Farewell to Father McManus

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 14, 15 April 1925, Page 29

Farewell to Father McManus

Most of us have at least once in our lives spent a holiday with some friends or relatives. Our host or hostess was kindness itself; every hour was a golden hour, a stream of endless pleasures. Then a day come when' we made this announcement: "To-morrow I am going home," Going home! oh, the magic in those words ! It meant going back to theroutine work-a-day life, to the humdrum of city or the endless toil of the farm; but it mattered notwe were going home. Some of us have boarded at convents and colleges;' others have perforce lived away from home to attend to business, etc. But a day arrived when work in the class-room and office ceased and with joy we realised that we were going homeperhaps for Christmas. How great must be the happiness of those —few in number but not less human—who have left parents and friends, home and fatherland, and have gone to a far-off country to labor in a distant corner of the Vineyard of the Lord, when, alter years of exile they turn their faces once again towards their native land! It is of such a "going home" these lines are written, for on Wednesday evening, March 25, the people of the parish and the priests of the archdiocese gathered at the Empire Hall to say good-bye to the Rev. Father MacMan us on the eve of his departure from Palmerston North to take part in the Australasian pilgrimage, and then return to his home in Ireland. To the people of this parish he has always been, is, and will ever remain, "Father Mac." We feel that we would be treating our beloved pastor as a. stranger and an outsider if we were to use his full name. Indeed there are times when we quite forget that we have abbreviated his name at all! In November, 1903, Father Mac first set foot on the soil of his adopted country. New Plymouth was his first home ; after six years he was appointed pastor of Inglewood and three years later Palmerston North welcomed to its midst a new parish priest— Mac whom Ave recently farewelled. If ever a priest deserved a. holiday, it is he; and it was with feelings of mingled joy and sorrow that the people bade him good-bye—joy because he was taking a well-earned rest; sorrow because the pain of parting was so keenly felt by all.

PRESENTATION FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE PARISH. Mr. C. A. Loughnan, who presided in a very bright and capable manner at the farewell, said that he was speaking for all the Catholics of the parish who had gathered there to tell their well-respected castor how much they thought of him. All rejoiced because he was about to recuperate after his great labors. "He does not appreciate his own importance," said the speaker; and he proceeded to remind us how, on the previous Sunday at the opening of the church, Father

PRESENTATION AT PALMERSTON NORTH.

(From our own correspondent.)

Mac had thanked all from the Archbishop down to the very workers who had helped to build the church. "But," continued Mr. Loughnan, "there was one person he left —himself." ' Mr. Loughnan spoke of the pastor's gigantic labors in connection with the erection of the church, and of his spirit which had animated the parishioners to work ,so hard and give so generously. Not only, was Father Mac our priest, he was also our friend ever ready to take part in the sports and social events of the parish. No kinder, more just or more generous priest than he could be found. His great and unceasing work had at last been rewarded by the opening of the church. How great his labors in the parish had been could be readily understood by the figures he quoted for us. When Father Mac took over the parish, the church fund (begun by the late Father Costello) totalled £ll2O, and by the end of 1918 it stood at £4640. Since then it had increased to £22,000, and the sale of sections had raised it to £28,000, with £4OOO still to be collected, which would bring the total to £32,000. The new church cost £38,457 of which amount the building itself cost £27,238, the furniture £2762, the presbytery and site for the church £7OOO, and the alterations to the presbytery £1457. About £5388 had been spent upon the erection, of the schools, making a. total expenditure of £43,845. So that the parish debt now stood at only £11,845. Father Mac had been largely responsible for such wonderful results. "If that isn't a magnificent record for a priest to leave behind him in the parish, then I don't know what is," said the speaker. He referred to the pastor's trip to Europe and when he would stand beneath the dome of St. Peter's in Rome he would feel a thrill of pride that he belonged to the same Faith that had raised St. Peter's and that had actuated him in the erection of a church in his own parish. Mr. Loughnan concluded by assuring Father Mac that he would never be out of the minds of the people, and wishing him the welcome in Ireland that he -would be given here when he returned. Mr. F. J. Oakley then read an illuminated address, and this (a beautiful gift in itself) together with a wallet .containing £325) was presented to Father Mac by Mr. Loughnan.

PRESENTATION FROM THE CLERGY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE. Right Rev. Mgr. McKenna, V.G. (Masterton) voiced the sentiments of the clergy of the archdiocese. He commenced by saying that it was an honor to he present to wish Cod-speed to such a man as Father Mac. The Monsignor called him "Father Mac" all through his address, and his hearers were charmed by the homely touch. "I am not going to enumerate the pastor's many virtues, as they are well known to all present," said the speaker. "As an ecclesiastic he possesses those qualities which go to make

a good priestbetter still, an excellent priest. Filled with the dignity of his priestly office, he always bears himself as a man of God, zealous, devout, and always anxious for the welfare of his people. The results of his apostolic labors bespeak the work of a zealous servant of God. His days as a curate in New Plymouth are not forgotten; nor are the days spent in Inglewood where he was well loved. But it is in Palmerston North that he has set the seal to his work on behalf of the Church." The Monsignor then dwelt upon one quality of Father Mac's that was recognised by every priest who came this way— ever-warm welcome that awaited each one of them at the Palmerston North presbytery, and the boundless hospitality of the pastor. Thirty-two priests who were unable to be present, sent messages wishing Father Mac God-speed, and about 15 We're there to express their wishes verbally. Monsignor McKenna then presented him with a beautiful gold chalice from the priests of the Wellington archdiocese. THE PASTOR'S REPLY. He began thus: "If my tastes and wishes had been consulted this function would never have been held. For a man of my disposition it is a. most trying ordeal." Those present did not need to be told that; it was evident from the moment that Father Mac entered the hall; and many consciences were uneasy that, in mistaken kindness, such torture had been thrust upon him. "But," he continued, '•a public farewell has its advantages as well as its drawbacks and it is because of them that I willingly take part in this gathering to-night." A remark which calmed our troubled consciences and cheered-us-up considerably. Father Mac said he appreciated to the full the spirit which had prompted the church committee and the people in their generous action. As a priest he was always conscious of his own shortcomings and of the blunders he had made, even when his intensions were of the best. The farewell, while proving, the most trying ordeal of his life, served to encourage him in his work. He quoted the old French adage: "He who builds, suffers," and although that might be accepted as the rule, the exception had been experienced in Palmerston North for he had been associated with building here and had derived nothing but pleasure from it. The speaker then referred to the growth of the parish during the last few years. It had gone ahead magnificently; he -quite agreed to all that had been said in that regard. lie even went further and stated that he did not,think any parish of a similar size in Australasia had made such rapid strides. But a.ll .this progress Father Mac attributed to • the generosity of the people and. the unfailin'? .'support of the priests who had labored "with him, especially Fathers Doolaghty and O'Brirne, who had been two of the most '.devct.cd oriests who had worked in- the parish. The pastor said he needed- no presentation (the people's assistance Avas enough) to show 1 that his labors had been appre-v''•'t-1. He thanked the priests for their ,b 'Mifif >! gift, . remarking that ; he was glad ;i'''-y knew tint: a very warm welcome had always awaited them at his presbytery. He

thanked the people for their generosity, and paid a tribute ,to the unfailing kindness always shown to hiin by non-Catholics. If ever it became his, privilege to celebrate Mass at Lourdes he promised us we would not be forgotten. Oyer 21 years spent' in New Zealand made him regard this country., as home, but an Irishman could never, forget the- land of his birth and the place of. his.youthful associations; and he looked forward with fcndimmed pleasure to' his return to Ireland after such a long absence. Father Mac then said lie wished, to give us a present, and handed to the secretary of the church committee a clear receipt for £125, the price of the organ bought for the new church. He also stated that since our gilt to him was a free gilt to do with it as he wished he would (if he. struck a bargain) bring us back something tor the church. In conclusion the pastor attempted to thank all (words could not he found to adequately express his thanks, he said) for their kindness and good wishes; and he. confided us to the keeping of God and His Holy Mother. ' "Auld Lang Syne" and a popular chorus were then sung, and cheers were given for the departing priest. Next morning some of the people went to Ibo station to see him off. There were handshakes and cheers; the train puffed out of the station, and he was gone. At the wharf in "Wellington a little crowd gathered to say a last good-bye ere the Mahcno carried him away from these shores. Father Mac expects to he absent about one year, and we are already dreaming of a wonderful day when a ship sails o'er the ocean and anchors in Wellington Harbor. "When a train steams up from there; and Palmerston North goes down to the railway station to welcome the pastor home Father Lynch, from New Plymouth, will be in charge of the parish in

the meantime, and we hope his stay with us will bo very happy. DEPARTURE OF MISS NESDALE. Not only have we lost our pastor, but his cousin (Miss B. Nesdale) has departed, too. How grand it will be for them both to stand on the deck of the steamer and await with breathless eagerness the first glimpse of the land of their birth! to walk again along the. highways and byways as in childhood's years gone by! to meet once more their kith and kin and renew the friendships of long ago! Like Father Mac, Miss Nesdale has been 12 years in our midst, She is one of those people of whom it is said: "To know her is lo love her." Palmerston knows her, with the inevitable result that Palmerston loves her, and to its sorrow has lost herfor a time at least. She will be greatly missed from the parish,especially from the presbytery of which slip has been in charge all these years. The priests (almost without exception) call her '-'Auntie," a title which owes its origin to the late Father Kinkead; and by that name she will ever be known amongst them. In all the affairs of the parish Miss Nesdale has been a willing and prominent worker. A few weeks before her departure,' the ladies of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Hie Altar Society combined (Miss Nesdale was the secretary of the latter society) presented her with a solid leather suit case, which spoke volumes for the generosity of the donors and the popularity of the recipient. The Children of Mary numbered her among their best and. most exemplary members, and a leather handbag was their gift to her. Besides these two presentations Miss Nesdale received numerous gifts from many friends in and out of the parish. All unite in wishing her a very pleasant holiday and a safe return.