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Father Jean
Forest sm 1 November 1804—28 September 1884
Last Thursday was the anniversary of
death of Father Jean Forest sm, a French Marist who
established the Parish of St Patrick’s in Napier and was
Parish Priest from 1859 until 1884.
Father Forest sm came to Hawkes Bay in
1859 and was assisting Father Euloge Reignier sm at
Meeanee. A small Catholic community had begun to develop
in Napier. On the hill a Catholic complex gradually took
shape. The first Church had been blessed by Father
Reignier sm on 6 March 1859 and was dedicated to Mary,
the mother of God. This Church was on the corner of
Shakespeare Road and Chapel Road (France Road). In
October 1859 Father Reignier sm handed over the Napier
Parish to Father Forest sm and he worked tirelessly for
the next 25 years in the Parish until his death in 1884.
Father Forest sm was a familiar figure in
Napier, usually wearing soutane and biretta. He proved a
frugal capable administrator, with a good eye for
timber, and a Gallic care for pennies that provided for
the developing parish needs.
There is a stone with his name engraved
on it in front of the present St Patrick’s Church He is
buried in the Napier Hill Cemetery.
Parish
Administration and Mission Centre
We are rapidly closing in on the
completion of our new Parish Administration and Mission
Centre. During the past week work has continued inside
the building with the joinery and plumbing contractors
at work. This will continue next week along with the
electrical trade. The curved windows for the vaulted
roof should be delivered late next week.
The Finance Committee are very grateful
to those who have made a donation to our fundraising.
However, we are still well short of our fundraising goal
of $1,000,000. Please consider what each of us can do to
ensure our beautiful new building is debt free on
completion.
Catholic
Parish of Napier Fundraising: 02-0630-0288045-015
All donations are tax deductible and will be recorded in
your planned giving receipt at the end of the tax year.
If you are not a planned giver a receipt will be issued
for your contributions.
Father Barry Scannell sm
Parish Priest
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