The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-17
ST. ALPRoNsUs' CHURCH.

Sermon by the Very Rev. Father Gross, C..
$. s. R.-The Vices of the Age and Their
Tendency to Infidelity-Thc Protectress
and PatrOness of the Church To Be
Universally Invoked for Intercessfou.
The Sunday evening sermons at the Church OF
St. Alphonsus, South Fifth avenue and Canal
street, are generally OF very interesting and
beneficial nature to the crowded congregations
which assemble almost unfailingy to hear them.
Last evening the Very Rev. Father Gross, Of the
Order of Redemptorists, who some few days ago
received intelligence from Rome of his appoint.
ment to the See Of Savannah, preached very
mastery sermon to crowded congregation
THE GREAT TENDENCY OF THE AGE
to plunge into sin and infdelity. The reverend
preacher without selecting any particular text,
referred to the spirit Of the early Christians and
martyrs whose names were immortazed forever
in the catalogue OF the saints. Those holy and
women of the past, whose sole ambition was to
serve Jesus Christ with unse1shness and con.
tnual love- should serve as examples and models
of piety and true goodness to all endeavoring to
attain their salvation. There was one among the
faithful retinue of saints who followed more
closely Jesus than all the rest and who chung to
His wounded feet on the tree OF the cross.
This one was Mary, His virgin mother.
Jesus love for Mary, he continued as great as
divine child could tender to mother He never
refused her a request. Oh no Is 1t to His dear
mother, His sweetest, most affectionate mother,
who watched over Him In Bethlehem, bore Him in
her arms into Egypt and stood by Him while He
was scourged at the pillar, while His head was
being crowned with thorns, while He carried His
cross up the rugged heights Of Calvary and lastly,
while the blood oszed from His wounds upon the
cross p? on, no; He has never, He never will refuse
to listen 70 the kind interceding prayers Of 30 fond
0 mother.
After thus eulogzing in the most affectionate
and appealing strain the love OF Jesus CHRIST ana
Mary toward one another, Father Gross said that
with many nowadays he feared there was only q
remnant OF the ancient faith alive. IL was not
warm, open and entire, like that or the saints
The present nineteenth century was one OIL nor
rors almost unprecedented. lie then referred TO
the bloody work Of the Paris Commune
THE AGrrArED CONDITION OF SPAIN,
which was being now classified for Its late negll-
gence in fostering as dearly as ever to her bosom
the faith of Jesus Christ, and perhaps for tempt
ing the Lord by presuming to place the son
OF the Robber King upon her throne "Let us
look at our own country he continued, land
what do We are not, indeed, by any
means, good people. The record ofvice, OF blood,
and OF an age OF wicked actions tells us plainly
need the protection and control OF some super
human power TO guide us to morality and place us
once more upon the true religious path which
can never be furnished by one foul deed.
fervor in prayer, and Of stricter devotion to
their religious duties. IL was not a strange thing
TO learn OF many OF them abandoning the latin or
their fathers because they became iorgetful OF the
practice and exercises OF their youth. Shame
upon Catholics who do not hear mass Sundays.
Shame upon parents who neglect to train up their
children IN the lear and love OF God. Here Father
Gross ADVISED all to pray to the virgin mother OF
God and ask her intercession for them from her
divine Son. He then said he would, after concud-
ing, bless picture OF Mary, the mother OF Per-
petual Succor, and have II placed near the statue
OF the Virgin over the side altar. lie related In a
most touching manner the story OF one Of the many
miracles which he himself witnessed through
n9yenas made " the Blessed Virgin before tDis