Right Rev. Mgr. Power

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 49, 14 December 1922, Page 26

Right Rev. Mgr. Power

CONGRATULATED BY HIS PARISHIONERS. St. Joseph's (says the Hawera Star for November 28) was en fete on Sunday in honor of the parish priest, who was being congratulated on his elevation to the dignity of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness the Pope. The luilding was crowded to the doors at 7 p.m. The Hibernians, numbering 70, were in regalia; there were 50 Children of Mary; and the Conference of St. Vincent de Paul \nd the Sacred Heart Confraternities had full representation. As the Monsignor entered the sanctuary the congregation sang with great animation their song of welcome, "Vivat Pastor Bonus," after which the Monsignor intoned the "To Deuin," which was taken up in alternate verses by Hie choir and congregation. Miss Constance Reilly sang an "Ave Maria," Miss Reilly accompanying. Mr. L. 0. Hooker eloquently emphasised the bonds of friendship with their beneficial effects that had always held pastor and people together; how the pastor could alone expound those eternal principles which held the only safe solution for religious, social, and industrial troubles; tho Monsignor was a defender of the faith, and his whole life and character might be summed up in the lines: ■ x ■»"--'• ■ "The highest-faith makes still the highest man; For we grow like the things our souls believe, And rise or sink as we aim high or low." Turning to tho Monsignor, he concluded: Your friendship demands loyalty of us, and this I am sure lies deeply in "the heart of each of your parishioners. Father Kelly, speaking for the clergy of the deanery, quoted the command of St. Paul to his beloved Timothy: "Let the priests who rule well be esteemed worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in, word and doctrine." The beautiful web of eloquence he wove on this sacred text will be found verbatim in a souvenir which the committee will publish later. He said tho Monsignor's work was widely known in and beyond New Zealand, and that the Pope in honoring him honored also the archbishops, priests, and faithful of the archdiocese. Mr. Bernard McCarthy here read a beautiful address from the parishioners; and on his own behalf spoke' of the zealous labors of the Monsignor. during a quarter of a century in Hawera and the adjoining parishes formerly attached to Hawera; he commented on the many books that had come from his facile pen, and wished him many years in the service of God and His people. , : • Master Claude Taylor spoke some beautiful words on behalf of the children, after which the Monsignor, in a : lengthy discourse, returned thanks to the parishioners for their much appreciated congratulations y and kindly action in honoring him in so marked a manner. ;He also paid tribute to ' his Grace ; Archbishop Redwood Sand : : to the Coadjutor-Archbishop, Most Rev. Dr. O'Shea. '■• -'