The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-08-16

BLESSING THE SEA AT OsrEND.-To SEQ
this truly old Catholic ceremony, 1 made
up my mind, and 80 after hearing an early
mass at Bruges, set out on my journey
| AS drew near to Ostend, 1 deserted gay
streamers floating from the masts of ships,
from tops of houses, and from high embank-
ments, outward manifestations of Catho-
lie devotion. Having entered the town.
what spectacle it presented! The streets
were converted into avenues, strewn with
fragrant flowers, the houses into gorgeous
mansions, whose windows were one blaze
of light. 1t being twelve o'clock, the pro-
cessiOn had already commenced, and bene-
diction of the most holy sacrament was
being given on the esplanade facing the sea-
With difficulty made my way through the
dense crowd to mound near the sea shore.
where had a good view of the whole scene.
1t was an extraOl binary scene-full of ma
jesty, full of grandeur. To look upon that
great Catholic assembla2e, and, under the
open canopy of heaven, knecling in hushcd
reverence, as the bugle signaled the eleva-
ton of the blessed sacrament, was n sight
truly oyerpowering. The ships and boats
which lay Mt anchor near the shore We're
also manned with devout worslipcrs, and
from the sturdy mariners arose the ardent
prayers to Him in whose glorious presence
the serapf,im veil their faces: "Mserere
DOmine," Gloria tibi Domino" With their
prayers were also mingled those of the
helpless widows and orphans who, resigned
to the Divine will, cried out with Christian
fortitude: F." AHserere Domine,"" Gloria tibi
Domine!" 1t would even seem as if the
gentle rocking of the ships and boats bowed
n significant Thanksgiving to Him who had
G me on that day to bless for them their
b 'me-the angry sea. Truly, it was an r.:
fe ting scene. Even Protestants, many of
W lom had come there out of curiosity. were
,uched by ills Christian outburst Of sup
plicatiOn. At the conclusion of the bless
ing of the sea, the procession began to wend
3 way back to the church. To enumer-
ate the different religious orders of men and
women, the different confraternities, etc.,
take up too much space; suffice it to say
that the procession was more than mile
in length. Benediction of the most holy
sacrament was again given at the different
affairs that were tastefnlly erected in the
various streets en- route to the church. The
procession having entered the church, which
was magnifcently decorated for the occa-
sion, there was grand benediction, and thus
ended q ceremony which will live forever
that crowd OF people assembled on Sunday
at Ostend to witness this ceremony. For
the most part they belonged to the humber
class of life, and, therefore, you would ma
turally expect, not Of the enlightened race
of mankind. But religion had corrected
and humbled those, constitutional vicea
which are rather difficult to entirely subdue.
1t had given softness and sensfbility to
their hearts; but, above all, it had given
them an universal charity and love for one
another. This wes seen by their general
good conduct and manners. They were
educated in that Catholic knowledge which
teaches man to love God above all things
and our neighbOrs as ourselves Weekly
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