PRIEST’S RECORD

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 210, 24 November 1927, Page 15

PRIEST’S RECORD

FORTY YEARS AT MASTERTON (Special to THE SUN.) MASTERTON, Wednesday. Monsignor McKenna completed his 4.oth year as resident parish priest in Masterton to-day, and to mark the noteworthy anniversary special services are being held at St. Patrick’s Church.

Monsignor McKenna was born at Newpark, County Kilkenny, Ireland, in 1860. He was educated at Knocktoplier Seminary, and St. John’s College, Waterford, and ordained priest on March 11, ISS3. He arrived in New Zealand in June, 1883, and acted as assistant at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Wellington. Cater he went to ftangiora and then returned to St. Mary’s Cathedral, Wellington, until his appointment to the cathedral at Master ton, where he arrived on November 23, 1887. Masterton was then in a bush state, and with Masterton the centre the parish extended from Pahiatua in the north to the Summit in the south. Monsignor McKenna has twice revisited his native land, the last occasion being in 1923, when he and his brother, the late Dean T. McKenna, visited their aged mother while on their way to Rome. During his 40 years’ residence in Mas-

terton, Monsignor McKenna has taken a keen personal interest in the progress of the town. He was for several years a member ot the old Hospital Board and for a time was on the Technical School Board. He is still an active member of the Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and at present holds with distinction the position of patron of the ton Dawn Tennis Club. In his younger days Monsignor McKenna was a prominent footballer and represented Wairarapa on several occasions..