THE VERY REV. DEAN McKENNA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 333, 21 June 1911, Page 3

THE VERY REV. DEAN McKENNA

GELEIiRATIHN' OF HIS SILVER .lUWLEE. A BELOVED AM) REVERED PASTOR.

The jubilee of tin' Very Rev. Dean McKenna was celebrated with great splendor at St. Joseph's Church yesterday. Fourteen priests, with the VicarGeneral of the areli-diocese at their head, assembled to do honor to the jubilarian. Solemn' High Muss was celebrated at 7.30 a.m. by the Very Rev. Father Power, of Hawera, Father MacManus, of Inglewood, being deacon, and Father Duffy, of Patea, sub-deacon. Father Hartnett was Master of Ceremonies. There wato present in the sanctuary: The Very Rev. Father O'Shea, V.C., Very Revs. Dean McKenna and Father Treacy (of Stratford), also Fathers YVhelan, O'Dwyer, llaire, Menard and Bergin. Corn-one s Mass for two voices was beautifully sung by a choir trained by the nuns, with -Miss Ratford at the 'organ. j The following discourse was delivered by Father Power: ''Whom he predestinated them he also called."—Rom. 8-M,

On a gently slqj>in<jf hillside that looks toward the morning sun a sower is joyously sowing seed, and a sky-lark piercing the blue sky above him is pouring forth to heaven his liquid notes. In one corner of the now-ploughed field an angel voice is heard: "Scatter now thy seed, 0 happy sower! in rich profusion, I but* tread not upon this sacred spot; sing, put, sweet bird! thy most melodious notes, an<f then come down to take thy toll of corn, but this one patch thou must not raid, for lie to whom thou singest hath chosen it for Himself." A bank of clouds rides swiftly through the sky; oibove the cornfield patch one vaporous drift grows faint and quits the race and stumbles earthward. The angel beholding it flies up to meet, and, piercing it with shaft on shaft of golden light he weaves with rainbow hues its graceful skirts; these, trailing, touch the chosen earth, and virtue flows to give new life to the buried seeds whose green blades will soon pierce the breaking sod and burst into ears of rich and golden wheat. Hard by, a crowd of little boys play gaily on the green. The angel of the cornfield takes one apart and sweetly whispers in his ear: "The patch was chosen, child, by God; the grains were culled by Him; from Him the rainbow drift had its sweet call, and thou must consecrate the Bread." Someknow not what—pierces at once the heart of the boy, marking him sweetly from his fellows and sealing in him a grace of innocence no harm can henceforth taint. The rich and golden ■ cars at length are gathered, the wheat is ground, the flour is fashioned into white unleavened 'bread, and the boy anointed with the waves of a wondrous grace, bends in awe above it. And as he bends he grows mightier than a king, and the spell he caste around is such as no mere earth king could create. At the word he whispers, the lowly roof that shelters him grows grander than j a palace, the simple altar where he stands is glorified with heavenly radiance. Once again a trailing cloud of I glory descends upon the earth, interwoven now with troops of smiling anpvls; many a rough face around is dyed in some new flame, and many a soul hitherto cold is wrapt in sweet seraphic ardor, adoring and burning, and with sweeter , notes than sweetest, skylark sings »iaking melody in his heart before the wheat grains now become Christ's living Body. That was five-and-twenty years ago. and the boy enveloped in the grace of his high calling then saying his first mass and realising the twofold mystery of vocation, in nature and in grace, is the beloved priest in whose joy you share to-day. And you, dear brethren, arc rightful and grateful sharers joy, for his relation to the natural body of Christ, which is the 'blessed Sacrament, and which has brought him every day of the past twenty-five years to the altar, only accentuates and makes more sacred his relation and his obligation to you, Christ's mystic, body—a' relation which he has so faithfully remembered, and obligations which he has so carefully carried out in your midst for twenty-two of his twenty-five years of priesthood. He stands, it is true, on a high mountain apart, but while he is there surrounded with the warm splendor of Thabtor, more fortunate than the apostles, he is not forbidden to make known the vision that Faith makes manifest to him; but coiuiir; down from the mountains he iSjinsf.-pd istbw to turn .its rays upon you. ti,it you, too, may be enlightened and P.red with divine love. With what devotion he has followed that inspiration and with what success is well lc.wwu to you, and is evidenced by the f.-irgc numbers that so frequently come t<l the TTo'y Table in this Church. And In- ha; been for years going out from.r.hil lm : y ■.wnetnary and' taiving the White to fi'R the needs of poor people, .-.ick and dying, beyond the white cliffs of .\iokau and beyond the quagmires thai <Wi off Whangamomona and the oaslernVlist-rict.- from the larger centres of population. At his appearance, weary, bespattered and begrimed with travel, wild despair lia3 given place to peace and grace in many a home, and did you but niiuvei at the golden hope, that shone en (.he faces of many who mourned for their dead, they would answer, "The priest was here; the priest was here!" How few knew what it cost the priest to be there! He knew it not himself; he would not wait to count the cost as lie rode and rode' to tear from the mouth of death its poisoned sting. And if travelling is not now so prolonged and laborious for the priest in that portion of Taranaki whicn formed the Dean's parish, so short a time ago, if it has now so many schools, so many churches and so many priests, it is not because the population has multiplied fourfold—for it has not—but because His abiding love for souls and His enthusiastic optimism first raised these schools and churches and then secured the blessing of local pastors to gathered in the scattered ones who else would be like sheep without a shepherd. You know again how he has broken for you the bread of God's Word. He has never been content to merely fulfil the requirements of the diocesan statutes, but m season and out of season, and with a success of which we are all witnesses, he has preached to von the Chrisban doctrine, f have heard manv fine preachers in my own parish durin'rr the past thirteen years, but three sermons stand out above all others as examples of soundness and beauty and all that a sermon ought to be. f cannot toll if the one on the "Guardian Angels" was more beautiful than the one on "Puritv of Intention," or if that on "Christian Meekness" should not take precedence of them both; but fortunately I am not asked to for all 'three came from the cultivated mind and spiritually fashioned heart of vour beloved pastor. Again, ho has been a faithful sentinel of the Holy C-hureh guarding her interests in the columns of the "daily Press. Frequent misrepresentations of Catholic doctrines find their way through the cable and otherwise into the papers of Xorth Taranaki, but for close on a quarter.of a century, not one has been allowed to go unchallenged, and tike con-

vincing argument!: of the Dean llftvc-al-ways brought victory to the Church. 1 am trying his humility, hut I know how well grounded that liumility is ancl how well it can stand tnc test. ]f I

may add a personal note 1 shall recall I the friendship born in youth and still I enduring 'between Dean McKenna and ' myself. It was my good fortune to be a schoolfellow of his when we were boys arid to have him to look up to as a I leader in conduct and in studies. That advantage still is mine; and mine also is the sympathetic encouragement that I have always and ever received from him. And specially gratifying is the thought that we still retain unbroken and undiminished that trust in each other that real friendship always secures. It is fitting, then, that I should have been chosen as the interpreter of the dear delight that fills your hearts to-day, for I am a sharer in that delight. 0 priest of the Most Hign God, friend and father! we rejoice with you to-day on the completion of the silver jubilee of your priesthood; and we praise Cod for the consummation of so great a grace; we rejoice that the fervor of that day when you first kissed the altar glows as tresh as of old, and that the chrism which anointed your hands is as fragrant and strong iii its unction to-day as it was five-awf-twenty years ago. We rejoice to behold the crystal river of your deeds for Christ flowing majestically and sweetly with blessings for us who stand along its banks. And while we pray that God may grant you the sweet consummation of another twenty-five years at the altar, we ask your prayers on this day of grace that we, too, may walk worthy of our vocation and of your fatherly care and solicitude. At the conclusion of the Mass, Father O'Shea spoke, saying:

"It is with more than ordinary plea

sure that I have come here to-day to associate myself with the clergy and with you, my dear brethren, in honoring the Very Rev. Dean McKenna on the occasion of the silver jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. Only the very gravest of reasons prevented our illustrious Archbishop from being present to convey in person to the Very Rev. Dean the expression of his esteem and congratulation on this auspicious occasion. So he has deputed me, his Vicar-General, to represent him and to say how heartily he joins with all of you in honoring a faithful and holy priest. And I myself, at the risk of offending the modesty of the Dean, join most heartily in ail that has been said so eloquently by the very rev. preacher in praise of* the esteemed and respected jubilarian. It has been my privilege to nave known Dean McKenna ever since he came to the country twenty-five, years ago. During that long period he has labored in this province, especially in this city and parish, with conspicuous ability anil success. Everywhere throughout the dis-

triot yon will find monuments of his zeal and whole-hearted earnestness for the people committed to his charge, in the shape of churches, schools and presbyteries, while hia care of their spiritual interests has been amply manifested in the untiring energy, the devoted earnestness, and the whole-hearted devotion which he has brought to his work. Years ago His Grace the Archbishop showed what confidence he placed in him when ho" promoted him ,to' the charge of this important parish/ Then, later on, he appointed liim- Dean of the whole province of Taranaki, and three or four years ago he gave him a still further mark of the esteem and high opinion in which he held him by calling him to be a member oi the Diocesan Council, thus associating him more intimately with him in the government of thisjjjreat Archdiocese. And now, when he is celebrating, after all these vears, the silver jubilee of his ordination/there is a text of Sacred Scripture which occurs to my mind, and which I think more aptly and fitly conveys what is in the minds and hearts or all of us to-day 'I will raise me up a faithful priest, who will do according to my heart and soul.' These words, my dear brethren a faithful priest,' constitute the highest tribute of praise that can be paid to our beloved Dean. He nas been all that during the last quarter of a century He has earned the confidence of his archbishop, the respect, regard and affection of his fellow priests, and the warm love and devotion of his faithful people. You are rightly honoring him to-day with every tribute of that warmhearted affection and devotion especially displayed in the edifying manner in which you offered up your communions for him this morning. And now I feel sure, that it is your prayer, as well as the prayer of all of us, that' (addressing the Dean) 'you may be spared mairv years, even to live to celebrate vou'r golden jubilee, and that you may then be as strong and vigorous in action, and wise and prudent in counsel, as you are to-day.'" , ■

Father O'Khea also read the following eulogistic letter from His Grace the Archbishop: "My Dear Father MacManus I am very sorry that, for the reasons stated m a former letter to you, I am unable to be present at the celebration of Very Key. Dean McKenna's jubilee. I ask voli to Jay before him, on that auspicious occasion, the warmest expression of my most sincere congratulations, and ver'y best wishes; for he deserves higher praise than either you or I can bestow I upon him. His long career of priesthood and strenuous labor in the sacred ministry has been a noble one indeed, which any tnshop would appreciate and eulogise. For piety, zeal, ability, pruc har i tyi l, e has left a record ond all pra,se; while the material u I,mgs-in the shape of school, presfc" Mt «J church-which he othernf f "I f™ P1 - VmoUth and j » handing down his memory with honor nVeTeaf nt W » '«" mo e years of usefulness and happiness or the good of his devoted parishioner the welfare of his fellow citizen?of S classes and denominations, th Zol o vet *Z ' S a, ' l,ent and fervent p ~yer. - Francis Redwood, SM Archbishop of Wellington " ' An a.idress was read by Master AlcHaray ,n behalf of the VhiMrra who presented a beautiful set of candelabra I wo £,r S eou 9 sets of Mass' vestments were presented, one by the S srnr If the Mission throughout Sw and he ..ther from the local Convent A vauabl, ceborium was presented on behafo Fathers <VRei„,o andSC J.V the Intier. who, i„ a wry to ™ address referred to the kindly nualiti ° ot the Den, and to the fatherly o.r, ho had taken of them in the first ye! * of their pmosthood in New Zealand Mr MY. T. .Jennings, M.P., then nre«en ed a Magnificent gold mon l on behalf ~f the congregation. Mr Jennings „„! the duty that the congregation had phced upon him of making the presentatiou to Dean James McKcnna of this moistrance and candelabra was one that «e could not do justice to. Who c0u1,,.. Iwten to those eloquent words of Father Power of the frienclslS from boy ho ,<l up to their holy priesthood of _ Dean J.kenna and himself without being deeply moved? The words of the poet came tilnmu "Those friends thou hast and tlu.r adoption tried, grapple hem tot,., sou with hook Qutsuie, 6£ re!w-there was nothing tint appealed to him, 8 6 much as that

of the unaltering friendship from "boyhood to manhood. In regard to the silver jubilee of the Very Rev. Dean .Tames McKenna and his ministrations during the twenty-live years, that labor in Taranaki bail borne good fruit. By labor and self-denial he bad founded the i school in Powderliam street, where the little ones were, taught; through his zeal the church was now in possession of a fine church building and presbytery, a convent, and the Holland Hall (called after Father Holland, so well, known in connection with his attachment to'the wounded and dying Muring the last Maori war in Taranaki). When Dean McKenna saw distress he asked not the nation or creed of the sufferer, but did his best to give relief. The diaries of the Dean's twenty-five years' priesthood would be of great interest. They would tell of journeys on foot in all kinds of weather, of privations of various kinds in the hinterlands of Taranaki in the days when material prosperity was not so general in the district as it is today. These difficulties were cheerfully undergone for the sake of his saered duty. Mr. Jennings said he personally knew of the Dean's good work away back in the outskirts of Taranaki. The Dean never faltered in carrying out the good work upon which his heart was set. He could say no more; but, on behalf of the congregation of St. .loseph's, he asked Dean McKenna to accept the offering so freely made. He explained that the Dean would not accept any money offering or anything for himself, but preferred something that would be used in the sacred offices of the church. He (Mr. Jennings) had one request to ask of the Dean. It was this: that when he used the sacred present? for the tirst time he begged of him to remember in his prayers those friends and counsellors (whose earthly remains were in Henui cemetery) of his early priesthood days when he first came to Taranaki.

Tho Dean, in a very moving speech, thanked Almighty God for the graces of the past twenty-five years, the Archbishop for the generous encouragement and fatherly affection he had always lavished upon liim, the Vicar-General and the priests present for the honor they had done him; the Misters of the Mission for their unvarying kindness to him for twenty-two years; and .to the several generations of children in the parish; and to the parishioners in general who had been such a comfort and joy to him during his pastorate. He appealed for prayers for those who, after fighting the good fight, had gone from amongst them, and, concluding a touching discourse, he appealed for the prayers of all that, during the coming years, he might be found faithful to the duties of his high and holy calling. The morning celebrations concluded with a grand ' ; Te Deum" for the graces of the past twenty-five years.