The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-05
LETTER PROM PENSACOLA.


tions from our city to your excellent paper,
and thinking another might rot 60 amiss,
take much pleasure in writing to You Of the
recent events that have transpired in our
midst in fact, shall confiue myself almost
exclusively to one subject-the feast of st
Patrick; o day memorable to Ireland and the
Catholic Church.
To say that tho day was duly observed would
not fully express it, for up to the present time,
within my recollection, save the wearing Of
the sha mrook and the green ribbon by those
who are identified with the day, and assisting
at the oily Sacrifice of the Mas, there Was
naught done. or course, Mr.. Editor, the act
Of going. to church, and on Bonded knee ozsr-
ing up our prayers to God, is the accomplish
ment Of tho grand object; but we naturally
look for moro from o nation Of people Who are
so famed in history for glories which can mover
die and, thanks be to God, and the venerated
and beloved Father Weninger, the seed which
he sowed is yielding fruit, and may it bring
forth ga hundred fold )" in fact, the societies
which have been organised since his depart
ure, and that took part in the celebration of
this day, are upmistakable evidences of the
good the Rev. Father accomplished in this
neighborhood.
St. Johns Total Abstinence Society, of the
Navy Yard, in response to an invitation, ar
rived here in due time, and marched to the
hall of the Catholic Union, where they were
met by the Total Abstainers of this city, and
the two bodies Joined, headed by their respect
i've pastors, the Rev. Father Lane, of the Navy
Yard, and the Rev. J. A. Bergrath, of our city,
wendell their way to st. Michaeps Church, to
attend the Holy Mass, numbers of the members
kneeling at the rail of God, and partaking of
the Bread OF Life. The men of the societies were
decked off in beautiful and appropriate regalia.
The Rev. ia. Bergrath oficiated, and also de-
livered q short but touching sermon upon the
life and character of st. Patrick.
At the conclusion of the services, the sooie-
ties returned to the Union Hall, where they
broke ranks and awaited the repost which the
ladies were preparing for them. To those who
had been fasting from the evening before until
10 O'Clock on this day, this banquet, with all its
delicsoies, was appreciated, as you can well
imagine. wish right here to draw contrast,
Mr. Editor, and while it is always sad to call
up the dark memories of the past, yet that
gloom and sadness are dispelled, as it were, by
the consoling realities of the present and the
bright promises of the future. refer
to the manner in which the day used,
as q rule, to be celebrated, and the edifyng
way in which it was observed on this occasion
Thus will the Irish of Pensacola and Warning
ton Navy Yard, who form no small fraction of
the population, ever preserve the memory of
this day green in their hearts as one on which
they did honor to their Church, their Patron
Saint and themselves
This tends to convince us all of the marvel
lous amount of good done by the late mission
airy, seconded, of course, by the indefAtigable
zeal and perseverance, of our pastors.
few more words, Mr. Editor, and I'll tres
pass upon your time no longer. Again the
societies are assembled at their rendezvous
and are formed into line by their leaders, and
marched, headed by the Pensacola brass band,
to Germania Hall. Here they were to attend o
lecture, as was previously given out, by Mr. P.
c. Murphy, who has recently come amongst
us. The hall was filed with q largo and APP
preoiative audience, and the time which inter
vened between the arrival of the societies and
that of the speaker was happily passed by
to the sweet strains which proceeded
from the band.
At 8 o'clock Mr.. Murphy assembled the plat
form and was introduced to the audience. On
either side of him was seated the Rev. Father
Bergrath and the Rev. Father Lane. Mr.
Murphy, if mistake not, comes from Canada,
though originally from Ireland-a true and
genuine Irishman, "unto the manor born"
He held his auditory spell.bound for at least
an hour and half, as he handled his great
theme with tho ease and elegance of an acz
complished Irish scholar.
At the conclusion of the lecture the society
of this city escorted that of tho Navy Yard to
the wharf, where they saw them safely en-
barked on board the steam-tug " Mary Louiss,"
when they parted amid deafening hurras and
cheers from both sides.
1 will close, Mr.. Editor, by saying that
this day will long be remembered must
not omit to say, however, that the pro-
Seeds of Mr.. Murphy's lecture, as 1 am told,
was divided between the Sisters of this place
and the Navy Yard, an act which is very COM
mondable in that gentleman.
g. SUBSCRIBER.