dedicated to Father Golden, was then read by the Bishop, as well as a letter from the Mother-General of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Monsignors Mahoney and Gillan also congratulated Father Golden on the great work he had done # and also on his exemplary life as a priest —all that a priest should be.

Father Golden, who was visibly affected, said his heart was too full to permit him to give proper expression to his thoughts. He felt that he was not at all worthy of the praise ho had received. The fact that the jubilee was that of a priest ordained in the diocese must be the cause of the great rejoicing—not any special merit of his; and he thanked them all from the bottom of his heart. He was overwhelmed with joy to think that every priest in the diocese had that morning celebrated for him the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and to them, he was most grateful. He also thanked the Bishop for his beautifully-worded expressions of friendship. • An illuminated address from the old folk of the Home was read and handed to Father Golden by Mr. Denton, and a specially composed Golden Jubilee Greetings’' was feelingly rendered by a choir of the Sisters and men of the Home. Father Golden could say but little, except that the six years during which he had charge of the 1 Home were the happiest of his life. Never had he seen such noble and self-sacrificing work as that of the Little Sisters of the Poor—never a murmur was heard about too much worknothing was a trouble—always a smile and a comforting word for the poor souls whom they regarded as their children. Many edifying deaths (120) he had assisted at during his term of office. Twenty were prepared for First Communion and 16 for Confirmation. > Refreshments were then enjoyed by the old people, and the Sisters entertained Bishop Liston and priests to dinner. In the afternoon at 2.30 a splendid musical and elocutionary programme was submitted, some bf the items being specially composed for the occasion. Afternoon tea was served, and another congratulatory address from the inmates of the Home was read by Professor Swallow. Those contributing included Misses Nellie Ormond, Kiely, and McVeigh, Fathers Taylor and Furlong, .Professor Swallow, Messrs. Kenworthy and Ray Kiely, the two former playing the* accompaniments. « Further celebration of the event was observed on Tuesday, March 1, when Solemn Pontifical Mass of thanksgiving was offered in St. Patrick’s Cathedral by

his Lordship the Right Rev. Dr. Liston, CoadjutorBishop of Auckland. Very Rev. Dean Cahill was assistant priest, Father Bradley deacon, Father Hunt subdeacon, Father Forde master of ceremonies, Monsig-•n/-.T.c "l\/Tr,V,~»->~,» n -.-,A TT„.-».l-~+-*. J„„_ >„ _i 4.X. . i-T . «i«aio j.ixci injury auyj. iiaijvcm ucttUUilS &U tilt? 1/IJU'LHitJ. About 39 priests .were present on the occasion. At the conclusion of the Mass Bishop Liston read a special cable he had received from Cardinal Gasparri conveying the blessing and congratulations of our Holy Father and tendered Father Golden his felicitations on behalf of Dr. Cleary and himself, and the priests and people of the diocese. The clergy entertained the jubilarian to dinner on Tuesday in St. Benedict's Hall, which was gaily decorated in green, white, and gold, with suitable mottoes. The dinner was prepared by the Sisters of St. Joseph and served in first-class style by the Catholic ladies of the city. After dinner Dr. Liston, who presided, expressed to the Sisters and the members of the laity the hearty thanks of the clergy assembled, and once again congratulated Father Golden. Monsignor Mahonev read an address from the clergy, and made a presentation of a costly set of vestments to mark the occasion. Monsignor Hackett, Dean Van Dyk, and Very Rev. Father Whelan, C.SS.R., also tendered their congratulations. Dear old Father Golden then replied in most touching and affectionate terms, and concluded his speech in poetic strains composed by himself. Father Golden, although in the 81st year of his age, took an active part in all the festivities.