The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-06-21
Confirmation at St. Joseph's.

confirmation at st. Joseph's.
Last Thursday, the termination of the
octave of Corpus Christi, the Most Rev.
Archbishop administered confirmation, at
st. Joseph's Church, to some three hundred
and eighty candidates, and to fifty three
more in the domestic chapel of the Charity
Hospital-in all, four hundred and thirty
three.
The ceremonies, commencing at nine
o'clock, with solemn high mass, lasted
nearly four hours, and were witnessed by q
congregation which crowded the church to
its utmost, although on a week day, and
during the busiest hours of the day. The
Most Rev. Archbishop assisted throughout
mass, seated in great state, and attended by
the reverend pastors of St. Johns, St.
Peters, and st. Theresa's churches, as well
as by the clergy of st. Joseph's.
Rev. Father jeremiah Moynihan preached
after mass, with his usual eloquence and
impressivehess, and upon the topic which
had been Of such engrossing interest during
the morning-the sacrament of confirma-
tia, The necessity for this sacrament Of
courage and fortitude was clearly por-
trayed-the timidity, the aint-heartedness
of man in meeting danger or even sacrifice,
in the cause of truth and justice, were evil
don't in the conduct of the Apostles them
selves, previously to the descent of the
Holy Ghost. If even these chosen compan-
ions of Christ were 80 impotent for good
without this great sacrament, how slow
should We be to judge harshly those nom
Catholics who do not admit the existence of
such a sacrament, and are, therefore, left to
their own weakness! And how perfectly
manifest ought to be the growth in all the
heroic virtues of Christianity among those
who now receive this sacrament, even as it
was manifest among the Disciples on the
great day of Pentecost.
The origin and institution of contirma-
ton, its nature and efficacy, were ably ex-
pounded by the learned orator, including
the clear demonstration that the Church has
now the same power that she had in the
beginning, of comforting the Holy Ghost by
the imposition of hands.
At the conclusion of the address, the Ven
cradle Archbishop, notwithstanding the
suffering which is habitual from his indis-
position, addressed those whom he had
confirmed, and exhorted them to I've faithful
to despise all. weakness in the practise of
virtue. The paternal, apostolic language
in which ne spoke, must have created. an
impression worthy of the love which
prompted it. Notwithstanding the great
length of the ceremonies, the Archbishop
did not fail to visit the Charity Hospital, to
administer confirmation in its chapel, as we
have already stated. After which, without
taking the rest 80 necessary to his infirmity,
he was obliged to hasten home, to meet
other engagements and duties.
OF the four hundred and thirty-three
persons confirmed, forty eight were con-
verts- twenty-three of these being within
the precincts of the hospital. This is truly
a glorious result of zeal in the good Sisters
Their exterior works of charity are accom-
panied by spiritual ones, and blessed with
abundant fruit. To be sure, their converts
are often incurables. cripples, and other I'M
fortunates, who would not be considered a
great acquisition to some fashionable con-
gregations, but they are among those over
whose conversion it is said that the angels
in heaven rejoice. 1t is but repetition of
the marriage parable where the fashionable
and the gay excused themselves, and the
master of the feast was obliged to send out
into the lanes and highways and bring in
the worn and weary pilgrims, in their dust
and pOyerty. to sit Mt his rOya1 fable
The Sugar Lands of Louisiana.
These lands, the richest, the most pro-
ductive in the world, and priceless in true
value, are now worthless to the owners in