by JEFF DILLON
At the end of the Sunday, 10.30 am, Mass recently at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Dunedin, a special presentation was made by the parish priest Fr Vaughan Leslie.
The recipient, Trish Dillon, was summoned to the sanctuary by Fr Leslie amidst a fanfare on the cathedral organ by choirmaster and organist David Burchell.
A slightly embarrassed Mrs Dillon was then commended for her dedication and continuous service to the St Joseph’s Cathedral choir of just over 30 years from June, 1992, until she retired officially after Easter this year. She was an alto in the choir.
Fr Leslie presented her with a framed certificate which recognised her long involvement, and bestowed on her life membership of the choir.
The message on the certificate reads: “Patricia Dillon is awarded Life Membership of the Cathedral Choir for 30 years of outstanding service to the life of the Cathedral through music. This membership was decreed 9th April 2023 by Most Rev. Michael Dooley DD (Bishop of Dunedin), St Joseph’s Cathedral, Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunedin NZ”
It is then signed by Bishop Dooley and Fr Leslie.
Mrs Dillon is a former primary school teacher who has taught almost exclusively in Catholic schools in the Dunedin diocese, from St Bernadette’s (Forbury, Dunedin) to St Gerard’s (Alexandra), St Thomas’s (Winton), and St Peter Chanel (Green Island, Dunedin). In her last teaching position, she also became the DRS until retiring from teaching.
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