The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-02
ST. STEPHENS ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Solemn High Mass-Sermon by the Rev.
DIR. McGlynn-The Descent OF tho
Paracletc-What Constitutes the Cath
Ollie Church.
The faithful assembled yesterday morning in
large numbers in st. stephens church to celebrate
the feast OF Pentecost, the special festival by which
the Catholic Church celebrates, 1t were, its
nativity. The solemn high mass was sung by the
Rev. Father Flynn, assisted by the Rev. Father
Power as deacon and Father McCready as sub
deacon. The grand and impressive ceremonies
peculiar to the Catholic Church were gone
through with an accuracy and smoothness
creditable to the master Of ceremonies.
The music was rendered by the choir with
their usual artistic skill and finish while the yeni
Creator Spiritus' was very fine. Mr. Daniorth, the
organist, played some brilliant passages during the
service.
When the deacon had finished the singing Of the
Gospel the Rev. DR.. McGlynn assembled the pulpit.
Before reading the Gospel ana Episte he reminded
his hearers that on next Sunday
THE ANNUAL COLLECTION
for the Holy Father would be made, and impressed
on them their duty to help the Vicar OF Christ in
his financial difficulties, caused by the cruel laws
that have made SO many religious men and women
the wards Of his charity. He also announced that
during the month OF June special services would be
held in st. Stephens in honor OF the sacred hearts
OF Jesus. He took as his text the Gospel and
Epistle OF the festival, and preached an eloquent
and effective discourse on the
HOLY GHOST AND THE CHURCH.
He said THE whole lie oil Christ earth was
devoted to the formation OF HIS Church, to the IN
struction OF His disciples and apostles and to the
perfection OF the divine plan for the redemption OF
man. But for the completion OF the work OF Gre
ating the Church 1t became necessary that Christ
should go to His Heavenly Father to take His right
full place as Son OF God on the right hand of His
Father, and send the Paracete, who, as He told
them, "woud teach them all things" The fathers
OF the Churcn find a beautiful analogy between the
creation OF man and the establishment of the
Church. After the divine council ut which the
Trinity said, "Let us make man to our image and
likeness God the Father took the dust OF
the earth and out of it fashioned the wonderful
less, mere mass OF inanmate matter until
GOD BREATHED INTO IT SOUL.
In like manner the Church, the congregation OF
the followers, which Christ established during His
life by His preaching and His miracles, was soulless
until 1.-The days OF Pentecost were accomplished,
the form OF ''cloven tongues, it were of fire."
Then was soul infused into the mystical body OF
Christ and t. became endowed T with vigorous
vivilylng principle by which from small grain of
mustard seed was to sprout the mighty tree which
was to afford shelter to the birds o. the air and
grateful repose to the weared. We should be
thankful tnat we belong to the mystical
body Of Christ. We should rejoice that we
ures OF grace and mercy which the Church
possesses and dispenses. The Church is not
-
are living or will live 1t is all that vast body
united TO Christ by the most intimate union, the
Church being throughout the Scripture represented
as one great moral parsonage who Is at the same
time the body and spouse of Christ. The Church is
founded by and on Christ, Is subject to Christ, Is
ever governed by Christ and directed and assisted
by the Holy Ghost. IL is the mother OF the saints
always bringing forth children to God and training
them up BY the word OF God, continually preached
in 1t; by the example OF good men and the practice
OF all virtues, by the holy sacraments sacrifices and
public and private prayer But the operation OF
the Holy Ghost Is not confined to the verificatOn
Of the Church. He Is the spirit OF truth who is
leading the wandering and erring sheep into
THE TRUE FOLD
according to the words OF Christ "And other sheep
have that are not of this fold; then also must
bring, and they shall near My voice, and there
shall be enc fold and one Shepherd" We should
not only thank God that we belong to the fold, but
should pray that He may be pleased to send down
His Holy Spirit on those who do not az yet see the
light OF the true 1aith And as beautiful ana
most appropriate prayer would suggest the 'Ven
Sancte Spiritus" which is admirably suited to estab
lish the perfect reign of the spirit OF Divine love in
our hearts" The preacher concluded by reading
o translation OF that prayer.