The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-06-29
FAREWELL RECEPTION
To Rev. Philip Hickey, Assistant
Pastor of the Church of
the Ascension.
His Legion of Friends Extend
Best Wishes to Him on Last
Sunday Evening.


Into their spacious hall, their minds
being absorbed in the one thought,
how they could best honor the guest
OF the evening, Father Hickey and
| show their appreciation of the sterling
qualities of mind and heart which
in a comparatively short time had en-
ing musical and literary program had
been arranged before hand, and when
the appointed time had arrived Father
Hickey was surprised by being inform
| ed that his legion of friends requested
his presence in the parish hall. Mr..
| George Murray in faultless fashion,
acted as chairman, and the evening S
entertainment was opened by violin
and piano selection by Masters Har-
old Gearty and Vincent Webster. Miss
Mae Lane gave much appreciated
exhibition of her Evolutionary talent
| whilst Mrs. Flanagan and Miss L.
Pomerleau delighted the audience
| with some vocal selections. A sub
| stantial purse of gold had been sub
scribed by the parish societies, and
to Mr.. M. j. Gill was entrusted
the pleasing duty of making the adj
dress of presentation.
| We are here this evening, remarked
| the speaker, to honor one with whom
we are soon to part and whom we
| have respected and loved almost from
his first appearance amongst us.
Father Hickey, it Is true, has not been
with us as long as we should have
desired. Others in this city have been
| more fortunate than we in having
him with them for much longer
time. His magnetic influence was,
however, soon felt on his coming
amongst us, and day by day as we
had an opportunity to know him bet
ter we learned to love and appreciate
him more. He is now about to leave
us. We sincerely deplore his loss. We
should very much desire to retain
him even at the expense Of his FORE
going the promotion with which our
great archbishop is pleased to reward
his labors. He carries with him the
love and the esteem of every member
Of the Ascension parish. Whilst we
somewhat reluctantly give him up to
others we assure him of our kindest
good wishes for his future happiness
and success. AS we bid him goodbye
tonight healing balm is offered us
in the knowledge that the distance
between us and his new field of Ia
hor is such as to inspire us with the
hope that we shall see him from time
to time. In behalf of the societies
of the parish I present to him this
purse of gold hoping that it may be
of some use to him. and as l hand 1t
to him 1 assure him that neither dis
lance of territory or the ravages of
time shall be ever able to cause his
memory to grow less green amongst
us than is the material from which
this purse has been constructed.
Father Hickey replied in his usual
| inimitable style. An ovation was
awarded him which re-echoed for
several minutes. "As 1 stand here
before you tonight" said he, II have
some difficulty in deciding whether
am addressing an audience of the peo-
pie of the Ascension or st. Anthony
| parish. AS I glance through this
crowded hall meet the gaze of very,
very many of my dear friends from
ST. Anthony. 1t is a very great pleas
ure to me to see them here, but their
| presence is a little embarrassing to
| me. I am a little afraid to tell the
| people of the Ascension how dear
they have become to me lest the peo-
pie of st. Anthony, amongst whom l
labored for several years and whom
interpret my words as an acknowl-
| edgment that had begun to forget
| them and their extreme kindness to
me. The people of the Ascension and
the people of st. Anthony have en-
! deared themselves to me by the re-
spect, the love, and the unbounded
generosity that they have always
shown me. sincerely thank the peo
pie of the Ascension parish for this
unusual and indeed unmerited honor
which they have shown me tonight.
My time amongst them was but of
brief duration, but it was sufficiently
long to convince me that the people
of the Ascension are truly worthy of
the enviable reputation which they
are so fortunate to possess, not only
within the confines of this great arch
diocese but throughout the length
and breadth of this great republic.
My leaving you and my appointment
I, to a parish as pastor is looked upon