The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1878-01-20
Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
I : no. oRIEHHs s1NDAT' JANUARY 90 1879.

HblB ehe ola going oNory uey " sA"' 70
Dom, climbing mp that rough stairway ana
6pending hours Of her time in this noble
manner, until was enabled to give him the
Sacramento and prepare him for the hour OF
death, which followed soon after his reception
into the Church.
I need not tell you how edited was by
sthis wealthy and high-born lsdy's charity rs
displayed towards lowly, eyed slave.
There 10 q
SECOND PHASE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY
even more beautiful than the the fret. Faith
ssaohes that every poor, abandoned one,
every helpless outoast, every sick and suffer
ing creature is q child of God-a child of the
Heavenly Father. All, if we had little one
whom we had lost, how thankful we would be
Lac some kind friend should rescue our poor
darling, take him in from the cold night air,
olothe his trembling limbs and comfort his
little sorrowipg heart. How eagerly we
would seek for an opportunity to return the
kindness done to our beloved child. In the
same manner does our Heavenly Father act
towards those who befriend his little ones.
81 1t lis this which makes the sweet Sisters OF
charity take up the orphan left to the mercy Of
heather world. They supply fireplace of the
Rarents who have left it, giving it all of
7nothers love for the cake of the Father in
Heaven. was once asked by surgeon in
$he United States army to let him know the
secret of all the devotion displayed by priests
md Sisters in moments of danger, in times
~ epidemics, etc. We see them at their
posts, faithful to the last, and when one falls
hnother takes his place. The secret is that
they work for Heavenly Master. In every
lick person, in every suffering member of
The human family, they sec q child of God.
Far from seeking the applars of men. they
rather shrink from it, for We see the Jealous
PRIEST concealpg his good works from the
observation of the world, while the Sister of
Charity hides even her name from the know.
ledge of the curious. I remember few
years ago that during tie prevalence of
yellow fever in ono of our Southern cities. .
Sister of Charity was stricken with the
plague while discharging her duties of nurse
In The fever ht sptal. She died and was
buried. No monument was raised above her
Mead, no tablet was erected to her memory.
She had given all that can be given to tho
aervice of the poor-her youth, her strengths,
her unselfioh ministry, and even life itself, and
yet her resting place was only marked by
plain white orose. with the simple words: "a
Sister of Charity"
8# What was her name-who was her father
who was her mother The only answer to
these questions was ga Sister of Charity"
She had worked for the Father in Heaven, and
to Him alone she looked for recomPense.
And perhaps many of you may have heard
of the poor wounded soldier who had been
nursed through months of pain BY a Sister of
Charity, and who, when the death-hour came,
was asked if he wished to see clergyman.
I" know nothing of any religion" he replied,
" but would like to belong to that Church
which has those misses il the white bopuet.'
And when at last priest was brought to the
dying man, he called aloud for lis nurse, his
gentle nurae in "the white bonaet" in order
that she might assure him of tho priests
ability to bring him into the Fold as
that to which she belonged. Aud thus we see
these angelic women saving souls we'll as
healing bodies, and doing all their work
without reference to any earthly reward, be-
cause they know that every Christian is @
child of God, and that they, we'll as their
7owly poor, are all children of a common
Father.
Thir characteristic of true charity, this
shrinking back from praiEe, this avoidance Of
mans appreciation, lest it should lessen in the
heart the supernatural motive which prompted
the charitable deed, is well shown in the his
tory of q noble lady who petitioned the Bishop
o1 her diocese to allow her to take from the
hespital one Of the many sick and helpless
patients, in order that she might wait upon her
With her own hands.
The Bishop gave his consent, and the pious
lady soon had the happiness of giving her own
peIsonal care to an old woman who was bed
ridden and ipfrm. Meeting the lady some
time after this, the Bishop was surprised to
And that ale YVES very much dissatisfied with
hnr patient. The poor old recipient of the
lady's bounty was such o grateful soul, SO
rssigned and humble, that she gsve o trouble,
sad constantly called down Gods blessing upon
her noble benefaotress. The good lady, fearing
60 lose the merit of her charity if she was
praised and commended, besought the Bishop
to give her another patient from the hospital
The Bishop gave orders in accordance with her