The New York herald., 1870-06-06
ST. PATRiCK,s CATHEDRAL.
Celebration or PentecOsi-The Music. the Con.
sregntion and the Sermon ON Pcntecost-An
Appeal In Behalf Of the Papal Exchequer.

Celebration or Pentec0si-The Music, the Com
sregntion and the Sermon ON Pcntecost--An
Appeal In Behalf Of the PapaI Excheauer.
At st. Patrck's Cathedral yesterday morning the
Feast OF PentecOst celebrated with considerable
pomp and impresslveness. High mass, the principal
service OF the day, began at half.past ten in the
morning. The ceebrants were Vicar General Stars
anu Fathers McGinn and McSweeney. Father Kear.
ney o1iciated as master Of ceremonies anu ais
preached the sermon. The spacious Cathedral was
almost filed by congregation which, If not CON-
posed largely Of the wealthy and fashionable portion
of society, was unquestionably an earnest and de-
vout one.
THE MUSIC OF THE MASS
was from Helncr. and, as usual with the Cathedral
choir, was well rendered Madame Shome, the So
prano, Is particularly deserving OF mention. The
chorus also did remarkably well. After the Gospel
Father Kearney assembled the pulpit and delivered
brief
DISCOURSE ON PENrEcosr.
Pentecost, said the preacher. Is the greatest Of
festivals greater even than those OF the Nativity and
memorate the giving OF the Divine Redeemer to the
world and at Easter the Redeemer's crushing the
serpents head and his victory over sin and dealh
stili, unless the Holy Spirit whom Christ had pro-
missed TO send after HIN, mad come down upon us
we would not have received the sanctifying
10 win our way TO heaven. To-day, on the Feast OF
Pentecost, we receive the spirit OF the Holy Ghost
anu are saAcHHed THIS Is special festival, because
on this day God descended on the Church. Ana as,
ages before, when the earth was without form and
VOID He separated the dry land from the waters and
brought the creation into
HARMONY AND BEAUTY,
so, on the Feast Of PenIecos,t His Holy Spirit
down upon the Church and perfected that which
Christ had founded. Before Pentecost st. Peter and
the rest Of the apostles were full OF ignorance and
fear On the descent OF the Holy Spirit they became
full OF knowledge and wisdom and zeal. SO won.
deriui was the change that those who had previously
known them marveed. The apostles. after Pente-
cost, went forth into strange lands and spoke In
foreign tongues. Their eoquence and knowledge
and wisdom surprised and conf0unded the learned
men Of the time While
TIE ZEAL OF THE APOSTLES
commanded the admiration even OF the foes Of
Christianity. They met persecution and imprison-
ment and death without hinching. They followed
the command OF their Divine Saviour and gong into
every land brought thousands into the faith OF
Christ. They drew around them countless disciples
fired with the zeal even OF the apostles themselves,
and by their teaching and their zeal and the sacri-
flee Of their lives, planted the seed Of Christianity In
the far OF lands and preached the faith OF Christ
even TO the utermost ends OF the earth. In Pente-
cost then we celebrate all this in commemOrating
the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon His
Church to remain with 1t forever.
The preacher called she attention OF the congre-
CATION to the fact that on Sunday next
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE POPE
would be taken up In the church. He urged then,
10 subscribe literally in order to enable the Holy
ell and as the PontiGs exchequer is low and there Is
large number OF INDECENT ecclesiascs at The Coun-
ci this was favorable opportunity for the faithful
to give Il helping hand.