The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-21
FINE CHURCHES IN IRELAND.

In Carlow and Wexford new churches
have been built, and in country place the
farmers without any aid from any quarter
had built q hne edifice the like OF which
they wouid not see in any country place IN
Canada. He had forgotten 10 mention that
they were building and nearly finished
magnificent cathedral at Queenstown, the
port of Cork. that would cost 5000 600 Our
church cost Sc. 600; and we think we have
done wonderful work; and yet the people
of that little place have built a church cost
ing over halt million of dollars. He
wonid leave them to draw their own infer
ences as to what u ust be the faith, devotion
and plety of the people who were putting
up those churches.
He noticed that in Ireland there we're
always large congregations in church-of
both Old and young, business men and 9th
ers. In Dublin the people commenced to
pour INTO the churches at five O'Clock in the
| morning and continued to fill them until
O'CLOCK at night. You might go in at any
hour you liked and there was always per
petuai alteration going on, and the churches
were we'll filled. The business men of the
city, the servant of men and women, the
rich and poor without any distinction. He
Gather Stafford) went to the Jesuit church
OF st. Francis Xavier to hear Father Burke
preach. The pulpit was at the middle If
oae side of the building, and when the
preacher entered it he Gather Stafford)
turned his head to look at him. He no.
tlced, however, that all the rest of the con-
gregations did not turn their heads, but
looked straight towards the Altar. He found
on inquiry that turning his head to look at
the preacher was regarded as q practice too
peculiar to America and he did not feel
hattered at the distinction. The people
were earnest and intent in their devotion,
so that when you went il to pray you could
almost feel them pray. He never saw any
mel, either Protestan or Catholic, lettering
outside the church, butrhey always walked
straight on as soon as they got To the door,
aud they generally fastened their steps as
they neared the entrance. He hoped his
congregation some day or other would be-
have III the same way. He noticed that II
was common thing for the family to lock
up the house and go into the church at nine
O'Clock at night to say the night pray ers !;
you would see little family groups all over
tue church engaged in devotion. Could
| there be anything more beautiful or more
edifyingF Another praieewortby thing he
noticed in Ireland was the frequency with
which members of the church built the
aitare. This they looked upon as a special
privilege. Mr.. Fitzgerald gave the CHURCH
| In Cork an altar that cost SO 00O A young
lady in New York presented one of the side
affairs IN Armagh Cathedral at a cost of S.
OOO, and the other side altar was the gilt Of
another young lady. farmer not very
rich had given the altar of the church 10
Loneford, Kings county, county place,
at a cost of $500. The altar in the cathedral
at Belfast was the gift of Miss Coyle-and
one in church at Cork from n Mlss Kelly.
Lecture delirered in Montreal, Canada, bv
Father Stafford.