5 BERNADETTES ARE WANTED

ALL SORTS, By Fr. Basset, S.J.
THE Five Halls Festival in
honour of the centenary of Lourdes seems to have won instantaneous support. Almost all the boxes and many of the stalls for the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, were booked some days before tickets were on sale. The run on the Albert Flail tickets has been heavy and one small paragraph in this column brought requests and orders for 500 seats. Very many thanks to those who sent with their order a stamped addressed envelope, a courtesy which halves the work at this end. The "All Sorts" postal service will continue for another fortnight if the new allocation of tickets lasts as long.
BERNADETTE
SOON must start the hunt for
Bernadettes. We are told that the little saint was 14 at the time of the apparitions but that she looked about ten years old. In the five festival halls Bernadette must appear on the stage for Hugh Ross Williamson's dramatic representation so five Bernadettes will be needed to assist in the mime. How great a privilege to be chosen for this central part in the centenary celebrations! Liverpool has already had many applications for the part. I understand that the producers in all the halls are planning an audition and that information will appear in the Press in a week or two. Readers may, however, like to use their eyes while waiting for details and they may hit on children with dark hair and suitable features who could take the part of Bernadette in the mime. When notice appears in the papers. be prompt to help in promoting the Bernadette of your choice.
SIX HALLS FESTIVAL
IT looks as though a sixth hill may be joined to the original quintet. A priest has written from Malta to ask if his Marian Sodalities and others may organise a festival on similar lines. He wants to perform the Ruhhra cantata with full choir and orchestra and also to stage the Ross Williamson mime. The decision will have to be taken by the organising committee but one thing is certain, that the cantata and the mime will be on sale throughout the world and available for performances during the Centenary year. Copies will be on sale on February 11, the date of publication.
PERE DUVAL
PERE DUVAL, the famous
French -priest singer is cornposing a special song in honour of the centenary of Lourdes and this he will sing himself at the Albert Hall. It is hoped that other guitarists, similarly gifted. will deputise for him in the four other halls. Pere Duval's songs are so gay and catchy that this Song of Bernadette may become a favourite in every part of the English-speaking world. Pere Duval's records are still not easy to obtain in England; a great many have them as souvenirs of a visit to France. It takes about three hearings to get used to the words and rhythm after which it is hard to resist the urge to hum them ceaselessly for six weeks. I understand that Pere Duval may appear shortly on television in this country; look out for this and then judge for yourself,
CHILDREN'S BOOKS
(IN a recent visit to the C.T.S. shop near Westminster Cathedral 1 was introduced to four very charming books for little children written by David Kyles. Mr. Kyles is not a Catholic but some of his books about the Old Testament and the New carry an Imprimatur and the glowing approval of the valiant Miss Fitzgerald who, by this time, should know all that can be known about religious books. The two before me as I write, "In the Beginning" and "The Miracles of Jesus" are beautifully illustrated both in colour and in black and white. Each is wonderful value for 3s.
TAILPIECE
A LITTLE girl writes "I would
very much like to take the part of Bernadette. My hair is dark and though I am fifteen I think I could just pass as fourteen !"