M B.O.B. ASSOCIATION, CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, 1 July 1915, Page 29

M 8.0.8. ASSOCIATION, CHRISTCHURCH

(From our own correspondent.) The annual church parade of the Marist Senior Cadets, the Marist School Cadets, and members of the association generally, was held at the Cathedral on last Sunday. All assembled at the Marist Brothers’ School and, headed by the military sections under the command of Sergeant-Major W. S. Minehan and Lieut. E. J. Amos, marched-to the Cathedral for the 9.30 o clock Mass, at winch the whole number approached the Holy Tab’e. Despite the very unpleasant weather there was a splendid muster. The Rev. Father Murphy, 8.A., was celebrant, and was served at the altar by two senior cadets in uniform. At the Consecration, Bugler Harrington gave the bugle call. The Rev. Father Murphy, basing his remarks on the text, ‘Greater love no man hath than -to give up his life for his friend,’ delivered a brief but appropriate discourse. 'twelve months ago (said the rev. preacher) he had officiated at a similar parade, but many changes had been wrought in rlie meantime. A considerable number of their comrades, who were then among them, had joined the Dominion army and had participated in the sanguinary struggle since going on. The lives of some had been sacrificed, others were wounded or missing. He exhorted his hearers to offer their Holy Communion for the. repose of the souls of those whom death had claimed and for the Divine protection of those who had been spaced. Developing his theme, Father Murphy said that to all appearances charity, as a virtue among nations, was non-existent, but among individuals engaged in the fierce conflict, thank God, it was widely manifest, numberless instances being continually shown.

At the conclusion of the Mass a return was made to the Marist Brothers’ Schoolroom, where the annual breakfast was prepared by a number of lady friends, who also waited at the tallies, which were beautifully laid and amply supplied.

Mr. F. Smyth (captain of the M. 8.0.8. A. football section) presided. The Rev. Father Long (chaplain) and a number of invited guests and representatives of other Catholic organisations were present. An apology for unavoidable absence was received from the president of the association (Sir G. Clifford).

At the conclusion of breakfast a toast list was honored as follows; ’The Pope and King,' was proposed by the chairman. ‘The clergy,’ was proposed by Mr. J. R. Hayward, who paid first of all a tribute to the memory of our late Bishop. lie referred to the particularly able and zealous band of priests with which this Dominion had been blessed right from the pioneer days to the present time. Our New Zealand chaplains at the front displayed valor and self-sacrifice of which ■we were all proud. In the Rev. Father Long, as spiritual director of the M. 8.0.8. Association, we had one who took a real, live interest in the young men generally.

Rev. Father Long thanked the speaker for his remarks on the work of the clergy at home and abroad. Personally, he had a sincere interest in young men, and especially in those of the association. In promoting their spiritual welfare he was only doing his duty, and that duty was indeed a privilege. In the field of sport he, too, took a keen interest, and noted the success of the members with much satisfaction. The pursuits of the association were sound, thus tending to make the members strong in both spiritual and temporal matters. In proposing the toast of the ‘ Marist Brothers,’ Mr. P. Amodeo paid a tribute to the noble band of Brothers who, for so many years, had so devotedly labored for our boys and their educational and religious interests. He emphasised the excellence of the teaching and the results attained in the schools throughout the Dominion. No better primary education could be obtained. Where the Brothers taught in secondary schools, the results, too, were the highest possible. - Brother Calixtus (principal; responded. It was the fifth year, he said, that he was called upon to acknowledge a' similar compliment paid to the teaching staff,

and each time lie felt a ' greater appreciation of Vthe sterling - qualities of the - scholars. The boys should make the silken thread of mutual friendship, formed in school days, into a silken rope,, that would endure. They should apply the subject of that morning’s sermon in the Cathedral— the virtue of charity towards each other — and never see one go under without holding out a hand to save him. Since they last met, under similar circumstances, fifty of their number had gone to the front to fight for King and country and right, and he was satisfied all would bravely do their share. The boys of the school had subscribed for and obtained a framed ‘ Roll of .Honor,’ upon which the names of all those from among their ranks, who were upholding the flag, would be inscribed. Mr. J. J. O’Gorman, in proposing the ‘ M. 8.0.8. Association,’ referred to the pride all felt at the splendid display of that morning. 'the need of recognising the critical period in a boy’s life was all too apparent, and for this he advocated everything possible being done on the social side. On the sporting side, he dealt with the satisfactory results attained so far this season by the several football teams.

The chairman and Mr. L. Corbett responded. The former said that a meeting was being called to form a platoon of the Citizens’ Defence Force, and every man among them should enlist in it.

Mr. M. Grimes proposed ‘ Kindred societies,’ the toast being responded to by Mr. Noonan (Society of St. Vincent de Paul), Mr J. Griffin (H.A.C.B. Society), Mr. J. R. Hayward (Catholic Federation), and Mr. P. McNamara (Catholic Club).

Brother Calixtus proposed the ‘ Cathedral School Committee,’ and took the opportunity of referring to the school senior cadets. This, he said, was the only exclusive corps permitted by the Defence authorities in this military district, and he urged that the privilege should be properly appreciated, and their best efforts exerted to maintain its strength, discipline, and military knowledge. It was now, he continued, selected as the signalling company for the whole of the Territorials, a distinction they should all be proud of.

Mr. P. A. O’Connell (secretary of the school com-, mittee) responded, and gave a resume of that body’s operations from its inception. lie then, in a neat and appropriate speech, removed the national flag from the ‘ Roll of Honor,’ a proceeding that was fittingly greeted.

Other toasts were ‘ Old Boys,’ proposed by Mr. W. Rodgers and responded to by Mr. H. Sloan : the ‘Press,’ proposed by Mr. W. Dobbs, and responded to by the Tablet representative ; and the ‘Ladies,’ by Mr. J. Power, responded to by Miss Smyth.