Hastings

New Zealand Tablet, 21 October 1909, Page 12

Hastings

.(By Telegraph from our own correspondent.) . October 18. AfT oratorical competition under the auspices of the Federated Catholic Clubs o£ New Zealand was held in the club rooms on Monday evening in the presence of a large attendance of the public. There were seven* entries, and the speeches were. of. twelve minutes' duration on any man or woman of note in English history. " The competitors and" their respective subjects were as follosw :-— Mr. C, Gallagher (' Michael Davitt'), Mr. T./. Downing ('Robert Emmet'), Mr. J. McGuirk (' Napoleon. Bonaparte .), Mr. F: Casey ('Daniei O'Connell'),. Mr. T. Kennedy. (T. Meagher '), Mr. 'T. O'Sulliyan (' O.'NeiJl '), Mr. F,,- L. Vickers (' W.. E.";Gladstone?J." Very ' Rev. Father Keogh, S.M., acted. as judge, " and "awarded first place to Mr; C. Gallagher with 25 points out of. a maximum of 30. Messrs. F. Vickers, and, F. , Casey tied for,^second honors with 24 points eacii. lii giving his decision the judge congratulated ' the various' speakers, .and .said he -.'was .agreeably surprised at the high 'standard of oratory readied. The first , prize is a gold medal presented by". the Y erv &©,▼• -Dean Smyth, and the diploma of merit was presented by, the Federated Catholic Clubs. Rev. Fathers O'Connell, Kimbell, and 'McCarthy have been giving missions in this parish during .the past .three weeks. -They began in the outlying districts of. Clive, Pakipaki, and Maraekakaho, " in each of which one missionary remained four days. The numbers who attended the different "services of- the -mission -and approached' the sacraments was very large. "• In Hastings' the mission lasted a fortnight, the first week being, devoted^ to the children. „The children's- mission ended, on Friday, when all present were much edified by the large< number that approached the Holy Table. In theevening there was a renewal of Baptismal vows. There are at present .294 children in attendance at the convent' schools,. On Sunday, 10th. inst., the general mission was opened by Rev. Feather Kimbell, S.M. The attendance at .the various services was very large, especially on Sunday night, when- every part' of the church was crowded. On Wednesday evening the altar- : of the Blessed Virgin was very tastefully decorated.- After an impressive sermon on the Blessed Virgin, the Children of Mary carried the banner and statue of Our Lady in procession round the . church, while the entire congregation sang appropriate hymns. On Friday. evening Rev. .Father O'Connell, S.M;, preached" a very impressive sermon on the Blessed Sacrament- In the- procession .of the blessed Sacrament, which followed, the Children of Mary, the members of the H.A.C.B. Society, and school children took part. During the week about 950 adults approached the Holy Table. On Sunday night the Rev. Father O'Connell preached on Perseverance, after which there was a renewal of Baptismal vows. On Monday morning there were 250 communicants at the Masses offered for the repose of the souls of deceased parishioners. The mission was most successful, and the attendance at the various services was most edifying, and must be a source of great consolation to the zealous missionaries and to the clergy of the -parish. .