The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-03-27
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger
REVIEW OF THE WEEK.

ORLEANS. SUNDAY. MARCH n. 1870.


the Confessional"
Tho large concert-room of Odd Fellows Hall
was crowded on Wednesday evening with the
elite of our city, to hear the Rev. DR.. Anderdon
deliver q lecture of an hour and a quarters
duration, on the above-named subject. The
lecturer combined in his address theological
statement with moro popular arguments, and
illustrated the working of the confessional
among Catholic populations by very
practical appeals to bis hearers experience.
He commenced by laying down certain propo-
sitions and facts from the Sacred Scriptures,
as forming the ground of the Church's doctrine
and practice regarding the sacrament of PEN
ance. These he assumed as indsputable, and
as acknowledged by non-Catholcs, as far as
concerned the genuineness of the text, how
ever they might demur to the inference drawn
therefrom. He went on to notice the extent to
which this principle was acted on through the
length and breadth of the Catholic Church. 1t
was not only the practice of the better and
more devout portion of the human family, but
was habitual among all Catholics, in the mea-
sure in which they lived according to the pre-
cepts of their communion. He illustrated the
Churchs work in reclaiming men-even in
fdel men-and bringing them to confession, by
the preaching and labors of the late Father
Lacordaire But these formed only an instance,
however prominent, of q work which is always
going on, among al the populations owning the
Church's influence. In illustration, the Rev.
lecturer described the process of Catholic
mission" when given for some weeks by a
body of religious, coming into a locality on the
invitation of the appointed pastor. He spoke
of the zeal and anxiety to receive the Church's
sacraments which marked such special occa-
sions, and had been known to himself in Ire
land. Before descending from the theological
ground to notice more popular departments of
his subject, he defined what was meant by the
"seal," or supernatural secrecy, of confession.
The priest in the confessional was bound to
have an accurate knowledge of the state of his
penitent's soul, that he might judge of the
case submitted to him there. But when once
he stepped out of the confessional, or turned
to consider the next conscience submitted to
him, he was as ignorant, by natural or commu-
nicable knowledge, of what he had heard, as
the lecturer was at that moment regarding
what might be happening in the city of Pekin.
This sacred secresy went far beyond mere hui
man honor and confidence, great as those obi
cations WERE 1t simply supernatural.
Where had it ever been broken There were
some two hundred thousand Catholic priests
alive upon earth. Who had ever betrayed his
trust7 He could tell his audience of priests
who had expired under tortures sooner than
reveal what had been made known to them in
confession. He instanced st. John Nepomu-
Gene in Germany, the Jesuit Father Oldcorne
on the rack in the Tower of London, and mar
tyred priests in Ireland under Elizabeth and
down to the last century. The confessional
was not place where any pecuniary benefit
accrued to the priest which would be the sin
of simony. 1t was not the scene of routine
transaction, where sin was treated lightly,
or regarded thing habitual and inevitable.
Here the Rev. lecturer stated in the strongest
and even startling terms the gravity of sin,
even when only venia1. He stated the indis
pensable necessity which lay on all penitents,
to resolve firmly and sincerely against their
sins for the time to come, before they could re-
ceive absolution. Nor was the confessional a
place Of other than hallowed communications,
and a sanctifying influence to the soul; though
the contrary formed one of the most hateful
charges against it. In illustration of this,
while be invited his hearers to consult the first
prayer-book that fell in their way, to, discover
how the penitents prepared themselves for
confession, he read to them prayer to be used
by confessors, translated from the Latin, to
show how the priest prepared himself Coming
now to the practical benefits of the confes-
sional to society at large, he asked his audi
ence to imagine for moment that all the in
habitants of the United States were practical
Catholics. Then all their public men, from
the President downward-a1l officials, members
of Congress, lawyers, professional, commercial
men-would frequent confession. Many I'M
portant results at once suggested themselves;
prominent among which would be marvellous
changing of Ownership among the greenbacks
Many long-lost pieces of property would come
home under the right roofaagain. He dwelt
on the necessity of restitution exacted of all,
wherever possible, and the firm resolution to
make it as soon as it became possible: giving
rather amusing account of an act of restitu-
ton he had himself once undertaken on behalf
of another person. He must now satisfy him.
self with indicating several heads of considera-
ton in further illustration of the subject, and
wished that time remained to consider the
confessional in it's relations to poverty, crime
and insanity. These he had briefly treated in
q few pages which were now in the hands of
the booksel1ers-Mr. Gogarty and others. And,
in conclusion, paying q sincere. and hearty
tribute to the spirit Of candid inquiry he had
met with in the non-Catholie American mind,
he wished, for that future of America which
he trusted would be great and glorious, that
- 1ur;cI md arnr