Enlarging St Patrick’s Church.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 96, 15 January 1901, Page 3

Enlarging St Patrick’s Church.

MEETING OF PARISHIONERS

The Roman Catholic Schoolroom was well filled on Sunday morning, the object of the meeting being to discuss the question of enlarging the Church, which has become far too small for the number of worshippers.

Father Reynault presided and expressed his pleasure at the large attendance. especially the number of lad:o-:, showing the interest they took in Church work. It had been noticed for the past few years that the Church was becoming inconveniently email,. More accommodation was absolutely necessarp to enable the Catholic community to worship God in comfort, for often, at present, many were compelled to hear mass from outside Hie Church, all the seats being occupied. The church was built .twenty-four years ago, by the Rev. Father Gontenoire. Some short time ago the speaker came across the presentation addresses made to Archbishop Redwood when he came to open the church, and this showed that the parish included only about a dozen families, who must have contributed well to erect such a building. -- When he came, eleven years ago, the congregation was just large enough for the church. Their families had increased since; and the young people had still preserved their ’faith and , attended every _ Sunday, making the accommodation less sufficient. Again, large estates-had been opened up and had brought a large number of Catholics to the parish. Some time ago ho was thinking of the necessity of enlargement, and he had instructed an architect to prepare a plan of an addition at a small cost. Where the-sanctuary now stood they could put up a transept of the same tatfieridl as the present church, arid

ting would” accommodate ..the,, so.ma number as the present building, thus Mving double tho present space. The sanctuary woi-itl ba enlarged ten fset» •and then . tb-ro word. 3bo two side chapels whom could be celobraled. A? tliftir present sacristy was too small, they would then have two, one for idle priest" and the otner for the choir boy- The chmah would thus be crui'i. .10; m simpo, somewhat similar to tuii.ii oi Unuarn, but larger. The cost would he' £423, which wag, of course, underestimated. It would cost i'soo, innl odd: g into account dr.aisles and repairs to tho o;d building, it would cost £OOO. Tlio question was now how to meet the cost. Thanks to the good work dene by the nazeac and those who patronised it, very nearly £-100 bad been nosed, and the An Union to be drawn on March 17th. was ckiv'cii'd to icing in £IOO n.or-', bo that SIT) w.w yd, to bo found. He wished linen tr cm-id r well this plan. When'!:<• cnbmiti-M it to His Lordship th- !h lingo. Hi T U thing he ueiil w l:-

“ You arc'g 'i- 1 - ;; - ; b TdOO which, in twonty-i". c veart. v. i i be no good to the eommtmr.v. Why not put in brick or stone a doit wins and save the congregation imur.; expense? ihieotiid then u- used as the nucleus of a n-w church when the -amoil *n building d. cayod, and a e.lnn would be erected which would la,it for generations ” Tim cpeaV.v’s objection was that the budding would not look very well “ Well,” said T lis Lordship “if you thought so afterwards tho wooden p u'tion could be taken down and a lothcr addition built.” The reverend speaker thought that then po »pie. although not burdened ns in manv other parishes, had contributed web lately, end a; a n -w church would have to he hai ; t at Makhuhi. where th people could not he longer kept waiting, it would bo better to put rp thadditions now, and tin ppcolo of the nun re would have, to put up a new' chinch of thi'ir own. As tho country wiii liuvo '/re-',: 1-■ vi M-c' 1 ;n thirty tr.-,, ilicy iv-mid bo able tu put. up ; fv:;i v. !,;-■!■ would. !>> c. credit In th en and ihe dinrict for future age.'. Ill' Lordship end.i not son eye to eye witii this, and he e-do-d the Speaker to nivo :re a plan according to his, the Bi.-.hoo’s, views and .submit it to the neon! /. Tin iv w-s a gra.il deal to be said in favour ol IT. is Lordship’s plan. If they were to build a large.; transept to ttie present building it would be tho beginning of th“ church required in the future and would not need renewal. Mr Pater, the .Dunedin architect, had, at his r‘quest. forwarded plans of the North East Valley Church, Dunedin, and of Lawrence Church. The first was too small. That of Lawrence whs a beautiful laic!; church iviih stone facing.i. tho cost, with date roof, stone altar and statue niches, stained glass windows in the sanctuary, copper

■-mbv, b.-il and belfrey, was ,£19(12, in ISSi), Tim rough plan for Waiiuate was hardly so huge, olthough the mncMiiirv was larger. Finished with «»iboss-il zinc, and lo seat 600 people, it would cost .-£'2,1)20. If only the sacristy , nuns’ chapel and sanctuary were built too cost would bo hi.ooo. There was another plan which the people of the congregation had been discussing amongst themselves, and Licit was to k-‘-p the present ctmrch torn Hibernian Ha.ll. which they must havo soon, and build a now church altogether. This would cost, about ,00.000. Tho matter was now before tin- p-iri-dimmrs for di e-muon. After a few qu..jiions had been ask >d,

Mi 1 Fow TFmn.T on. moved shut, the additions be built in wood. The parish o mbl in hi ter years discuss further tml'irg'rineius. The motion was seconded hv Mr F. London, who sod he approved of tins plan, the AbiVkilii p-'ople wanted a church. a>*d w'-ihmo lift I one, -sod th > ■ f dir ns b nil ding would fall on the W-ilm i' pwde. The prose,it clmvii *v. m 1 lasted years yet. •>,/.. V;‘i hi .•>!;'( (.h.hin thought tiie IT d o-ha id ■ i •!)■■ best. They should mik-'O - o 1 : ■: h i< while they were about, it. *n i h- , e mid mat get timber now that "• bite unit in the p 'er e. it bn:L i\lv J. o\h;.'■ 'Ci* proposed as an amendment: ’ 1 mit. rue building bo nut no iu brick " The wooden huiM-i-.g Mi'ght, b cT-m-v. and h-'-* trou’d >, b ;f. if they n> s »•< t.i:’ r . they could tint tin !' 1 .0 in ■' i.uwm.H.ml a ■ rupture. ' ‘ Mr'Twrmmv had, much pleasure in .supporting the amendment. The question of wove and means was brought an. ami :1m ehainmn said it would have to F md- d V subscriptions-, They c-»u!-.i m-,;- have a bazaar for some time .ag.’u i. ’Tn would prefer to have the in-a-g building, but was quite willing t i amde by tiro feeling of the meeting. The amendment was put, fourteen voting for it. Father UegnanH explained that if built on the sami-. proportions as the present church tlv bred; bunding could in. nut :.n t-.-.r FI id ’O. hut it wouid not thou bo in properties i Lu” the larger church to ha hmh ;.n *• on. The cost

quoted .would in-: tide ■'a elaborate coiling of embo-s ■: zinc, which could bn dispensed with and .could farther reduce the cost.

The motion was p.n and carried, 49 voting for it. Father Regr.au!i; said he would have the motion submitted r.o his Lordship. He, himself, was only second in command, and if the Bi-drop chose to override tile motion theymust not be.suvprised. They would just have to go to work and do the best they conld. He was pleased to see such a large interest taken in church matters. This reconciled him to the u orries incidental to the charge of such a large parish. He then intimated that they were shortly losing Sister Isabel from the convent. She had done a great deal in the school and in tire parish work, and sire would not easily be replaced. - , Mrs Reid expressed the deep regret of the ladies of the church and the children at the loss of Sister Isaoel, and their appreciation of her self-sacri-ficing work, often carried on wlreh she should have been resting.

Mr F. Lundon proposed. Mr Baftoa seconded, and it was carried unanimously, that a Hearty vote of thanks be passed to - Sister [sabsl for her great assistance in.the-parish, and the meeting express deep regret at het leaving. The meeting ended with the usual Vdte df