Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-05-09
INTERFERING CEREMONIES.

INTERFERING CEREMONIES.
Communion and Confirmation at
the CathedraI-A Lovely Scene-An
Edifying Ceremony.
During the past two months large num-
Der of girls and boys, children of Catholic
parents, have been making preparations
for receiving worthily and underslandingly
the Sscraments of Confirmation and Holy
Communion, and almost the entire of the
week Just past was devoted to instruction
and devotion. Sunday last, SO long
looked forward to as the commencement
Of a new era in the lives Of so many little
inRocents, was one CT the most lovely of
the season. Not cloud was visible, and
the atmosphere WIS invigorating. A more
delightful day could not have been de-
sired.
A few minutes before eight in the morn
ing, the procession, composed of about
800 girls and boys, moved from st. Ber-
hard's Convent, opposite the Capitol, down
Cedar street to the Cathedral, which they
entered with slow and solemn step and oc-
cupied the psws on either side of the main
aisle, the boys occupying the pews on the
north aisle. The procession was led by
two lovely little girls, followed by Miss
Ella Donovan, bearing the banner Of the
sodality CT the ''Children of Mary accom-
panied by two attendants. These were
followed by the smaller girls. the young
ladies Of the Sodality, with their rich white
dresses, and blue cspes, and the beautiful
white scsTfs with gold lettering and de-
vices, marching behind. Then came the
boys, led by Willie Smith, bearing the st.
Aloysius banner, more than one hundred
boys, neatly clad, aud evidently feeling
the importance OF the duty they were
about to fulfill, bringing up the rear Of the
procession. All the girls were dressed in
white, with long white wells, and beautiful
wIeaths upon their heads. Two blind
girls Zone of them FOUR Maryr) were in
the procession, and one blind man received
confirmation.
As soon as the children were seated, the
crogd rushed in, until the church was
thoroughly crowded. At this time, look
ing down from the organ gallery, the scene
was one CfsurpassiDg beauty. The services
commenced almost Immediately, and be-
fore their termination, about three hundred
and twenty children, and large number
Of adults, received Holy Communion.
About twenty minutes after the conclu-
sion of Mass, the procession was again
formed, and all marched back TO the Con
vent in the same order IN which they
came.
In the afternoon The children again as
sembled at the Convent, and proceeded TO
the church at fifteen minutes after three,
in the same order as in the morning. After
VesperS had been sung, the Right Rev.
Bishop addressed the children In a manner
SO simple, so edifying, and with so much
feeling, that one could easily imagine hs
vas listening 10 inspired words. The ad-
vice he gave ought to be eDgraven on theiI
dear little hearts, and the words of ad-
monition to parents should never be for
gotten.
As large number of Protestants were
present during the evening service, and as
many of them may not have understood
the ceremony, We give an explanation, as
! follows:
The Bishop, turning toward those who
/ are to be confirmed, prays that they ma!
receive the Holy Ghost;
90 Almighty, everlasting God, VII;
| hast vouchsafed to Tegenerate these thy
| servants by Water and the Holy Ghost, GnC
who hast given them the remission of al
! their sins, send forth upon them thy seven
fold Holy Spirit, the Comforter, from
! heaven.
''AEswer.-AmeR.
''The spirit Of wisdom and Of under
standing.
amen.
''The spirit of counsel and of fortitude
''AmeD,
''The spirit Of knowledge and of piety.
''Amen.
''Rsplenish them with the spirit of thy
| feGr, andsigu them with the sign Of the eros.
of Christ, in thy mercy, unto life everlasting
| Through the name Jesus Christ, thy Son
our Lord, who liveth and reigneth will
! thee, In the uRity Of the same Holy Spir
| 1t, one God, 70. ever and ever. Amen"
| Then the Bishop makes the sign of the
o-oss, with chrism, upon the forehead o.
each one of those that are to be confirmed
sayirg-(giVing tie name of the person.
Il sign thee with the sign of the croes,
| corfrm thee with the chTism of salvation
il the name Of the Father, and of the Son
and of the holy Chest. Amen" Afte
/
! tie blow On the cheek, saying ''Pdr tecltB1,
that is, Peace be with thee"
Then the Bishop, standing with his fact
towards the altar, prays for those tina
have been confirmed, that the Holy Ghos
may ever dwell in their breasts, and maxi
them the temple of his glory. He the1
disnlisses them with this blessing: BE
hold, thus shall every man be blessed whit
feareth the L I'd. May the Lord bless you
from Sion, that you may see the good
things of Jerusalem all the days Of you
life, and may have life everlasting. Amen.
ChIism is a compound of oil of olive
and balm of Gilead, solemnly consecratet
by the Bishop on Maundsy-r Thursday; ant
the outward amounting of the forehe az
with chrism is to represent tn
inward amounting of the soul il
this sacrament with the Holy Ghost. Tn
oil, whose properties are to fortify tn
limbs, and 10 give certain Vigor to tn
body, to assusge our pains, ETC., represen
the like spiritual effects of the grace of thi
sacrament in the soul. And the balm
which is of sweet smell, represents th,
good odoT, or sweet SAVIOR, of Christian
virtues, and On innocent life, with which
we are to edify our neishbors after having
received this sacrament.
We cannot more briefly define the sever
gifts of the Holy Ghost than BY giving tht
following extract ffcn, prayer -
"Grept unto me the spirit Of Wisdom
that may degpise the perishable things o
this world, and love the things that arr
eternal the spirit of Understanding, to en-
tighten me, and to give me the knowledg,
of religion; the spirit of Counsel, that
may diligently seek the surest ways o
pleasing God and ohtsining heaven; The
spirit Of Fortitude, that 1 may overcome
with courage, all tbs obstacles that oppos'
my salvation; the spirit of knowledge, tina
l msy be. el ightened in the ways Of God
the spirit of PIety, that / may find the ser
vice Of God both sweet and amiable; thu
spirit Of Fear, that 1 may be filed With
loving reverence towards God, and MAY
dread in gny way to displease him. Sea
me-, IN thy mercy, with the seal of a disci
pie Of Jesus Christ, unto everlasting life
and grant that, carrying the cross upon M
forehead, Imay carry it also iato my heart
and, confessing thee boldly before men
may merit to be one day reckoned in tbs
number of thy elect
The renewal of the baptismal vows
was read in clear, distinct, musical tone
by Miss Mollis Grady, aged between ter
and eleven years; and after the hene1ie-
ton, and few prayers, hoViRg iresh from
the pure young hearts, and waited, like
Incense, 10 tho throus Of the Most High
the vast congregation dispersed, and The
| children returned to the Convent.
Thus closed day Of devotion 10 be al
ways remembered n taose who took par
in it. Sor.s viii record tho event in thei
Bibles, some in their prayer books, while
others will have the day commemorated j.
pictures hung upon the walls u thei
homes: When the older oaes Of the pre-
sent generation shall have passed away
and some OF those confirmed on Sunda,
have taken our places in the busy world
the important eventa o! the 7th Of May
1871, will be related to their children
May God grant that they may always thin
of them with pleasure-ne0er with pain
The total number confirmed was IA
adults, IL; girls, Co. boys, 81.
| Although tAs Sisters 40 not work f
the glory Of this world, still it is but ligt
and proper to bestow praise where it
iuatlv dua Ruk hor tn haoir, ? ia ~