The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-08-22
asrnIng star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW oaLEAN VI. sUNnAv. AUGUST 81 ls7s
JUVENILE COLUMN
THE sANeREAL.

WHow is body to know the meaning OF
/ al, the queer words in stories and poetry
Knights of the round Table, and the San
real; but what the Sapgreal means 1 do
55ot know !" and Eleanor pushed the book
4 sWsy from her impatiently.
q Perhaps" said her amt, "you would
ind it by looking into the large dictionary.
There ia a list of the words and nance used
4 in romance and poetry. at the end of my
unabridged dictionary"
Eleanor looked in the dictionary, but did
Enot find it. "Tbis is an early edition,
8Auntie; earlier than yours. 1 suppose
Heyery time they put ont an edition, they
#6nd more words to put in"
81 suppose So" said her aunt smiling.
ts Certain it is that every edition of the die
sttionary gives more and moro Catholic
words with Catholic definitions. They find
that even Protestants cannot afford to be
Ignorant of Catholic words, Catholic GUS
toms, and Catholic literature. In truth,
great part of the best literature of our times
& is founded upon Catholic traditions and the
Romance of Catholic times. This very
story of the Saugreal has been sung by the
English Tennyson aud by the American
names Russell Lowell within our own day.
This compels the people who publish die
tionaries to put such words into them, ana
elso to give them proper definition. But
since my dictionary is not here ! must tell
Fou myself. The word Ssngreal, as you
have it in your story, is generally written
In two wordsS San Graal, OF San Grail, and
ha San means holy, and Grael, Graal or
Grail, whichever way spelled, means cup,
Tradition that the chalice from which our
.ord drank at the Last Supper was kept as
~ precious relic by St. Joseph of ArimaGhae,
Bho carried it with him to England. There
& & also tradition that those who guarded
d must be pure in thought as well as in
Ak-h
those care it was committed allowed him
Blf to look with upholy eyes upon q mortal,
be Holy Cup, or San Grail, was mysteri-
usly removed from his care and from the
light of the people who came as pilgrims to
be altar where 1t was kept. In the time
- King Arthur, when every knight was
Imposed to be what we now call o practi-
Ral Catholic, that is, in the habit of going
ften to confession and Holy Communion,
he knights of the Round Table determined
10 go in search of the San Grail, or Holy
Cop, and very beautiful are the legends
which have come down to us concerning
heir adventures. They prove that in those
days our Anglo Saxon ancestors believed
lin the sign of the cross, and in the power
of innocence of heart to keep Off evil.
Every legend concerning the search for the
Holy Grail shows that good conscience is
the secret of true bravery among Christians;
and only those knights won favor with men
who had already won favor with God. AS
to those in search of the San Grail, only
those could hope to see it who kept their
hearts and minds free from stain. Does
your story tell you who found the San
greal ?"
"Why, Auntie, it seems to be an ever
lasting search, without any finding"
ooh, that is the Protestant way of tell
! ing tt 8 story, just rs they would have us
always ia search of the truth, but never
finding it. The Catholic traditions tell us
that Sir Galabad was allowed to fnd the
Holy Cup, because of his great innocence,
while others passed it by without knowing
it, and what miracles were wrought by it
i upon the suffering people who were of be-
lieving mind and devout heart. Sir Gala
had was in the habit of visiting the Holy
Cup, and generating it. At length, one
Hday when he made his visit to it very early
in the morning, hefound some one kneeling
before it surrounded by q company of angels,
and this stranger called to Sir Galahad,
saying: Come, thou servant of the Lord,
4 and thou shalt see what thou hast so much
desired to see.'
4 "And Sir Galahad's mortal flesh tremb
led right hard, we are told, when he began
to see spiritual things. Then said the
stranger: 'KuOwest thou who I am T.
Nay said Sir Gslahad.
"' am Joseph of Arimathea, whom our
Lord hath sent here to thee to bear thee
companionship.'
"Then Sir Galahad held up his hand to
Heaven, saying: Now, blessed Lord,
would live no longer, so it please Thee to
take me from this worldr so utterly had
the sight of heavenly joys won his soul
When he had said these words he turned tc
the knights, his companions. kissed them
and commended them to God. He ther
kneeled down before the Holy Grail, made
his prayer to God, and suddenly his sou
Departed, and great multitude of angels
bore his soul to Heaven, as the knightt
plainly saw. Also they saw a hand from
Heaven take up the vessel and bear it from
their sight. Since then no one has dared
To say that he had seen on earth the San
greaI."
:" think, Auntie," said Eleanor, with g
sigh of relief at the beautiful ending of heI
aunts story,"I think, Auntie, that you
must be my dictionary. am sure neither
III. Worcester nor DR.. Webster would have
gwen me as good q definition of the San
:. ~, There is nothing" replied her aunt,
hke allowing Catholics to tell their own