PALMERSTON NORTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 2, 9 January 1902, Page 4

PALMERSTON NORTH.

(From our own correspondent.) December 29, The opening and blessing of the new church at Ashurst took place on Sunday, the 22nd inst. His Grace Archbishop Redwood, assisted by the Rev. Father Tymons, of St. Patrick's, Palmerston, performed the ceremony, and dedioated the church to St. Columba. Being a perfect summer day large crowds assembled from all round the district, the Palmerston Catholic public being particularly numerous. St. Patrick's choir journeyed out in full force, and rendered ' Farmer's Mass in B in their best style, the soprano and alto solos being taken by Misses L. Brophy and Scanlon respectively, and the tenor and bass by Messrs V. A, Dallow and D. Roach, the organ being faultlessly played by Mr Percy Tombs. At the close of the Mass his Grace Archbishop Redwood, after a few introductory remarks as to his surprise at finding so beautiful a church so perfect in acoustic properties and ventilation in every way, and congratulating the architect and congregation in erecting such a perfect tabernacle for the honor and glory of God, then proceeded with an eloquent discourse on the duty of prayer and praise we owe to the Almighty. His Grace dwelt particularly on the duties of parents in seeing that their children were sent to Catholic schools. A collection was then taken up, when the handsome sum of £50 waß received.

In the evening his Grace preached at St. Patrick's, Palmerston North, to a crowded congregation. At St. Patrick's Church the festival of Christmas was ushered in by the celebration of Midnight Mass, which was said by the Rev. Father Tymons, when there was a very large congregation. The choir rendered Mozart's Eleventh Mass. Prior to the Mass Ross's 1 Tantum Ergo ' was sung by Messrs V. A. Dallow (tenor) and D. Roach (baas) in their beet style. Mr T. Rodgers also sang the ' Star of Bethlehem ' very effectively. At the end of the Mass the Rev. Father Tymons very kindly entertained the choir at the presbytery, where the season's greetings were exchanged.