The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-01
A Great Collection Of Holy Relics.
Freeman's Journal

Freeman . journal
The Very Rev. J. NJ. Gsrtner, Mission
Jesus, and Pastor Of the Sclayonian Church
of st. John NepomuceB, at Milwaukee, has
lately returned from Europe, bringing with
him . very large number Of holy Relios-
very much tho largest, in fact, that has
ever been in ono repository, in this ceun-
and will remain till the frat Of next month,
in the repository Chapel OF the Church of
the Most Holy Redeemer, in Third street,
near Avenue A.
AZ some Of the daily papers, without
wrong intentions, have made Representa-
that are not correct, and that are annoying
to Father Gartner. we will give little ac-
count of them. Tho troubles in various
parts of Italy, and the danger of desecra-
tons in churches in various places, as we'll
as the confiscatiop Of SO many churches
in Rome, has caused vast many relics to
be sent to the Sacred Treasury, or Reposi-
tory, of the Vatican.
1t is thus that the Guardian of the Re-
pository, with the consent Of tho Cardinal
Vicar, Patrizi, has at his disposal, for be-
stowal on foreign churches, an unusual
ner was moot anxious to obtain for the
Uuited States az many as possible Of these
and Cardinal Patrizi most kindly encou-
! ragged this desire-sayipg that America
| had, hitherto, received comparatively few
and that he hoped sending large number
hither would increase for this interesting
| region the intercession of the Saints, and
inflame the devotion of the faithful here.
Father Gartner also obtained from Venice,
| with the consent of the Cardinal Patriarch,
some most precious Relics.
Among those now in the Chapel of the
Redemptorist Church there is the largest
piece of the Sacred Cross, we suppose,
that has ever been in America. 1t is one
inch and two lines in length, composed of
smaller pieces, most skillfully put together.
Another, most precious, is one of the Sa-
cred Thorns, from the Crown of Our Lord.
The point of this Thorn is broken off, and
it is, reasonably, supposed that it was 80
| broken at the time of the mocking at the
Pretorium, when Our Divine Lord was
smitten on His Sacred Head with the reed
in the. hands Of the executioner. The
usage, in removing particle from any of
Thorns, has always been, not to break it,
but, with very sharp knife, to remove q
particle from it's side, to make the special
relic.
Space would fail to recount all the pre-
ton. The effect on Catholics visiting such
treasury is very solemn, and leaves q
| wholesome recollection afterwards. Father
Gartner very kindly, almost every evening,
opens this Repository to veneration, and
gives some explanation to the faithful
who visit it at the set hour.
A very injurious impression has obtain
ed, somewhere, that Father Gartner takes
fec for admission to behold and venerate
| these Relics. This, of course, could not
be, nor did Father Gartner ever think of
such thing nor would the Fathers Re-
demptorists have permitted it, The mis-
take may have arisen from the fact that
Father Gartner has with him, also, very
excellent Panorama of the Grotto and
Church of Our immaculate Lady of
Lourdes, both of the interiors and of the
surroundings. including the pool outside
of the railing of the Grotto, from which the
miraculous water of Lourdes is bottled,
that has wrought SO many renowned cures
in the United States, as we'll as elsewhere.
This is a very interesting thing to see, es-
pecially for those who have obtained mark
ed graces for themselves or for their friends
by the devout application of the water of
Lourdes. The Father has, likewise, an
other Panorama, of the Holy places in
Rome. These are open for observation
each evening, at o'clock, and small fee
is taken for viewing these Panoramas-the
proceeds going to the support Of the meri-
torious and poor Mission among the Scla-
vonisus in the Northwest, to which Father
Gartner has devoted himself. 1t is his
purpose to visit the principal cities in the
United States, with the treasures of piety,
and ofinterest, that he has gathered.