The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-18


rock and the corner stone on which tine whole edl-
ice OF the Church is founded and built up. All TINS
our Lord to Peter. Peter was the shepherd Of the
void, whose duty II was 70 "ieed both lambs ana
moSh OF Peter rSlS ths rock 10
uphold the Church: .thou art Peter, and upon this
rock Will build my Cnurcn'' words wnich are the
very touchstone OF faith In these days OF sorrow)
Peters was the strong, unerring voice which was
ever TO be heard In the Church. defining ner doc
buking sinners guiding the doubtful, Strengthening
the weak, confirming the strong and Jesus SAID
tnSu ,S Peter, confirm my brethren" Patrick
saw the cross upon Peters shoulders, anu the
crown OF thorns upon His head for so Christ lives
IN HIS church and IN her supreme Pastor; but lie
also taught them that ne who strikes Peter strikes
the Lord; He taught them what history has taught
be bruised; and upon whoms0ever 1t shall Iall 1t
VIII grind him to powder" lie taught them that IN
rated from Christ, as did the foolish men in the
Gospel:-"After this many Of His disciples went
back ana walked no more with Him. Then Jesus
said to the twelve, Will you also 20 away2 And
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall
we gof Thou hast the words OF eternal liie'" Thus
II was, 10Y brethren. that He bound them 70 1.-The
rock OF ages" to Peter's cnalr, with hrmest bonds
Of obedience aud love, ana infused into their souls
that '0H
SUPERNATURAL INSTINCT,
which, for 1900 years. has kept them, through good
sorrow faithful and 10y al to the HOLY ses Of Rome.
II was bond OF obedience and love that bound
rsaaa to R0ms TnIs IL the Of the
sembled to consider the question Of celebrating Eas
Ter, we ind the fathers selecting some "wlse and
humble men," and sending them to Rome for IN
slructton, "as children 10 their mother' ana this
IN obedience to . primitive law Of the irish Church,
arise, 1.-THE question should re referred to the Head
OF Cities" as Rome called This devotion 10 the
Holy Sec saved Ireland In the daj Of trial.
The next great feature IN Patricks preaching was
devotion TO the Mother OF God. or this we have
Dedicated e. God under her name. asapoia Gnuirs
or Mary's Church, became familiar name In the
land In the far west or Ireland. where the .radl,
suas the sweet name OF ne Mother the o Of Cod
their daily familiar converse in lie supplicaions OF
the poor, not under the title OF :. Our Lady" or Of
name e y y' Mosner %na SO
II was thai Patrick sent his Cath0lc doctrines
Jesus Christ under the name by which 10 isstill
known and adored ~ that far western land lMao
ma s Of ne
and preaching Jesus through Mary, and Mary her.
ns m ns Sna Is
and maternal love ne made the type Of
and mother, ana 80 well did they learn their nigh
lesson, that they have been ayes the admiration
OF tine world and sne glory 81 their scsa
into the heart or the nation. So well had
they already learned to love and appre.
ciate her. that III lew years after their conversion
to the faith, when they would express their love
ana admiration for the first great Irish virgin
her with glory wnen they called her ''the Mary or
Ireland" This devotion TO Mary was protecting
shield over Ireland In the Gay OF her battle Tor the
iaiJn.
the third great prominent point in St. Patrlck's
preaching was the doctrine OF purgatory, and,
dinances Of the most ancient irish synods, in
which Oblations, prayers and sacrifice Tor Tire
dead are frequently mentioned, as evl0ently
being the practice, frequent and loving, Of The
They were not unmindful OF the dead, 'like
Others Who have no nope" Every ancient church
s s m ss as ANA e
spots, the loving tenacty with which they have
chung to them at all times, speak OF their faith In
this great doctrine. ana tell how much Irish hope
ana love surrounds the grave. 'NOthlng is our own
except our dead. says tue poet and 50 these affec
ana carried their love and their prayer beyond the
tomb into the realms Of expiatlon, where the dross
Of % sD s ar Ana
as by Ire.' This doctrine of the Church. so forct
bly, taught by Patrick, and warmly accepted by the
during Ms das q 31sass ana ana
sorrow:
feature Of Patrck's preaching and OF lreland's
CatnOncity. the image OF all that was fairest in
nature and grace, which arose before the eyes Of
waited their lmaginanons anu their hearts. They
called her In their prayers "Mdendheelisil," their
eldest daughter was a Mary; every irish maid or
mother emulated the purity Of her virginia. limo.
nal love. With the keennes Of love taey assocla ed
their daily and joys with hers; ana the IN
very mothers Of Ireland seemed 10 be the brightest
reflection Of Mary which mad fingered upon the
Finally the great Saint established between the
people and their priesthood the lrmesr bonds or
mutual confidence anu love- In the Catholic Church
the priest Is separated from men and c0nsecrated
to God. The duties OF his Office are SO high, SO
holy and supernatural, and require such purity Of
life and devotion OF SOUL that he must vi necessity
stand alooi from among men ana engage himself
with God for to use the words OF the Apostle, ne Is
mysteries Of Godn me irish churcS Knew no child
hood. no ages Of painful and uncertain struggle
e put On Gean like ss aa ia se
hrmed In infancy Immediately after baptism.
become at once the mother OF saints, the nome and
refuge OF learning. the great instructress OF the
does not EXHIBIT more striking and glorious sight
tnan Ireland for the 300 years Immediately follow
ing her conversion to the Oa,n0o iaith: inc whole
In which men the most renowned OF their age, both
for learning and sanctlty received the thousands Of
students who hOcked TO them from every land.
Armagh. which was divided into three paits:-
rick,o or the Cathedral close. and "rrian-sassen-
ag" or the Latin quarter, the home Of the foreign
long historical sketch OF the religious history OF
Ireland was introduced here, alter which the per.
Of the a was re req 70 a. %
been a puzzle to the world, and men have sought
explain IN many different ways the extraordinary
phenomenon. Some ascrlbe It 10 our natural an-
tIpatny and opposition to England and everything
English; others again allege the strong cOlser-
vatlsm Of
THE IRISH CHARACTER,
and Its veneraiiOn for ancient rites ana usages,
merely because they are ancient, while English MS
torians land philosophers love to attribute to the
natural Obstinacv and wrOng-headedness which
they say Is inherent IN the Irish 40 not deny mat
the religious action Of the irish people, there may
have been o hatred and detcstation oil England. The
false religion was esented TO our fathers by the de-
tested hands that had robbed Ireland OF her
crown; 1t was offered at the point OF the sword
that had shed (Oilen treacnerOusly and fouy) the
blood Of her bravest sons; the nauseous dose
OF Professionalism was mixed 10 the bowl that
poisoned the last OF her great earls owen Roe
O'Neil. All this may have told with the Irish PEG.
pie; and also admit that Church ana religion
claiming to he or God with such diviney-ap-
notnted head IA the SANITY Henry the EtuhIn ench