The Church in New Zealand

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 32, 26 August 1925, Page 21

The Church in New Zealand

SOME HISTORICAL NOTES

FATHER HIOEET, an Irish priest who visited New Zealand in the ’sixties to collect funds for the building of a church in his native country, according to the recollections of old Canterbury residents. ■ The Church in Otago in the Early Days Following the ehtries of Father Seon in the baptismal register quoted last week, we notice the following relating to a Maori family: — " “On the 27th February, 1855, at te pah Maori Ko ana Pitoko Taieri, near the ferry, I gave private baptism to one Pitoko, dangerously sick, daughter of Watiopoto and te Ruahine of Otago. She is the wife of Karetai.” Next day (February 28, 1855), at Waihola Park, Taieri, to a. female child three years of age, and a male child two years old, of a.European family resident there. This was evidently a busy day for tho devoted mis|j sionary, for ,it is shown that besides the above mentioned ceremonies and intervening travels be baptised at Tokomariro (now Milton) three boys of one family. V Returning north, Father Seon records the following:— “On the 2nd of March, at the pah Maori, Taieri,» near the ferry, I gave ’ private baptism to' a little Maori girl, Ko Kuiti, 18 mnoths of age, and called her Elizabeth (Eribapiti).) She was born of : Karewaiti and Iraki. I gave her Holy Chrism. ■ Still journeying northwards we next meet with the > priest’s ministra- : tions at Moeraki, where (he writes) .“on the Bth March, 1855, I supplied the ceremonies t of baptism, and gave conditional baptism to four children born of—.” (Then follow \ the names of the children —a girl of 11, a boy of 9, a girl of 7, and a boy of 5 years

. . . j ‘ * Of age, till of' one family. ' On the same day at To. Kuri, a similar ceremony was performed in regard to a two-year-old girl of one family, and on : the following day, at Otepopo, he baptised a boy of 2j years of age, also an infant son of 18 months, members of another family. ; . : Father Seon’s next i movements are shown to be among the Maoris at Otago Heads, where he administered the Sacrament * of Baptism to nine candidates, representing six families of natives. i To summarise the remaining movements of Father Seon in his visits to the native hapus and to scattered European members of the Catholic flock, administering the sacraments and carrying out the other duties of his sacred calling, the records I am quoting show that on March 25, he was at Brain’s Point; next two days at Waikouaiti ; on the Ist April at Goodwood; and on April 3rd again at Brain’s Point, near Waikonaiti. The entries here end so far as Father

FATHER HALBWAGHS, S.M. who was well-known in the Wairarapa in the late ’seventies and early ’eighties. Residing at Masterton, his pastorate extended throughout the Wairarapa district, and he built churches in several of the main centres. Later he was transferred' to .Christchurch, and was for. a time stationed at Lincoln (Shand’s Track).

Seen is concerned, and lie appears to have been succeeded in Otago by Father Petitjean, . S.M., two years afterwards. . At this 'part of the register,- under the heading “Transcription, of Baptisms, etc., performed. by his .Lordship Bishop Pompallier and others in the year 1840, seventeen baptisms appear, over the signature of the Bishop and .two, over that of Father Pesant. (To be continued.) ■

OBITUARY ’ ' MRS. MARGARET DELANEY, OHAKUNE. , , '■ ...; j-yst .* ’■/ ■ : v - ■ ,v. With regret the regret is recorded at Fore- « ; 1 Vm" a ’’ ' - ‘e'\r" nr ’ ■»>' n - v \\ lacka, Ohakune, of. Mrs. Margaret May DeJauy, wife of Mr. William Delaney and the oldest daughter' of the late Mr., and Mrs. Andrew O’Connor, of Rangiwahia. De- - ceased, who was 66 years of age, came'to ‘;- New Zealand with her parents from Adare, \- <f Co; Limerick, Ireland,; in the ship Lester, over 40 years ago.. The late Mrs. Delaney resided in many parts of the North Island, but for the last 16 years with her family in Ohakune, where she. made many friends through her charity and good works. • She was attended through her illness by Rev. Father Broughton. Much sympathy is ex- intend,ed to her husband and daughter (Mrs. . 8. Herbert, of Ohakune Junction). — R.I.P. . / ‘ rH • \ . • j MRS. MARGARET CONNOLLY, *' ; |h| GEORGETOWN, TEMUKA. ! .•.■ j, There passed away at her residence, Georgetown, Tcmuka,, on the 15th . ult., Margaret, relict of the late Martin Con- , • nolly, in her eightieth year, - sixty of which m were spent in the Temuka district. The late Mrs. Connolly, who was of a retiring disposition, was a familiar figure at St. Joseph’sy : ,1: Church, where she attended Mass with unfailing regularity so faithfully, while her health permitted, over so many years. In ; the early days, when the devoted pioneer , i priest, Father Chataigner, used to walk Hi from Christchurch to Timaru, he always . , . rested for a few days at the home of Mr. !V; and Mrs. Connolly, where he celebrated the . Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the few; scattered Catholic families thereabouts. The deceased is survived by a family of nine—five • • , r • i r >-■ • > syV daughters (three of whom she gave to re- f ligion), Sister Francis de Sales, Melbourne; Sister Frances d© Chantel, Sydney; and Sister Mary Francis, Auckland; Mrs, J. G. Quinn, and Miss E. Connolly (Georgetown), and four sons Cw r on (Georgetown)), Jack (Invercargill), Mart (Nelson), and Sim (Seadown). Besides her own daughters six nieces * r §|i of.’the late Mrs. Connolly are nuns; also a ' nephew (Rev. Brother Borgia, Director. of tho Sacred Heart College, Auckland). Mrs. Connolly was attended in her last 1 illness by l ' Rev. Fathers Seymour, S.M., and Fraher, S.M. Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul .of deceased was celebrated at St-. Jo- - soph’s Church by Father Seymour. The ; funeral was private; grandsons acting a> pall-bearers. The “Dead March” was played by Miss Clare Goughian (niece) as the remains .were borne from the church. Father Frailer officiated at the graveside.—RT.P.

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