Thames
New Zealand Tablet, Rōrahi XXXVI, Putanga 10, 12 Poutūterangi 1908, Page 23
Mō tēnei niupepa
Thames
There was a large gathering of friends at the Convent schoolroom on "Friday evening February 28 (says the ' lhames Advertiser '), when an entertainment was given to the Right Re/. Mgr. O'Rei ly, who had 1 just returned from a visit to Rb.orua and Auckland. The ' schoolroom was si'itatly decorated for the occasion, and the fallowing programme was pleasingly rendered' :— Chorus, ' Welcome,' pumls , pianoforte duet, ' Maritana,' Misses Lowe .' Don't forget Ireland,' pupils ; ' Ad Multos Annos,' Miss M. Moran , ' Many Happy JReturns,' pupils i pianoforte duet, ' Hercules Galop,' Misses 3VI. Moran and L. Lawson ; solo, . The Little Bunch of Shamrock,' Miss J. McPike ; ' Friendship, 1 pupils. An address was read by MEss A. Kelly. The address was as follows :— ' Our hea r ts thr 11 wi^rh pleasure as we assemble here to greet you and offer our congratulations on - the return of the anniversary of your holy ordination. Very many years you have spent in this Part of God's vineyard. Our own dear parents have grown up under your devoted guidance, these walls have oft re-echoed with their greet'ngs on this hippy day, and now it is their great delight to recount to us, their own happy schooldays when the daily visit of their beloved pastor, helped and encouraged them in their work. We thank God for having given you health and strength to accomplish the noble work he has entrusted, to you, and hope He will spare you many years to us ; indeed, dear Monsignor, our earnest prayer 'is that we have the honor of assisting at the celebration of, not only* the golden, but the diamond jubalee of your ordination. Monsignor O'Reilly, in replying, sa."d thai, the meeting came as a ti* surprise to him, and it was therefore a [ l the more acceptable. He expressed his pleasure at seeing so many .familiar faces present, and said that he recognised many whom he hnd' baptised, and whose chdl-. dren he .had baptised. He said that whnn he arrived in ths colony, 56 years ao, he little thought that he would be now stnd'n® and ad'lressi'n? his people after so many years of service. He to^k a retrospective of his life from his baptism up to the present, and said that he had been, sheltered from, many and varied dangers for which he felt exce?dingly .grateful. • In conclusion, he expressed his pleasure at seeing so many Convent pupils present and assisting- who were not members of the Catholic Church. He exhorted them one and all to tafre a deeper interest in their studies and said that he hoped the woitV of the schools would, in future,- be „ attended with even greater success than had' been, accomplished in the past.. ' ii!
