ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH GOLDEN JUBILEE

Lake County Mail, Issue 38, 25 February 1948, Page 2

ST. JOSEPH’S CHURCH GOLDEN JUBILEE

The Catholic fraternity of Queenstown will celebrate the Golden Jubilee of St. Joseph’s Church, Queenstown, on April 11, 12, and 13 next. A committee of local parishioners has been at work for months past preparing the order of proceedings for the jubilee and making contact with ex-parishioners. The celebrations will commence on Sunday, April 11, when pontifical high mass will be held in the morning and pontifical benediction and Te Deum in the evening. The services will be conducted by his Lordship the Most Reverend Dr H. J. O’Neill, Coadjutor Bishop of Dunedin, who will be assisted by the Rev. Father W. A. Hanrahan, Queenstown, and visiting clergy. On Monday a jubilee ball will be held in the Garrison Hall, to be followed on Tuesday with a banquet in the Ambassadors Tearooms.

Souvenir badges will be available from the secretary, Mr J. Taylor, The committee set up to organise the functions is anxious that all exparishioners intending to be present make early communication with the secretary in order to minimise their work. The children are being especially catered for in the holding of a sports meeting at the Convent grounds on the Monday afternoon. The" foundation of St. Joseph’s Church dates back to February 23, 1897, when a bishop from Dunedin, the Most Rev. Dr. Ycrdon, visited the Lakes District to administer the sacrament of confirmation. On that occasion his Lordship impressed upon the congregation the necessity of building a church to serve the.needs of the community. Little time was lost, and, under the direction of the pastor, the Rev. Father John O’Donnell, local Catholic farmers quarried local stone and with their drays and horses transported it to the site of the church. The foundation stone of the church was laid on October 3, 1897. The facings were carried out with Oamaru stone. Mr Laurence J. Lynch, one of the oldest members of the congregation, is now the only survivor residing in the parish who took part in the foundation work of the church. The opening ceremony of the new church took place on May 29, 1898, and was performed by Bishop Yerdon, assisted by Father O’Donnell, of Queenstown. St. Joseph’s Church provides a lasting tribute to the foresight and, energy of those splendid pioneers. The organising committee for the jubilee celebrations is as follows: Messrs R. Inder (president), J. Taylor (secretary), H. D. Walker, T. J. Donaldson, T. L. Hanrahan, L. G. Lynch, and F. Gavin.