The New York herald., 1877-09-10
ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF THE BLESSED
yIR0IN-sERMON by THE REV. FATHER
KEARNEY.
Yesterday having been the anniversary OF the birth
OF tho Blessed Virgin the services at ST. Patrck's Ca
ihcdral were unusually impressive The Rev. Father
Mor olclated celebran at high mass. Rev. Father
carney, who has but recently returned from Rome,
ascended the pulpit and preached from ST. Luke XVI,
3o
The Church, our kind mother, said the reverend
preacher calls on TO honor those icasts which
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Yesterday, through
out the whole Christian world. the Feast OF the
Blessed Virgin devoutly commemorated by overy
good Catholic To-day the Church calls us together
and asks us TO do honor and to tho ami
versary of the birth OF the mother OF God. This Is
day OF joy and thankfulness; day which Is celebrated
in heaven; day OF rejoicing to the souls waiting for
the coming of the Lord. Need we wonder. then, that
the Church should call together 10 celebrate such
glorious anniversary? II her nativity was day Of
joy her maturer years bring Still creator cause for
homage and prayer. When rs wc read IN the Gospel
that the child Mary grew 10 young maiden shc con
staptly offered prayers to heaven tnat she might see
the Redeemcr OF the world. Her prayers were hoard
and her petitions granted. when tho angel OF the Lsrd
sauled her. "Ha full of grace the Lord s with thee
blessed art thou among women ~ Then Tor the first
il made known TO her that she was the
chosen one whose seed TO crush the scrpent's
head Ah but Mary does not consent, she hesitates;
but at last, surrenderng herself TO me DIVINE spirit
exclams. behold the handmaid OF the Lord; may
it be done unto me according to thy word. :"
The Son of God descends from tho homo
of His Father and enters inlo tho bosom
OF Mary and she became tho mother Of God Really,
there is reason why the Church should ask US this
day to remember the mother OF our Saviour, to do
honor to her name supplicatc her iniercesson
for the forgiveness Of our ss. She Is our mother;
being the mother OF our Lord ana saviour Jesus
the Catholic Church. For this reason tho Church
desires do honor to the Virgin Mary. We should
.hn utnIf IN hos
that we suppcatng the intercession Of one whom
God oved--oyed much that He gave her to us as
mother, snc she stands before the throne Of
cd intcrceding for the forgiveness OF our sins.
REcoLLgCroNs OF ROME.
10 was my pleasure ard happiness tnled Father
Kearney to have recently kne at the feet Of who
beloved by the whole Christian world 1t has been
my privilege and my pride to stand IN the Eternal
Plus TX. AS 81 iood tners old me morcs recalled
memories Off bygOne time wero revived. called 10
mind when every in the Eternal CITY expected,
during the OF an afternoon walk, to meet with
the Holy Father remembered how hcy locked 10
the church whore he was to give MS benedicton;
when every church open; when the streets wero
filled with religions OF different ORDERS and the
vents with holy women. All these old memories came
flooding on my mind. But all changed. The
streets no longer fooled with the
i,gious; the holy men were banished from
over the earth; Gods temples dcsecrated,
turned into stables and barracks. seeug ali
this feeling OF grief overcaine me t. think tnat tho
City OF God was spatcbed from the Holy Father aud
handed oyer to his encmes. There longer q
Holy Father IN the Tenple ne was prisoner IN the
Vatican but when we were uslercd into his presence
all the old memories came back When his eyes
swept the audience II as il 10 take all who
were present into his heart well to include them
in his blessing. The same sweet SMILE the
beaming eye, the same benignaDt countenance, the
same sanity demsanor remained, though increasing
years had changed tue appearance of the physical
man but his spiritual characteristics fresh
as audience v0uchsaed the pilgrims tho
oath OF May.
We saw IN the person OF the venerable PontiT ono
who represented hnn wno cried out to our Lord when
the ragged and the vessel in danger, Lord
save rerIsh.' But Plus IX did not cry out,
lie never doubted tue mercy OF God ana he relied
steadasty the promise Of cur Lord TO HIS Church,
Thou Petor, and upon this rock VIII build my
Church. and the gates OF he'll shall prevail against
it.n We knelt ut the feet Of our Holy Father,
remembering that he had gwen his lilo to
Chrsls holy religion. AS knoll at hts feet told
him with pardonabie pride of his faithful children hcre
who remembered him, who sympathzed with him;
whose kind and loving hearts had sent to tell him
that II possible they loved him more as prisoner in
the Vatican than when he in the Tomple OF st.
Peter. We asked permission to bless you in his name,
that you might receive divine grace TO avoid sin and
and JOYS at the departure and JOY that the
head the Church faithful representative OF his
Master; model OF humility; model Of sanctity;
model vicar OF Jesus Christ.
At tho conclusion Of the sermon Rev. Father Kear-
ney pronounced the Papal bcnedctioh.