The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-04-07

/ {Ireland) let my right hand be forgotten. Let
my tongue cleave TO my jaws, IL do not re-
brutal England), blessed shall he be who ehall
repay thee thy payment which thou hast
paid u.s." Recount to them the bitter
ness of the chalice which was given to
Ireland in the days of the Plautsgenets
aud Tudors Point ont England's duplicity,
her meauness, her want of honesty in all
her dealings with Ireland. cay, however,
that ireland kept her faith and preserved her
nationality in spite of all the persecu tiors aud
then Irish men, your children and your neigh
bors will be fired with the spirit of all true
patriots, with love for their country and an
eficscious and sacred desire of seeing her free
and independent as she should be, and each
St Patrck's day will thus make us more
thoroughly Irish and more purely Roman
Catholics.
We MAY WELL BE PROUD OF OUR HISTORY,
Of our faith and of our patriotism, and of the
apostolic spirlt of our peoplel Even since we
have been under the despotic sway of Eng
land, in our poverty, which was brought upon
us because We would not give mp our faith,
have We not sent to every laud our learned
and pious missonnriesf
In every country Of Europe, in Africa, Asia,
India, Australia, are to be found Irlsh Preiates
and Irish teachers. What would America be
and teachers in academies and seminsries, II
it were not for the Irish Z May God, in His
own good time, grant Independence to onr
dear land, may He even hasten that time, in
which Ireland's sons will have joy in bursting
the chains that have so long fettered her
noble limbs, and that she may once more be-
truly Roman Catholic. nation most just, q
nation most holy, nation most honorable, and
hatief most fesFae6--it is-o sE-dntyr rtrisb.
men, to pray for this 1t is our duty TO pru-
dently, wisely, nobly labor for this, for true
patriotism does not consist in words, IN speech.
making, in delivering harangues, bnt in being
willing and ready to even die for our country
when the interests of that country demand
snch aacYifina hhndA. The hplu Scrin-
tnres warns us to "never trust an enemy"
England is the sworn enemy of our faith and
nationality; she has always deceived us, and
she hos never conceded anything to us except
when forced, or when she was in difficulty,
and it was her iptere st to conciliate us. Then
it is plain that we have to rely On the osHpon's
ing scimitar. Religion fret and above all
thipgs-that means obedience to God and to
His Church, then love of country. I would
sum up in few words what ], as a priest, re-
the topic already discussed, and in my three
fold capacity, concluded my meditation this
morning. oh. God beseeoh thee to liberate
noble. faithfql @ Ireland from the infernai grasp
she has ever bean 60 faithful to the Church, and
80 honest in her dealings, but yet, my God. if
you fer see that she would lose her faith by be-
leave her shaokled, and, if necessary torture her
still more, yea, my God, blot her out of exist
ence before she loses what che has ever priced
most-ber faith-or before che Wonld abandon
the Pope as other nations have done. But.
oh, Godi if Ireland will remain true to thee
in becoming free, 1 don'G doubt it Tor mo-
ment, and will continue to be Roman and
Apostolic, then in the Rame of the triune deity,
let her slavery be ended before to morrow's
sun shail rise send your angels to deliver her
from the thraldom which has lasted 30 long.
This is my religion, this is my patriotism, and
it embraces all legitimate means. May God
and His Immaculate Mother and our great
Apostle guard the faith and nationality of
faithful Ireland, and give strength TO the arms,
and victory to the heroes who will wisely, pru-
IDENTIFY and legitimately fight for euoh a noble
canse against the most cursed of governments
that ever ruled an oppressed nation, or more
properly speaking, that ever misruled most
Catholic nation.