Solemnities at Hastings

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIII, Issue 40, 7 December 1905, Page 4

Solemnities at Hastings

(From an occasional correspondent.) The Church of the Sacred Heart, Hastings, was the scene of a most impressive ceremony on Sunday, November 26, when an ordination was held by his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Redwood. Archbishop of Wellington, at which the Revs. J. Barra, B. Gondrmger, and P. J. Smyth (nephew of Dean Smyth) were raised to the priesthood, and Revs. R. Quinn and D. Hurley received subdeaconship. Shortly after 10 o'clock a procession left. the piesbytcry for the church in the following order :— crossbearer, acolytes, sanctuary boys, clergy, candidates for ordination, and his Grace the Archbishop, attended by his chaplains for the occasion, the Yen. Archdeacon Devoy and Very Rev. Dr. Kennedy, Superior of the Seminary at Meanee. Besides the local clergy, there were also present in the sanctuaiy Very Rev. Father Keogh (St. Patrick's College), , Very Rev. Dean Bmsfeld (Napier), and Rev. Father Lezer (Meanee). As the procession entered the church, the choir intoned the ' Ecce Sacerdos Magnus.' In the sanctuary a beautiful throne had been erected. When on the throne his Grace was presented with an address of welcome, which was in album form and beautifully illuminated. His Worship the Mayor of Hastings, Mr. W. Y. Dennett, \ery feelingly read the address, as follows ■ — ' May it please your Grace, — We the clergy and parishioners of Hastings, gladly avail ouisehes of the present occasion to cxpiess our joy and thankfulness at seeing your 'Grace once again in our midst, and to reecho the words of whoicsoul welcome which gieeted you in Wellington, on your return from the Internal City, whither you had gone to gi\c an account ot youi stewardship to the Vicar of Chnst and to receive from our Holy Father's lips words of appiobation and encouragement, in the gieat work entrusted to youi pateinal care as head ot the Catholic Chinch in New Zealand. At all times your Grace has manifested a fatherly kindness to Hastings, but on tins present occasion you ha\e bestowed on us a special lavoi, not only by coming to administer the Saciament of Confirmation to our children and to speak to them and to us woids of advice and holy unction, but by deigning to hold an ordination in this church, of winch v.c are justly pioud, thus affording us the great privilege oi witnessing so impressive a ceremony Though -\\ c know this fa\orhas been especially granted us, through y our regaid i or our devoted pastor, nevertheless we feel it as done to ourselves, and therefoie with one heai t and one \oicc, we unite with him m tendering your Giaco out deepest and most smiere thanks In icUiin for such kindness, w e have only to renew oui promise-, of fidelity to Holy Church and of our leailmess to assist in ail things lelating to the glory of God and the advancement of oui holy religion In conclusion, we piay that God nuv spare your Giace for many yeai s to come 1 , to advise and guide and encouiage youi flock in the paths ol tiutb ?nd holiness and Chustian chanty Askimr }oui dace's blessing, we beg to lemain, jnur respectful and devoted children in Jesus Chiist ' On account of the length of the ceremony, the Mass was not sung, but at the anoint me; the choir sang the ' Yeni Creator ' Aftei the Gospel his Giace buefly addressed the congiegation, Ihankmg them for then beautiful address of welcome and assuring them that it ga^o him gieat pleasure 1o be there that morning to administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders in their beautiful church, and as they nghHy icmaikcd, to testify his great regaid for their devoted pastor, Dean Smyth, who had for so many years done such grand woik in the parish, and who, he hoped, would be long "-paied to pursue Ins work of love At the conclusion of the ceremony the Luge eongiegation came to the altar rails to icccive the blessing of the newly ordained pnests In the evening thoie wete solemn Vespeis in presence of the Archbishop, after which Ins Grace pioached a very fine discourse on the pncMhood, heating of in simple yet beaut llul language, the dignity and powers of the ■priest, and as a natural conclusion urged upon his heaters to show their respect for the sacred chaiacter of tho piiest, their appreciation of his sacerdotal powers, and their gratitude for his fatheily and zealous care After the sermon his Grace gave tho Papal blessing Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament was given by the Archbishop, assisted by Dean Smyth and the Rev. P. J. Smyth. Monday was also anoiher blight day in the annals of Hastings parish. At 930 am there was a procession of the candidates for Confirmation (127 in number), sanctuaiy boys, tho ilergv, the newly ordained priest, Rev P. J. Smyth, vested for his fust Mass, and his

Grace the Archbishop, from the presbytery grounds to tho church. During the Mass the children, under the direction of the Sisters of St. Joseph, sang some appropriate hymns, and immediately after Mass his Grace addressed the children on the dignity and graces of the Sacrament of Confirmation, and urged them to be faithful to the obligations contracted by them at Confirmation. At the close of the ceremony the children and adults sang ' Faith of Our Fathers,' in a manner which went home to every person, inspiring him with love and reverence for holy faith and thankfulness to God for having bestowed on him the priceless gift of being a member of Holy Church ; whirh alone has the promise of Christ and which alone therefore was yesterday, is to-day, and will be unto the end of ages It would be ungrateful on the writer's part to omit to mention that the altar was most, beautifully decorated by the devoted Sisters of St. Joseph.