KIHIKIHI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2425, 26 January 1888, Page 3

KIHIKIHI.

3» Ra-dedication of St. John's Roman Catholic Church ()N Sunday umniiiig His Lordship, Luck, assisted by the K-.v Falhois (H.ara, V. A. Luck and Dillon, performed the solemn ceremony of rodedieatmg St. John * Church after the additions ami improvements effected by tho Krv. I'atlicr Luck. The improvement* consist of a new spire and an apse, the latter being furnished with Tun- very handsome stained glass windows. r l re are al>o a new baptistry and sacristy attached, and it was ewing to these additions that the ceremony of dedication was necessary. After milking in procession round tlie. Church, the Bishop, Priests and acolytes entered, followed by the congiogation, when his Lordship again blessed the building in-i'le. High Mass " Coiam Episxopo" was sung l>y Father OGiira assisted by Father Luck a.s Deacon and .Father Dillon as sub deacon. Miss Darby performed the duty of organist very ably, Miss Maggie Darby leading the choir. This lady has a very line soprano voice, which was hoard to perfection in the solo "O Salutari.--. ' The music which was from "Conconi's Ma*-" wa.-, exceedingly well rendered by the choir, who had practised only from'the. Friday previous, and who iire'deserviiiK of the highest commendation for tho proliciency they displayed with such a short practice. The Bishop in full cononicals assisted in the celebration of the Mass, the whole ceremony being most imposing and calculated to make a profound impression on the uiim' 'f everyone present, lor Ins text his Idi Jn.,.,i I iok, "Surely this is the house of God ■• I toe. g->te of heaven." In the course*.. .iis sermon the. Bishop impressed upon liia hsarers the necessity of a frequent attendance at God's house for divine worship. The most solemn associations were connected with it. It was here the children received the sacraments of baptism first, and afterwards that of continuation, lleie the young people wore joined by the priest in holy matrimony ; ami here the congregation came to confess their sins before God, express their penitence, and receive His pardon, as expressed to all who are penitent by His minister. It was the duty of every Catholic to attend regularly the services of the, Church, which was the "House of (,od, and the gat-, of heaven." Ihe preacher alluded to the spread of Christianity and the prosperity of the Catholic Church throughout the world, and expressed the hope that tho time was not far distant when Catholics would ha\e their own schools, whore the. children would be instructed not merely in secular matters, but in the principles of piety also In country places like Kihikihi thin could n»t bo the case for suiiie time, but as the congregation increased it would come, and he looked forward to the time when the Catholic children would possess the inestimable advantages of receiving religious instruction in their own schools. In the evening the bishop preached aeain. In the Benediction servicu l'ather O'Gara accompanied on the violin, ho and Miss Ma«"io Darby giving a very excellent rendering of "O Salutaris." In re-sponse--to an appeal from the bishop tho collections taken at both services amounted to no less a sum than £20 11s, which, with what has been already contributed, clears tho Church of debt, a fact which is extremely satisfactory not only to Father Luck, whose skill, taste and energy have been tho means of beautifying it, but to the congregation who so cheerfully assisted him with funds. The epire, which is a, conspicuous landmark, was designed by the rev. gentleman, and it stands a monument of his skill and taste ; the smallest detail has been well designed and executed, and is in perfect harmony with the whole. Our attention has been paid to beautifying the interior, which was done under Father Luck's supervision, and from his plans and designs. One need only look around the Church grounds to see everywhere evidences of his taste. What is he ? would not be the most appropriate question t> ask, but what is ho not '! He designed the spire, drew tin; plans and supervised lU erection. He did all the turning of the wood-work, all tho tracery and fret work. He is equally at home with the lathe as with a kit of carpenter's tools ; is an artist, mechanical engineer, surveyor, architect, and we know not, what besides. All these talents have been at various tnVes cheerfully exercised for tho beautifying and improving, not only of his own particular Church hero, but in any Catholic Cmirch whore ho could be of service. }\ hen the magnificent organ of St. Benedict s came out from Home a [>i\v years ago his services were called into requisition to build it. ihe floral decorations in the Church on .Sunday wpre very tasteful, and the ladies who executed them wore warmly congratulated by Father Luck on their taste. During the service Mr I/i Prollo- and Mr I'arrell went to the fro.it of the altar rails when Uio f'rnier gentleman read the following address to the Li.slx.p :- "To His Lordship, the Right Reverend John Edmund Luck O.S 13., Bishop of Auckland :-My Lord, it is with filial love and a heartfelt sense of pleasure that we welcome your Lordship to kihikihi and offer our affectionate greetings to our well beloved bishop and father. We, as loyal children of the church reoogm-e m our bishop •i lovin" and assiduous shepherd ot Inflock, a zealous promoter nnd cu-todian of the faith, a linn upholder of truth and a faithful dispenser of the Ministry conhdrd by God Himself to your care. We also venture to congratulate your Lordship, on the irian ; fe-t well being and increment ol the diocese during the period of your episcopate, evident in the building of a new cathedral ■ind many other churches throughout tho diocese, 'evident in the successful founding of Catholic schools, necessary in the good cause of Catholic education, evident in th? introduction of religious orders, evident ia tho now flourishing-Maori mis-ions a wor,; preeminently dear to your Lordship, anil evident m the union and concord of a pious and edifying clergy. We hope also to bring some consolation to your heart by the improvements effected in this mission in the weal of religion by the remodelling and beautifying of tho Church and the building of the Presbytery. We may add that these improvements are duo solely to the indctatigable zeal energy and bard work of our beloved and esteemed priest, the Rev. b. A. Luck, who might truly say in the words of the lValmist, "I have loved 0 Lord the beauty ..f Thy I [..use." We earnestly pray that God may spare him to labour among us for many years. And now we pstitio:: your L»rdship that in imitation of that glorious and Holy Patriarch, St. Benedict, of whose order you are an illustrious member, who fourteen hundred years ago erected on the mount of Curinn a temple in honour of St. John, tho Baptist, so now you also bo pleased to dedicate this Church (which is served by tins children of St. Benedict) to tho great precursor of whom was written "among those that are born of women there is not a greater." In conclusion we pray God to preserve, our beloved Bishop, in our midst for many years to come, and we beg your blessing en us and ours. Signed, on behalf of tho district, Jambs Fahrki.l, J. Lα riiKrxK, Patrick Coyle, J. H. Lyons and E. J. Fauhkll. His Lordship, in replying to the address, expressed his deep sense of pleasure at receiving such a warm and loving welcome from the Catholics of the district. He congratulated them warmly upon possessing such a vory beautiful Church, which, though not the largest in tho diocese, yet in the perfection of its appointments was tho best, and they could congratulate themHclvps on having tho most perfect little gem in tho diocese This was due to the indetatigablo zeal of their good priest, whom the Bishop eulogised for his exertions in the cause of religion. He did not speak in tlioso high terms of their priest because he was the speaker's brother, but from the fast that, apart from the faternal love he bore towards him, lie thoroughly ■xlmired his self-sacrificing devotion to the Church of God, and the exercise of tho talents which God had bestowed upon him in beautifying and adorning His house. In conclusion, His Lordship expreiiscd tho hope that by the blessing of God the priest and congregation would long bo spared to each other.