The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-13

81, fAI6lCh'b UAIdhUhAlh
The Birthright or the Church-The Power
TO Forgive sins-Scrmon by Father
Kcarnoy.
The high mass at the Cathedral yesterday was
celebrated with the usual pomp and gorgeousness.
The altar was tastefully decorated, and hundred
glitterng lights shone brightly from either side Of
the altar. Mr.. Gustayus Schmitz, the organist Of
the Cathedral had the musical part OF the service
carefully arranged and artistically rendered. There
about thirty five or forty acolytes the altar
during the service, and part Of them held lighted
wax tapers during part OF the ceremony.
Father McNamee acted as celebrant, and Father
Kearney preached the sermon, the evident end Of
which seemed to be to prove the power OF the
priesthood to forgive retain sins, even as that
power had been bequeathed to the apostles by
Christ himself.
Before reading the Gospel Father Kearhey
stated that next Saturday would be the feast
OF the Vigil Of Pentecost and also a fast day Of
obligation. 'On next Sunday-the Feast Of Pente-
cost-the last mass at the Cathedral will be a Pom
tiical high mass. Father Burke will deliver lee
ture at the Academy on Thursday next, by special
tickets before the night OF the iecture.n
After the list Of orders for the coming week the
Gospel was read, which was taken IRON st. Mark,
verse and ending with the chapter. AS be.
fore stated, the aim Of the sermon seemed to
sins j. fnas@uch as he IS the successor q the
apostles The gist OF the sermon WIZ De
IN ths earthly 81 WORK E Of
gates OF heaven At leaving the apostles He uttered
a cOmmandment-that Is, He ordained the priest
Word to ali the world When He had done His
part He deputed the chosen Twelve to continue the
In Ii tho flesh their successors were commanded at
the same time to do the same. God has said that
His Church would last until the end Of time-that is
@t,aH S.urc brflt nrn0n m
meant that that Church should remain unaltered
even unto the end of time, and as consequence Of
this the power Of the apostles Of His Church must
remain fnvioably the same rs they were when He
founded the Church, or II not the Church would be
Of o no was s1 70
altered forever her ministers must also remain w
ssps s9d i pYs H. sSSSs ~ ~
giving sins only to extend to the apostles, with
them the Church he founded would cease to exist
But this power was not only given to the apostles
of Christ has been and will be perpetuated until the
end of time.
founded, was the most favored Of all the apostles
during the first year nc was with our Lord. He
called him 'Peter," which means rock. The oc-
caslon when He gave Simon this name was when
He asked him who he thought He was, and Simon
answered, 1.-THE Son Of the living. God.n When
Simon said this Christ answered and sad, 'Simon,
thou art Peter and on this rock win build my
Church." 1t was Peter, James and John who wit
messed the TRANSPORTATION on the mount. 1t was
Peter James and John who went with Christ when
He went to resurrect the daughter of the High
Priest, and 1t was Peter who proposed to I'LL the
vacancy made by the fall of Judas.
We notice that In the Scriptures Peter is always
mentioned first, he being as said before, the most
favored of the Twelve, and the rock on which rested
the imm0vable Church OF Christ. Now, how are we
to know which Church is Ohrist's Church, In these
days when no ono mans brain can contain the
names of the various sectsP We shall always know
1t by these signs at is one 1t is holy it Is apOs-
toc.u ut Is inasmuch as all the fold believe In
faith, and that faith has visible head on earth,
the successor OF st. Peter. 1t Is holy, 1t being
emanaton from God himself 1t Is apostolic because
Its priests have received their power from Christ.