Silver Jubilee by E. R. Clark Ngati Hauaroa tribal elder, Mr Titi Tihu, usually invites people from the seven canoes when there is a major function at Ngapuwaiwaha pa, Taumarunui. But for the celebrations to mark the silver jubilee of the ordination of Rev. Father Wiremu Te Awhitu as the first ever Catholic Maori priest, Mr Tihu extended the invitation to the ‘people from the four winds’. The result was the assembly on the marae of more than 1,000 people, Maoris from many tribes and many parts of the North Island, European wellwishers and a mission priest with three of his Papuan parishioners from Bougainville Island, New Guinea. Father Te Awhitu was born at Mokau, had his early education at Okahukura and Taumarunui, then went on to St Peter's Maori Boys' College and St Patrick's College, Silverstream. He studied for the priesthood at Greenmeadows, Hawke's Bay. Now stationed at the Catholic mission at Jerusalem on the Wanganui River, Father Te Awhitu was accompanied onto the marae by elders of Wainui-a-rua from Wanganui. Others in the official party were the catholic co-adjutor Bishop of Wellington, the Most Rev. O. Sneddon, who represented Cardinal McKeefrey and who accepted the challenge by Mr R. A. Jones, the co-adjutor Bishop of Auckland, Most Rev. R. J. Delargey, and the Superior General for the World of the Catholic Mill Hill Order, the Very Rev. Father G. Mahon, London. The Anglican Bishop of Aotearoa, Right Rev. Manu Bennett was represented by Rev. Broughton, Vicar of Wainui-a-rua. Following the powhiri on the marae, speeches of welcome were given by elders Titi Tihu and Hikaia Amohia, with Dr Pei Te H. Jones acting as interpreter. The Mayor of Taumarunui, Mr L. A. Byars, welcomed the visitors on behalf of the people of Taumarunui and district. An altar had been erected on a dais on the marae and Holy Mass was con-celebrated by Father Te Awhitu assisted by the four other Maori priests — the first time all five Maori priests had con-celebrated a mass. The other four are Rev. Fathers H. Tate, Karaitiana King, Harwood and Bennett. They were assisted by a recently ordained priest, Rev. Father Peter Lander, a nephew of Father Te Awhitu. Master of Ceremonies was the Rev. Father G. Mertens, a Mill Hill priest stationed at Taumarunui and who was chairman of the organising committee. The two Moving onto the Ngapuwaiwaha marae, Taumarunui, for the start of the celebrations to mark the silver jubilee of the first Maori catholic priest, Rev. Father Wiremu Te Awhitu are, from left Bishop O. Sneddon, Wellington, Father Te Awhitu, and Bishop R. J. Delargey, Auckland