"My dear friends, it is with feelings of deep emotion that I receive the address of welcome and the present which your generosity has offered me to-day. For both I beg to tender to you, and through you, to the people of this parish, my most sincere and cordial thanks. It is true I have spent the last twenty three years of my life amongst you. It was a great happiness to me to work for a people, who always showed a ready willingness to co-operate in the promotion of every good work which I undertook. To this spirit of generous co-operation is mainly due the success of those works. I had fondly hoped, that where I had lived so long and so happily I would have been permitted to end my days. The disappointment of that hope has, I assure you, my dear friends, caused me more genuine grief than any occurrence of my life, and that grief is increased by the reflection that I did so little for the Parish or Ramoan. The gift which you have presented to me I -esteem very highly on account of its intrinsic value and artistic beauty; but much more because it is the gift of the people, whose esteem I value most, and whose welfare beyond that of all ,others shall ever be dear to me. When I wear this chain and cross at the Holy Altar I will not forget you – the donors. I will commend you to the prayers of Saint Patrick and Brigid, and ask those Holy Patrons of our parish and our country to obtain for you the grace to be always true to faith and fatherland To-day I wish to bring back to your recollection, that when I undertook to build your church and its altar, the primary object I had in view was to erect a becoming sanctuary, where our Divine Saviour, in the Sacrament of His love, might deign to dwell in your midst, and to bless you. And, as in my present position, I need much the aid of your holy prayers, I ask you, my dear friends, when you pay your visits to our Lord on the altar, to commend me to the mercy of His Sacred Heart".
