The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-03-24
DKr1Ne STAR AND CATHOLIC AEssENGBR sUNDA1 MARCH 2

! religion recoil on himself through the slurs of
the disaffected, and the oisaffected are found
| most frequently, If not altogether, among the
| readers Of the poisoned newspapers to which
| reference has already been made. Ia this
country, as in Ireland, priests receive their
mai ntensnce neither from the Government
nor from endowment. but directly from the
people. The system has it's advantages aud
| it's Disadvantages. Apparently depending 80
directly upon thcss whose misdeeds aud vices
| they are often obliged to correct and condemn,
the proper independence may be wanting, aud
a dissgreeable duty may be weakly perform ed i.
Again. IS sometimes happens, an excuse for
On tie other hand, more intimate relations
are maintained between priests and people.
What is worth having, is worth paying for.
While faith abides among the lsity, q reason.
able support will never be withheld from
| those who serve at the altar. Nor will this
be given in the light of hire pay. Chris
tians will feel that no compensation is ad-
eq1ate for such services as priests render, and
priests will feel that they give more than they
receive, even in the mercantile sense of time
labor and life, without reference to the inssti
mable value of the gifts dealt in.
1HH PRIEST WHO BEGAN IN HIS DAYS OF BOY
HOOD
to consecrate himself to God for the work Of
the holy ministry, and went bravely on to
youth and manhood, without even once halt.
ing or turning back, or moving to one side for
longiyears Of preparation, and the after years
OF fresh, vigorous, powerful work, gave you
Whatever his mind, soul and body were capa-
Bile of accomplishing, knows that you are
debtors to him away beyond any compensation
IN your power to make. 1T is not then as q be1gar
that priest conses before you it is in the Seeter
aud more pte8sIug relation of father aud chill
dren. He takes of your money what may be
needed for his honorable support. This is his
night this you cheerfully and gratefully ac-
cord. 1t is only with the surly grumbler and
small giver that he stops in common self
respect to calculate relative merits. No priest
in the Catholic Church lowers his head when
saying that they who serve at the altar have
right to live by the altar. No priest worthy
of the name would sacrifice his independence
and freedom to reprove, ss becomes his Office
through fear of stoppage of supplies. He may
content bimself with little, almost u ato starva-
tion, but the sacredness Of his office and the
honor of bis Master he will uphold at any
COST
1t is not in q spirit of fsult- finding that
have made these remarks to-day. It gives
me pleasure to say that great as have been our
fhoulties in carrying on the financial affairs
of the Cathedral from various causes. your
conduct towards your priests in those offices in
which you have been brought directly in CON-
tact with them, has always been worthy Of
honest, sensible and believing Catholics. You
cannot buy the sacraments, nor oan priests
sell them, but when opportunity is offered of
showing kindly appreciation of their ser
Woes, you have not been unmindful of the
duty Of making q suitable Offering, in q spirit
worthy of yoa and honorable to the priest,
neither blushing for shame.