public class MergeEventListener extends DefaultMergeEventListener  {

   protected void cascadeOnMerge(
         final EventSource source,
         final EntityPersister persister,
         final Object entity,
         final Map copyCache
      ) {
         MergeEntityPersister mergeEventPersister = new MergeEntityPersister(persister);
         
         CascadeStyle[] cascadeStyle = persister.getPropertyCascadeStyles();
         boolean hasCascades = persister.hasCascades();

         // If an entity implements DynamicCascade interface AND has cascades - then get go get 'em!
         if (entity instanceof com.ops.commons.datatransfer.DynamicCascade
               &&  ((com.ops.commons.datatransfer.DynamicCascade)entity).getCascadeMap() != null) {         
            Map cascadeMap = ((com.ops.commons.datatransfer.DynamicCascade)entity).getCascadeMap();
            
            String[] propertyNames = persister.getPropertyNames();
            for (int i = 0; i < propertyNames.length; i++) {
               CascadeStyle newStyle = (CascadeStyle)cascadeMap.get(propertyNames[i]);
               if (newStyle != null) {
                  cascadeStyle[i] = newStyle;
                  hasCascades = true;
               }
            }
         }
         mergeEventPersister.setCascadeStyle(cascadeStyle);
         mergeEventPersister.setHasCascades(hasCascades);

         source.getPersistenceContext().incrementCascadeLevel();
         try {
            new Cascade( getCascadeAction(), Cascade.BEFORE_MERGE, source )
                  .cascade(mergeEventPersister, entity, copyCache);
         }
         finally {
            source.getPersistenceContext().decrementCascadeLevel();
         }
      }
   
   
}

public class MergeEntityPersister implements EntityPersister {

   
   EntityPersister persister;
   CascadeStyle[] cascadeStyle;
   boolean hasCascades;
   
   public MergeEntityPersister(EntityPersister persister) {this.persister = persister;}

   private SessionFactoryImplementor factory;

   // These are additional methods that are necessary to modify the Cascade info
   public void setCascadeStyle(CascadeStyle[] cascadeStyle) { this.cascadeStyle = cascadeStyle;}
   public void setHasCascades(boolean hasCascades) {this.hasCascades = hasCascades;}
   
   // These are methods that override the current persister methods
   public CascadeStyle[] getPropertyCascadeStyles() {
            return this.cascadeStyle;
   }

   public boolean hasCascades() {
      return this.hasCascades;
   }

   // These methods merely wrap the current persister
   public Type[] getPropertyTypes() {
      return persister.getPropertyTypes();
   }

   public boolean hasUninitializedLazyProperties(Object object, EntityMode entityMode) {
      
      return persister.hasUninitializedLazyProperties(object, entityMode);
   }

   public Object getPropertyValue(Object object, int i, EntityMode entityMode) throws HibernateException {
      return persister.getPropertyValue(object, i, entityMode);
   }

   public Object getPropertyValue(Object object, String propertyName, EntityMode entityMode) throws HibernateException {
      return persister.getPropertyValue(object, propertyName, entityMode);
   }

   // The rest of these methods are dummies that we need to fulfill the EntityPersister interface
   // we only care about what is necessary to modify the cascade function
   // .. and NONE of these play a part

            // Set up dynamic cascade values for processing in the EventListener
            Map cascadeMap = new java.util.HashMap();
            cascadeMap.put("companyXs", CascadeStyle.ALL);       
            contactDTO.setCascadeMap(cascadeMap);
            ...
            (new ContactDAO()).merge(contactDTO);

// here we add the listener
             org.hibernate.event.MergeEventListener[] mergeList = { new org.component.services.MergeEventListener() };
             config.getEventListeners().setMergeEventListeners(mergeList);