The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-07-12
A First Mass.

If Catholics had q faith as lively as it is
sincere, the privilege of assisting at the first
Mass of newiy.ordained priest, would be far
more highly priced than it is now.
The priest stands before us clothed with o
power which surpasses ell earthly power, and
crowned with q majesty which exceeds all the
pomp and glory of the world. At his word we
believe that Jesus Christ descends upon the
altar, and there, under the appearance of bread
and wine, is really once more among the
childen of men.
1t has been given to great Saints to see
beyond the mysterious veil and to recognize
their loving Saviour in His new and wonderful
TRANSPORTATION. He was hidden, in the flesh,
from the eyes of the world during all the
thirty three long years he walked this earth Of
oure, and only once, in all that time, was the
Divinity revealed to. man. On Mount Tabor,
three favored mortals, Peter, John and James
were alone privileged to see the glory of the
Godhead Illuminating the humanity of Christ.
It is not, then, to be wondered at if only o
limited number of sanity souls have been per
mitted to see Him in the consecrated Host
He himself has told us that it was the mystery
of Faith, and must surely acknowledge,
upon the same divine authority, that "bleesed
are they who believe and have not SEEN"
We have before us a private Journal, dated
Montevideo, Sunday, August Gath, 1S45, in
which is description of the first Mass of q
young priest, connected with the highest and
wealthiest families of that place. At the
close of the Mass, the priests and other attend
ants in the sanctuary approached the foot of
the altar and kissed the extended hands of the
new priest, who then came down to the nave,
| where the same ceremony was performed by the
| congregation at large" etc.
Old men, young girls, matrons, youths and
children, all, might be seen Fastening to press
their lips to tt ose holy, consecrated hands.
| Whatever the labors which the future required
| Of them, whatever the burdens they might
carry, or the actions they might perform, they
were stainless now and sacred from their con-
tact with His sacred person, and even a. the
woman in the gospel touched hat Z" the hem %
His garment" these fsith-inspired Catholics
| touched the veneraEed hands which had
served 10 hide the Son Of God from the eyes
Of His creatures.
| We assisted, q few years since, at the 6rst
Mass Of young priest, ordained in thit
| Diocese, and were made to realize the 0wfu
sanctity of the act by tho vivid emotion of thG
celebrant himself His voice WA, the
French most elOquently express IL, " fnll O
tears" and his tremulOus accents came from
the depths of an OVERLOOKING heart. At tbs
" Our Father it was impossible to listen with
unmOfstened eyes TO the pleading, quiveripf
voice that uttered the Petition: "Give as thi
day our daily bread!n The present-this dag
II of days--stood clothed in all its dread beaut
before hia mental sight. It madO him &C
: knoEleaEs thadignity Of he Office, the powe
/ LOT his astioRs, theSanoEity Of his miasion, an
l ! he fslt that he was asking for moro than brea
3aloue. The body Of Christ was 10 be his fost