The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1873-08-24
NUMBER 20.
The Iridium in Mobile,

we nave received the following COM
munication from Catholic lady whose
name is known in honor in tho l;ts-,rp
world:
by rescript of the Holy Pontiff solemn
lr'duum OF Prayer for the Church, was an.
pointed ior the 18th, 18th, and 18th days of Au
gust.
" Rome has Spoken" says the Patriarch of
Alexandria, centuries ago, and to-day, Rome
speaks with the same authority. All shoru.
though she be, of her temporal grandeur, her
kingdom-not of this earth-s as great and
glorious as ever. She speaks-and 10! the
nations hear, and kneel together to pray for
her deliverance from thraldom. Out of tba
church Catholic, the world has never seen
such unanimity; nor will it ever be seen else
where; for it comes of supernatural authority.
and of supernatural submission to that an
thority. That sense of duty, imperative md
lnexorable, which underlies the structural of
every Christian life, makes of the Catholic n
simple and obedient child. 1t rules him from,
the cradle to the grave. Hence, rs respects
his moral and religious obligations, he reasons
not, he cavils not. lie obeys with implicit
faith: the divine law as revealed to him from
the sanctuary of the church universal: and
80, becomes one little segregate of that mighty
aggregation which Macaulay acknowledges to
be the standing miracle Of secular history.
Thoughts like these rise naturally to the
mind of ono that looked upon the throngs of
worshippers, who, for four days of the past
week, have been coming, at tho bidding of the
Holy father, to pray for the veal of the HOLY
Church.
In tho nbsepce oF ha -Ialo aJ
Mobile. the equally cherished pastors to whom
he conided the charge of his Cathedral, or
ganized and conducted the Iridium to an ac-
complishment which must have left their
hearts filled to overhowing with holy Joy
Through the untiriHg efforts of these good and
faithful servants of the Most fIigb nearly one
thousand commandments knelt before the
chancel rail- 10 receive from their privileged
hands the bread of eternel life.
Never were the splendid ceremonials Of the
church conducted with greater taste or solem-
nifty. Flowers, lights, music-all tho accesso-
ries that appeal from sense to Imagination,
from Imagination to devotion, were there to
lead our hearts captive Nor their beauty
lent to the adorning of o mere simuldcrum--an
empty representation of lost realty. They
were there to do homage to the real presence of
of Christ Jesus upon the altar, and to receive
with ali creatures animate and inauimate, the
benedicton of tho Blessed Sacrament.
The most touching episode of this holy sea-
son has been the presence of the Children of
Mary" Gs participants in the ceremonies.
Whether like angels guardian, they stood be-
fore the blessed Host keeping vigil for their
Lord or they moved in procession along the
marble aisles with spotlcss robes of white, and
wells like morning miss; their sweet young
faces untouched as yet by the blightirg fingers
of sin and sorrow reminded US OF past Eden,
and of future heaven which " eye hath not
SEEN"
May God preserve them from evil may He
bless the labors of him who has banded those
children together in that sweet sisterhood
may He hear our prayers for the advancement
of that Holy and Apostolic church in whose
found and may He endow with His choicest
graces those good shepherds who throughout
the Iridium, have done so much for His glory,
and for eternal welfare. Let us not be
cast down. The church has never been more
conspicuous for holiRess among her clergy than
she is to day. The suferngs Of our Holy Fa-
ther do but magnify his virtues, and God will
watch over His own. Tho Catholic church
has seen the rise of all existing governments,
poIitical and ecclesiastical, she is destined to
suryiye them all, and to live until time shall
be no more"