The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-11
ROMAN CATHOLIC WORSHIP
ONE SUNDAY NOhNTNG IN ST FRAN
CIS XIyIER'S CHUHCH.
A Series Of Masses Very Impressivciy Com
ducted-Earnest Phases OF Devotion How

i
more OF our Roman Catholic sisters, uro awake
aud In the street at that hour on their way TO
| mass every sunday. This | saw myself yos,er-
| day morning, for impellej, am sorry to say,
more by curiosity than by devotion, l was 90
the Sixth avenue cars at that time on my way
from tbs As'or House to the Jesuit Church OF
! st. Frsncis Xavier in sixteenth street, t.tween
sixth and Fifth avenues. Few protestants or
non-Catbohcs In America at least know why
our Roman Catholic brethren begin 40 early In
tho morning. II Is because every priest Is
Obliged 10y hi. vows to say mass ever morning
| before he takes his breakfast; and beside this
no Catholic receives the Eucharist or Holy Com
munlon except before breakfast; aud as piOus
Catholics are enjoined to receive communion as
often as possible, Of course tho early masses
every day. but more particularly on sunday are
! much resorted TO In city whore there Is such
large Catholic population as We have In Scs
York. l had heard that IN the gray dawn o.
every sunday the scene IN Sixteenth street was
rematkanie one that the numbers who wor-
! ship at tho early masses Wero SO great that
Protestant stranger. invariably gathered on tho
Sidewalk opposite the church In numbers hv
eilht o'c ock to gaze In wonder AZ what wss to
them remarkable sight actually thousands Of
| lcisons goins into or coming out Of church.
AZ the door Of The PLATA oid church stood at
thiong, which at that hour Il not very dense
liut Aitcr took my seat $40 men aud women
continued To drop In uy uucs, twos. and threcs
.nii tue church Was about twO-tt.,da tan.
lhc mHJOrity OF THESE wOrsIippers were
mon, ana aitnougn nIott Of them were evident
ls ot the wcil-to-dO class Of uomcsucs, there
were also many who were as evidently women
of oa-e anu leisure, OF wealth uerhap-. and GER
tainlN Ot trat hgh-bfed kiud OF rrf.omcnt that
belongs 10 tue ties dtrOtt. l was imlre-aed with
Two tblnss-the quet. absorbed. doNDu; dvDurt-
meNt OF all, ana tue manner ~ their devotion.
Each one dipped his or her nngere M a brnrze
basin OF holy water ON entering tie cnurcn,
made genuheAiVn before snteting the pew,
and then sans to a knceling position, with tho
tody peiie'tlN uprisht ara the ca toward the
altar then making the sign Of the ct0 a.. each
one seemed llstiu prayer. some H.n,eI their
tcsds ot utrs lr ytl tn tnuir bopAs Iu their
hands, although II was too drIK ior Them tD re- id
. Word, whic thrrs simply cllsued their hands
ont. aacK 4, 80; m = ~ front "a me on ~ ,ynicu
they kneit. Unf-m trAcd, Tor oil were absorbed
Ia devotion. took seat among Them, 1ud
!Jokeu around In toe twilight u the church
lhe aim rANs of the rapidY Frightening morn
'ns wrIe .uursnng IN through he 'dned
giA~s wludows, pattt tly disleil'ng the uatkhess
when fingered ia the .,le- a.pi feCesses. v
ihi Tue ioteror wori app ara. =, with Its
ball revealed pictures frc.clcd Oh the wal,s and
arou.j ceiling. Inc only hxhts. wbicn made
'ae darkness seem mnro diI, we're a few tinv
twinklihg Jets Of gas. which formed a crown ~
lght sbYss tne head Of tne statue Of tho
blessed virgin, ana the lamp. with It's mud,
perpetual ray, tnat Is krpt ever burning before
tne conseora'ed wafer N the 'rabern.cle.
Its white laced clo;h aud golden orn
ments, and The crucinx above cleaned
walls Of the s. % AS me the a:GE @ hciS.sd i5fsSssd
l saw tn Il those frescucs folG the stories Of tina
resu rection I ..nzarus ana of J,igus's c.ngh.
ter. OF the ueath of IT. Fr.ncis AAu.r In Tue
East. and OF the nirth. life, rTuclxIUn. rcsurrec-
ton and ascension OF Mary's son. Arnund the
galleries. hung Twelve pictures In oils of III.
stations OF the Cross" as the journey ofCnri,t
To Calvary l. called oy Catholics. just n. l wAs
oim scene, % loaSed iS as!sbss go x Gnfisian.
In tue Cstacouius 81 home IN ths days VI th4
- Ia If hss n Af nj
city, my attention was attracted Uy the murled
sound VI gong-like bell end tho entrance Of a
young man with wand, on the tnd Of which
burned taper. lie ligutcd sever Of tho
candles Oh the altar ana then Anslt 90 one side,
with,n tDe rails. Immediately prest, ar aged
ia wni1e silken Nesthehts hni iAee' s"ep; m
bearing golden chHlce, preceded bv little
phR-. baDited 10 a flowing red s. Itaae aud snort
wntte sutpuce ~ muslin AMI Ice. The priest
paused = moment befure the altar, removed his
IIle black can' aud .hen aseended the steps
Tue service OF tue Mass ocg N, Ia Latin, hut
fiom the translation w1ich | found In litte
mlss In tue psw which occupied, gathered
tnat wLIcn already partly knew, that It COM
memo'ated tue sacrifice ou Calvarg ana thit In
the supremest act OF It's worsbip Ca.hO nrmlY
believe that the bread and wtDe and the -acii-
nee are made tue Real Presence Of tue Body and
BlDoO Of Cnrst
sas the only person present who seemed the
least distracted from the service. for confess
looked about me. Al tuna tc ola gray haired
sexton VINO -sl not tar ir IN me, aud who from
time to time 1T iuttive Rlances at me. seemed
,scHked But he nttio knew how much was
admnins sud envyins tnat devoutness watch
When the altar clOts ~-- tntoNn across thA
rail tor tao reception Of tue Eus"Afi-1 ny the
COMMITMENTS. llue after line OF then .'-sssd
up and led the rail ng In and again. Ne ~,
eyery one IN tho church received communion,
ana II was more tnan two-tnlrds fun. Another
priest Ia gown and surplice, aided In tho distri-
button OF the cunsecrated wafefb. Then, after
all we're rived, the officaing priest, after read
tng the remainder uf tue service, passed out by
tne ooOr Uy whicn no mad entered, preceded a.
lie came by his little page.
Another mass followed. and another, the con
gfo cations becoming more and dense
Z, ca service. During the third mass / rose aud
passed luto Sixteonth street lhe sidewslk,
were packed. aud only narrow passage was left
cieaI IN tue middle ol the street. Still tao plpss
ing thrut,gs were courteous and decorous nay
formed thre al Of an alley FOR tnoae T. Las
out oy rur we're c"lnlns uut ~ the church. and
they we're ia the meantime sippns In by twos
egress ana iDsress to the interior Of the buiid-
ing. wen down an alley between masses Of
human oeings, turning to the leit AS | came uut,
aud passed down some stone steps at no eide
of tue church that lead 10 its basement. Look
ing through the Windows Of this basement |
SAW that II TOO was l,Tgs chapel. Ia II were
several aitafs, and ~ Two u them pres were
orlrbraiihg m So. dii not enter as thls chapel
woi shIppers tuan the one abuvs. but rc1urned o
the On .Icu, aud tuls time 1 took Peat in TIE
gallery near tho large orl.n with ia great rila-
ed pipes. Anuth'r mass hAl begun nnd the
chuich was more througed tnan Al either OF the
nrst, ne venerable lrest at the altar was an
idehl priest. Ine sWoetne,s OF his soul was pic
tuTed In MS aged uut beautiful, delicate lea.
tures set IN fIinge ~ SILVER white nnir.
COMMITMENTS at TINS service, which was tns
1850 mass. Al little past O'Clock hoard
st hlns OF sweet music Tising as II through the
hOur of the church from the basement below.
descended at once rnd found the lower CHAPEL
nied with little girls ana rger ones, OF all arcs
from four to eighteen or twenty. 1t was a
lovely sight hut tue old dutY-lOviu2 sexton
would not let ne enter unless mad permit 70
assist at the childrens mass. So to the priests
Residence at the end OF the basement .llsy ran
TO get the DeIu.It. 1he door was opened by a
lay brother Of small stature but Large heart, a.
/ could see by hi, KIND manner. lie
aided me, too IN my request TO the priest
for the permit, and after nome re-
luctance 1 presented with the coveted
eiip. bore II 10 triumpn to the sexton, ani
was soon seated among the little gIrls l can
not describe how lovely and modest those
young ere lures looked rapt in their devotions
at that early hour. Not mead was turned,
not rude or disCOurteOus stare was leysiled at
me, though am sure tom the reluctance with
whicn the permit was Rtvon mat the presence Of
All adult Is a very unusual thing at tnat hour Ia
that chapel. All quloty ION wed their books,
or. II they raised .uUtr eyes, IL was tO fix them
on tue altar, where the pUrst was cslebr ting
mass or giving communion. A large number Of
the children received tnis sacrament, passing up
TO the oltar with thelr ll,tle hands clAspod and
their eyes cast dOwn. Atthr organ was Young
girl, She accompanied tne singers wi h remark
able judgment ami taste for 50 young person,
aud tue fresh young voices rang out sweet aud
oloaT: IL sounded like angel minstrelsY to me,
but am not a critic. have talent for adj
mIrHtlOn, and | IN "A mood To