OPENING OF NEW CHURCH AT PLEASANT POINT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1897, 28 May 1889, Page 3

OPENING OF NEW CHURCH AT PLEASANT POINT.

The Right Rev. Dr Grimes, Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch, accompanied by the Kev, Father Aubrey (his chaplain), arrived in Temuka by the express train from north on Saturday, for the purpose of consecrating and formally opening the newly-erected Roman Citholic Churoh at Pleasant Point, and was greeted with a hearty "welcome by tba pealing of the bells of St. Joseph's Church. Before touching.upon.anything bearing directly upon th» new church a brief review of the Rev. Father Jauvel's labors since his arrival'a the parish, and it* marvellous BdvanceDQßnt under his charge, may prove interesting to our readers, more especially a* the rev. gentleman has endeared himself to all with whom he has come, in contact. When the rev. gentleman took charge of the parish of Temuka (which then includsd Geraldine), he found the Church property of a very scanty nature. It consisted in Temuka of the buildings which now form the school ;»nd conveDt, except that two rooms have since been added to the convent. The Rav. Father Fauvel—as His Lordihip said at the opening ceremony oa Sunday —had a passion for the beauty of the house, of God, and, being imbued with the energy so characteiistic in the Order to which he belongs—and which has stamped the Marists with being the fouDdors of the Church in the colonies—he eagerly awaited a favorable opportunity to erect a more fitting place of worship. In 18791;, when the Rev. Father Henneberry l was preaching a mission in Temuka, ihe Rev. Father Fauvel deemed the opportunity had arrived, and subscription lists were opened. SI ortly afterwards a Btart was made, and the present handsome and commodious church was erected. It ia needless to say more of the chircb, ssve that its value is estimated at over £BOOO. The next step was the erection of the presbytery, its value being £ISOO. The rev gentlßmun considered the parish still incomplete without religious education for the young, and his next endeavors were to establish a community of the Sißters of St. Joseph in Temuka, which object, after considerable difficulty, he accomplished, and shortly afterwards built a convent and school in Kerryuwn. Toe Catholic Church at Geraldine was also built by him, and now he has completed the erection of the church at Pleasant Point. Thus it will be seen that Father Fauvel has done what probably no one else could have done. The property of the Church in the parish is now worth considerably over £IO,OOO. When the rev. gentleman took charge it was not worth as many hundreds. Wo believe I'the rev. gentleman ha§ spent between £2OOO and £3OOO out of his private Cleans on the parish. The church at Pleasant Point stands on a block of land 1£ acres in extent (the gift of Mr Jas. Sullivan), and is a faithful imitatibii of SW Joseph's Church, Temuka, save the tower and spire, which, will be added at some future time. It is built in brick, on concrete foundations, in the style known as Perpendicular Gothic, the; dimensions being length, 60ft ; Width, 30fl. The walls are supported by seven buttresses on euch side, the height from floor line to spring of roof being 15ft. 'There are six lancet windows (Bft x 2ft) on '*cach side, and a triple one at the south -; end. The front gable is ornamented with two lancet windows, and. a large rose Window 6ft in diameter." The windows ;ar® of Cathedral glass, with lead framings, the marginals being of green, blue, ambar, and ruby. The front door is of th& 'Gothic-headed type, surmouoted by moulded archivolts, which rant on curved bossee. As on St. Joseph's Church, there •are'-four pinnacles (ornamental) with .'finiajs'i' The roof, which is an open one, is Of specially chosen rimu, varnished. The: wall posts of the roof rest on Gothicmoulded trusses, and over all the internal openioga are moulded archivolts and carved Gothic foliated bosses. The interior is plastered, while externally the walls are finished with cement composition. There are two vestries, similar to those of Temuka, and the Communion rails are of cast iron, the sanctuary being beautifully carpeted and cocoanut matting laid along the passages. The main altar, which ia of wood, and from a ttodeUupplied by the Rev. Father Fauvel, presents a very neat appearance, and is a faithful imitation of marble, with borders of golden leaves the vvork of the Sistew 6f St; Joseph. It is ornameeted with gold-worked lace, and beautiful artificial .flowers (lilies, roses, etc.) also made by the,Sisters. On the left side ia a email ; altar> which is surmounted by costly iace worJc and on which Btanda a etuiue of the Madonnß,'to whom the Church has been 'dedicated. The church is estimated to - seat 400 comfortably, and on tho whole it /presents, ■ a very neat appearance. The / -Building Committee inay be congratulated \ <upon tho fcuccess which they achieved, J and Meserß Geaney and O'Driscoll de-

servo special praise for the indefatigable efforts tb?y put forth in bringing about ti.e great success. The architect for the church was Mr M. de Jbl. Duval (the designs being nupplied by Father Fauvel) ; the coutractor, Mr Jftf>* Duianey, and the sub-contractors: for brick and p'aster >vo:k Mr E. Hall; and piumbing and pointer's work Mr Hsaley ; all of who«n are deserving of great praise. It may be mentioned that Father Fauvel spent much or his time at the works. The cost of the building, exclusive of ortiige of materials (which whs done by tho parishioners) was about £750. '-Che amount raised on Sunday was £BO, and the debt on the church now amounts to barsly £3OO. About twenly yards to the south-west of the church the Rev. Father Fauvel has had erected at his own sxpense i a two-roomed cottHge (14ft x 12ft and 12ft x 10ft), wherein, he will stay while visiting Pleasant Point for the purpose of holding asrvicea, etc. On Sunday last the Eight Rev. Dr Grimes celebrated Mass in St. Joseph's Church, Temuka, at half-past seven a.m., and at about half-pant nine wos driven by Mr P. Waremg to Pleasant Point, where grent preparations had been made for his visit. The day was dull, and bitterly cold, which no doubt hnd the effect of keeping many away. As it was, the charch was comfortably filled. At 11 o'clock the assemblage gatlwed at the main entrance, and, all the doors being opened, the procession, consisting of His Lordship (dressed in Cappa Magna), Fathers Aubrey (the Bishop's chaplain), Fauvel, and Foloy, and three acolytes, came out of the church through the inaia eutrance, and, standing in front of the building, read the prayers prescribed by the Church, and, after blessing it, the procession marched round

the Church, aud entering by the maiu door proceeded to the altar, which was next blensed. The ceremony being over, His Lordship was conducted to « throne, which had been prepared for him. The Rev. Father Aubrey who recently arrived from Home—then ascended the altar, and, in grand voice, ehanted Mass, The rev. gentleman undoubtedly has do superior as a vocalist in the priesthood of the coioDy. After tbo Gospel had been Bung, His Lordship left the throne and i approached the rails. Prior to corvmeucing his sermon Dr Grimes made a touching reference to the death of Madame Sullivan (Sasred Heart Convent, Timaru), and lo the loss'sustained by the parish as regards education, appealing to all to pray for her. Hia Lordship took for his text: " And I saw a new heaven and a earth. I For the first heaven and the firpt earth j were gone, and the sea is now no more. I And I, John, saw the Holy City, the maw Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared -as a brida .nlorned for her husband. And 1 heard a great voice from the throne, saying : Behold the tabernacle with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will he His people, and God Himself with them shall bo their God." (Book of the Apocalypse, xxi., 1,2, and 3). His Lordship preasbed aj most eloquent sermon, in the coursa of itj passing a high tribute to the Kev. Father Fauvol', pastor of the parish, for his unlimited zeal, with much emphasis eulogising the r<sv. gentleman's passion for the beauty of the House of God, and spending all hia means oo beautifying it. He also praised the peopb of Pleasant Point for the be-vutffiJ] church they had erected, and for the generous manner in which all had contributed to the work, remarking that they had a reason to " rejoice and be glad." His Lordship said they could make their church still more beautiful, and God would reward them for ifc. The Temuka choir (under the charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph) contributed greatly to the success of the day, and Mr M. de H. Duval kindly render&d several of the solos in the Mass. Miss Gaffaney presided at the organ, which was kindly placed at the disposal of the choir by Messrs Begg and Co., of Timaru. The items rendered were:—Before Maes: " Laudate Mariam" "Eyrie" and "G'oria," Est'a Mass ; "Credo," " Sanctus," "Agnus Dei," Winter's Mass; offertory, " 0 Maria ; " after Maes : ' " May Carol." After the ceremony wa« over Dr Grimes, Hccompanied by Fathers Aubrey and Foley, proceeded to Timaru, where he preached on the feast of the day (B 1 essed Virgin's) in the evening.