A NEW CHURCH AT THE CAVE

New Zealand Tablet, 25 May 1911, Page 963

A NEW CHURCH AT THE CAVE

(From our Timaru correspondent.) On Sunday afternoon, 21st inst., the foundation stone of a church at the Cave was laid why his Lordship Bishop Grimes, in the presence of over four hundred people. Among those present were Rev. Fathers Tubman and Smyth (Timaru), Fay (Temuka), and Hyland (Rangiora). The Rev. Father Le Petit, the zealous and popular pastor, whose flock is scattered over the vast district extending from a few miles south of the Cave to Burkes Pass and the back hills, has been in charge of this extensive territory for the past eight years. When he took charge he had one handsome church at Fairlie. Since then • he has erected a beautiful church at Albury, and some time ago, owing to the rapid increase in his congregation at the Cave, he took time by the forelock and secured a splendid site for a church, on the south side of the township and about three hundred yards from the railway station. More recently he made a personal appeal for funds to commence building, and so liberal was the response that with the approval of his Lordship Bishop Grimes and the assured hearty co-operation of the congregation, he called for plans, and Sunday's ceremony was the outconie. Style and Dimensions. The plans, designed by the Christchurch architects, Messrs. S. and A. Luttrell, promise a handsome building in the old English style, built of limestone, with a rockfaced\ rubble outside, and cross buttresses at the angles, two supporting the walls of the nave, and two behind the sanctuary. Three oval headed lead lights will pierce the walls at each side of the nave, two behind the choir, and one on each side of the porch. 'A quadrifoil window will show immediately behind the altar. The nave is specified as 30 feet long by 20 feet wide, the sanctuary 13 feet long by 15 feet wide, and the porch 10 feet by 10 feet, so that from the entrance door to the sanctuary wall the total length will be 53 feet. A sacristy, 8 feet by 10 feet, abuts from the choir on the south side. The height from concrete foundation to ridging will be about 30 feet. The specifications prescribe plastered inside walls, open principle roof and woodwork finished with . rimu and varnished, and roof of iron. Mr. W. Walker is the contractor for the stone work. It may be mentioned that • Mr. Walker presented his Lordship with the suitably inscribed silver trowel which was used yesterday. Mr. T. Foden, Fairlie, is the l con-

tractor for the woodwork. - ; The approximate -cost of the; building is estimated at £650, and given good weather' the 'Contractors hope to have it ready for the opening in about four months’ time. 7$ N - .. - - The Ceremony. At 3 o’clock the grounds presented an animated appearance. For the previous - ; half-hour the numbers were being gradually augmented by the arrival of -'pedestrians, "riders, and drivers in every sort of vehicle. The weather was most suitable for the occasion, being bright and surprisingly warm in the winter’s, sun. A roofed platform had been erected close to the foundations, and to this his Lordship was conducted by the Rev. Father Le Petit. Here he was received by a deputation of the parishioners, headed by Mr. W. Barry, who read the following address; ‘ Your Lordship, —We the Catholics of this part of the extensive parish of Fairlie, extend to your Lordship a most cordial s welcome on this most auspicious occasion. It affords us no small amount of pleasure to extend to you an invitation to lay the foundation stone of yet another church in our flourishing district, a proof that our holy Faith is making rapid progress in our midst, and that its many .divine consolations are being sincerely appreciated by its numerous adherents. During the years of your fruitful episcopal ministration you have seen the mustard seed of the Gospel grow and expand in our midst. We are glad to say that this progress is due in no small measure to the energy of our zealous and devoted pastor. Rev. Father Le Petit, and the practical sympathy shown to us oh. all occasions: by our fellow-men of other denominations. In’; the near future we hope to have the pleasure of another visit from your Lordship, to dedicate to the service of the Almighty this beautiful church, the foundation stone of which you blessed to-day. Whilst thanking your Lordship for the many proofs of zeal which you have shown in our, spiritual interests during the quarter of a century that it has pleased God to allow you to rule over us, we earnestly pray that you may be granted length of days to bring the great work of your episcopacy, the Catholic Cathedral, to a successful issue, and that in the near future, untrammelled by debt, you may be able to realise the joy of your heart, its consecration to the service of the Almighty. Begging your blessing, we have pleasure in signing ourselves your obedient children. —William Barry, Michael Goughian, Patrick O’Connor.’ .V His Lordship’s Reply. i- His Lordship, on receiving the address, replied as follows — ‘l thank you most sincerely for most cordially welcoming me in your midst, and for the expressions of goodwill you have used in this beautiful address, which has been prompted by a spirit of, faith and gratitude. _ Like yourselves I rejoice to be amongst you on this auspicious occasion to lay the foundation stone of the third church which it has been my privilege to place in this parish. Twenty-two years ago I came here before there was any presbytery in'Fairlie, with the predecessor of the present zealous rector of Timaru, to lay the foundation stone of the church in Fairlie. Wc came to Albury the same evening, stayed the night there, celebrating Mass the next morning. • There was no thought of a church here. Eighteen months ago your devoted pastor told me it was your wish and his to erect a temple to the Most High here, and I readily gave my blessing to the undertaking. 1 thank you for your good wishes, which are so many earnest prayers that God may spare;,me not only ,soas to fuller the duties of my office, but so that I may have the consolation of seeing the splendid Cathedral in Christchurch free from debt. It would not, however, be gracious for me to speak to you of this liability now. * His Lordship then delivered an impressive discourse from the following text; — ‘Behold I will lay a stone in the foundations of Zion. A tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone founded in the _ foundation ’ " (Isaias, xxviii., 16). In concluding he said: —‘1 must ask you to contribute according to your means to-day. May it be necessary to say, as we are told in Scripture, that it had once been said at a collection for the temple, Enough, ; His Lordship, assisted by the Rev. Fathers Le Petit and Hyland, then laid the foundation stone. _ In the stone, which is a handsome one presented and inscribed by Mr. S. Mcßride, of Timaru, were inserted hermetically sealed copies of the local papers, N.X. Tablet, coins of the realm, and a parchment inscribed with the names of the present King, Pope, and Bishop of the diocese. 5 In the meantime the collectors were busy, and at the conclusion, before pronouncing the solemn blessing, his Lordship announced that the amount gathered had reached the splendid total of £BO. He thanked most sincerely on behalf of the devoted parish priest and himself, all who had contributed, particularly their non-Catholic friends, who had always been .most generous in their help. This amount, with the-: £2OO already collected by the Rev. Father Le Petit, makes a respectable sum; in hand for the f Special mention must be made of Messrs. W. Barry, M. Goughian, and J. O’Connor, j. for the J self-sacrificing assistance they have given towards bringing matters' to their present position. v , The Rev. Fathers Tubman and Smyth- (Timaru) -and Rev. ‘Father Fay (Temuka), also assisted during the afternoon.