The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-15
THE GREAT JUBILEE MISSION IN
ENGLAND.
The. London Tablets correspondent

bore in the towns of Manchester and Stafford
have been actively engaged in the ubilet
Mission which their Bishop had prepared
for them. Through the whole diocese il
may be said to have had it's effect in
arousing the feelings and devotion to q
moIe earnest preparation for the coming
festival of Christmas. Missions in single
churches are not unusual, but one grsHt
mission carried on simultaneously in all the
Catholic churches of theee two great towns
adjacent TO each other, is something an
precedented, at least IN England and
from all the inquiries have made it lie as
unprecedented In the extent of its effects
as in tho idea that originated it.
It began on the fret Sunday of Advent,
and ended on the evening of the 4th, in all
the churches except those three where the
mission was preached by the REDEEM ptorist
Fathers. In these-St. Patrick's, st Will
frid's, and st. Cbad's-o~iDg to the great
pressure of people TO the confessional, it
was TO cOntinue until Tbarsday, the 23rd.
From Inquiries which have made from
the clergy and others connected with the
churches, L have learned that up TO Sun
day last inclusive the Dambers who had
approached the Sacramento of Pensnce and
the Holy Eucharist were within q few OF
81 900, and in those churches in which the
mission is not yet closed the confeesiOnals
are nearly AS much crowded az on the pre-
ceding weeks. Such has been the recourse
to the confessional that the Fathers have
not been able to leave the tribunal until
within few minutes of midDight, aud in
some instances not until one or two O'Clock
in the incoming. The stirring up of reti.
gious feeling has not been limited to those
already within the pale of the Church, for
am Informed that the number of those
who have in the different parishes accepted
the offer of grace, aud joined the Catholic
Church, is some hat above 800
Every feature of this great mission is of
such deep interest, and every movement in
it has been attended with such success,
that l have ascertained as nearly as posi-
BILE the numbers of those who were special
ly engaged in it. OF these, am told,
there we're: Passionate, % Redempto-
rists, 20 or 81 !; Jesuits, 10 or IL Fran
ciscans, s; Vincentians, s.; Fathers of
Charity, I; total, II or -, or 70 besides
the local clergy and some priests from
distance, who have given their help.
1t has been remarked by many that it
has pleased God to aid the work of the
mission by sending fine weather: An un-
usually wet season, in this proverbially
wet part of the country, terminated at the
opening of the mission, and during the
three weeks there was not one wet day or
night to prevent the people from attending.
On Sunday last a census was strictly taken
at each service at each church throughout
the diocese. and it is said that the returns
show an attendance of a total at all the SER
uices of upwards of l16 600 persons. Some
of these are, of course, duplicate.
In some of the churches the first Mass
each morning was at O'Clock, in otbere at
crowded by those who had to hurry from
them to their long day's toll, who again at
seveu in the evening returned to the mis-
sion devotions, to those moving expositions
of the truths of religion, which have
aronsed such a spirit of fervor.
~
generally administered at the close ofo q
mission, are as extraordinary az the others
which have given you. Between Sunday
morning aud Saturday night it is said that
the Bishop has confirmed more than 5 600
persons and yet there are CONTRIBUTIONS in
ether churches to follow.
This is not the only work of these dsys.
The Bishop had summoned his Diocesan
Synod to meet on Tuesday, the Feast of
st. Thomas the Apostle. About l60 clergy,
Secular and Regular, were present. This
was for the prom legation of the Synod Of
Westminster, and also, | believe, for en-
acting some local DEGREES OF regulations
The Synod lasted for nearly i've hours, aud
was followed by a diuner, to which HE
lordship the Bishop had Invited all the
clergy attending the Synod.
This was given in the great hall or com
mon room of the new diocesan seminary,
which has sprung up, as 1t were, by magic,
Deeltt Tue CaCueuIdS slUCo hIS lOTuHnlp Z
coming To the diocese. 1t was gratifying
I" the clergy who had subscribed so gen
ercusly to the undertaking, when il was
fret proposed by the Bishop some three
Years ago, to see the reaiz atom IN 81 short
d time OF what would appear, to them even
In their zeal, at that time to be matter of
very distant accomplishment.
If these are but the seeds cast upon the
earth for the future harvest, what may We
not expect the abundance of that harvest
to be Manchester, which am told was
in the days of Elizabeth theGcentre of per-
secution of the Catholics of Lancashire and
the adjoining counties, may one day be-
come tne centre for the restoration of that
light of Christian faith which it contributed
then so etfectually to extinguish.-The
number confirmed at St. Wifrid's was
1883.