The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-06-13

the Church militant, and which merits the
benedictions of the Church triumphant, are
also like spectre which startles and confoupds
their enemies. These beautiful examples of
constancy against the fury of heretics are as
suredly not new things in your country. 1t
was in Silesia, two centuries ago, that John
Sarkapder was born, who, having grown up in
the practice of piety. devoted himself to the
souls. edited and sanctifed his fock. The
here&cs regarded him with hatred and, AMI
mated with an Internal fury, they had re-
coarse to every possible means of depressing
him. Having at last succeeded in laying
hands upon him, they overwhelmed him with
insults, and subjected him to the most cruel
torments, and made of him martyr, who shed
all his blood to affirm his faith in Jesus Christ.
1t pleased God to elevate him to the honors of
the altar some years since, and most certainly
in these days of trial he does not fail in the
height OF the heavenly regions to pray for you,
for your Bishops, and for your people. l will
add now that, in order to maintain yourselve
sure, and firm, and constant in right principles.
you, as we'll az all other Catholics, have need
TO obtain OF God three special graces, that
yon may walk with confidence in his ways.
Let me make comparison for you. suppose
that among you there are some who have
visited the Catacombs of Rome Under the
influence of good desires, and impelled by their
devotion, they have descended into the bowels
OF the earth to contemplate the Holy Necropo-
lis which has been the habitation and restiD G.
place of 80 many martyrs and other heroes of
the Church. There to lead him on in the midst
of the darkness, each pilgrim had need Of a
little light to show him The road and to pre-
serve his feet froG false steps; he had need of
a guide to point out to him among thousand
circnitous subterranean rontes which he must
follow in order to arrive at the holy places
where the Roman Pontiffs preached the truths
OF the faith and inf1amed the hearts of the peo-
pie with the holy love of God and, also, in
order to visit, with benefit to the soul, these
precious remains, he must have contemplated
with q devout regard these souvenirs of
f,f he Hrat hioh
hfteen or seventeen centuries ago, presented
themselves 10 the eyes of the faithful the same
as they are to-day, except in the poverty OF
their appearance, which indicated the endur-
ance of persecution. There, indeed, are still
preserved in those subterranean places images
of saints aud of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and
images of Jesus Christ, who, under the form of
a shepherd, bears upon His shoulders the lost
sheep, and is carrying it back to the sheepfold.
After having satisfied his devotion, the pill grim,
still with the same guide, still with the same
light, would have again repasSed by the same
staircase before he could one more perceive the
daylight or behold the splendor of the sun. My
dear children, three things are necessary that
we should remain faithful in the exercise of all
our duties. We have need, in the first place,
before all things of the light of Faith, so that
it may show to us in the midst of SO many
rors, of such false principles and of such bias
phemies that multiply themselves on the sur
face of tho earth, the sure road that we must
follow, which is that of truth, and that it may
thus preserve us from taking any false step.
ouO Wis 10 uOb 0uoURu. AB Inc ElRuG OF private
judgment for each individual, Inspired by q
contempt for the authority of the Church, or,
perhaps, by pride, has impressed the minds of
great many people, especially in your coun-
try, 1t is more thau ever evident that a
guide is necessary. This guide may be-
discovered in the pastors of the Church,
from whom we should receive holy counses
and useful Instructions, and should accept
them with docility and with willing and
well disposed heart At this very moment
your pastors, above all, are giving an ex-
is the object of general admiration. You
will say, perhaps, that it may sometimes hap |
pen that some particular guide may not indi- |
ate the right way. Yes, that may be SO; for |
the Catholic Church being spread all over the |
globe, and occupying a space that may be |
called immense, it may happen that some few
may have forgotten the truth, and that, having |
it they can no longer be able to teach
it TO Others. la that case, as always, you have
the Holy See, the Supreme Pastor, whose mis-
sion it is to recall those who err, and who will
say to the self-styled Old Catholics, to the lame
Catholic (claudcaDte), to him who would sur
render the iualienable rights of religion to the
exigencies of worldly politics, and lastly to him
who, though not entirely a Nationalist, refuses
nevertheless, to submit TO authority-he will
say to all, in the very words of Jesus Christ
Il He who does not gather with me, scatters."
Yes, he will say to them all that he who is not
IN union with the Pope does not gather, but
shrows the seed to the winds, and will never
produce fruits, or, If he does, they will only be
ruits Of iniquity. The guide who conducts
,he pilgrim through the subterraneous route
# the Catacombs points out to him the fgures
# the saints which are painted upon the moist
md defaced walls of these venerated places.
Ind so should the lives and the acts of the
aints be for us O serious matter of reflection.
We should initiate them. If we pay attention
We shall find that there is no individual class
# persons who are not represented by saints
n Heaven, who have left for all and for each
ne in particular special examples to initiate.
Widows may learn from them love of retire
nent, and married women zeal for the sancti-
cation of their families. In the nsble army
martyrs may be found young children who
ave sealed, with their blood, the confession
their faith men may discover there exam I
les of good sense and of Christian prudence;
IF L.