The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-02-02


moved on the festival day at q. m, from the
Cathedral to the shrine of the Saint, and thence
with his body to the sanctuary of the Church
Of the Bonn Jeeus, but also during the Pontih-
cal Mass at HE right side, and especially at the
opening of the chest, after the Mass. sermon
and Papsl blessing were over; for it was at his
direction. that only we Bishops had to
asset Kim in removing the lid. am told
that
IT WAS MOVING AND IMPOSING SIGHT
when we four bishops, in mitre aud cope, lifted
up the cover that hid the Saint's body, stand.
ing miracle, from the view Of the faithful, and
thus exhibited it to the eager eyes and hearts
of the thousands that thronged the church in
the nave below and in the galleries above. /
did not Observe the multitude ste ood for Q
long time gsz;pg at the head, the hand, the
feet, for they alone were uncovered, q rich
chasuble, embroidered with gold and pearls,
him, ss others did three centuries ago, and
stood
CONVINCED THAT THIS WAS THE SAME BODY,
once the tabernacle of that noble and holy
soul, chosen by God for the salvation Of mil
lions and millions of sonls. I kissed most rev.
pei of peace; and was then carried away from
the privileged place occupied, by the order
Of the day, which was to grant to as many
faithful as possible the consolation of seeing
God e marvel in His Saint. In the evening, on
that and on the four following days, the Arch-
bishop took MS again to the body Of the Saint,
in q private manner, when We had full leisure
to pour out our prayers for ourselves and for
those in our charge, and to examine m oct CLOSE
ly the body in Its present state. We clearly
found the statements corroborsted, which the
historians made about the injuries the body
had received on the aforementioned occa
sions. I was allowed to life up the right foot
and, being
BY NO MEANS OF AN ENTHUSIASTIC FRAME OF
MIND,
to inspect it leisursly from all sides; the same
did tpit ha and tho head The RIGHT
foot was quite complete and intact: the heel,
the sole, the toes, the nails, the muscles and
tendons beneath the skin, everything in per-
feet order and well preserved, though harden-
ed, shriveled, and of o brownish color. The
left foot found somewhat injured; the second
toe hanging broken, the three smaller ones
| were missing. and the skin of the heel was in
com parts det aohed, ct very strongly coherent
like the strongest leather. The right cheek
and the tip of the nose appeared injured, but
the eyes were fnll and not at all sunk In 30, too
the abdomen. the physician told me, who
| had examip ed the body. The left hand showed
| in like manner the sinews beneath the skin,
and the fiogers With the nails in perfeot pre-
servation. Notphere any signs ef decay! Italics
| in the original. Considering that
THR BODY HAS NEVER BEEN EMBALMED,
! but, ON the contrary, subjected to the most
| eff oient deoomposng agency of fresh and un-
Stacked lime, and to the humidity of an under
ground bnrial-place: that not even the riscera
| have been taken out but are still discernable,
as the offi1ial inquiry made by the physioians
| assures us, and that according to the laws Of
| nature, and their invarable action, ia every
other instance of q dead body, the body of the
Saint cuuld not be preserved incurrupt. as
| it is, wish to know who will gainsay that
] here is
MIRACLE OF THE FIRST ORDER
| attributed to no other power than the divine,
which alone can inhibit the laws of nature, and
aus pend their action for some higher purpose.
| The purpose of Gods working this undeniable
] miracle ls to prove the ssnctity of His servant
| and the veraoity of his teaching. It is impos-
| sible for God to confirm by evident miracles a
| false doctrine. The religion taught by st.
Francis Xavier is therefore divine religion.
| 1t is the ocIy one that ever has been confirmed
| by the visible finger of God, by miracles which
NEITHER NATURE, NOR ANGELS. NOR DEVILS
] are able to perform by their own innate powers.
The poor Goanese have to thank the Portuguese
nation for very little beside the precious gift
| of that holy faith, which, however, suffices to
| fill their hearts even now with grateful attach
ment to o Government from which they receive
and expect nothing, except now and then q
good shepherd and the permission TO see the
body of their apostle and patron. ossessing
in their Catholic religion an iDfsllible guide
to heaven, they afford to ignore the soctf-
ings of those who, in their ignorance and wilful
pref judice, are unable to discern the supernatu-
raj from the natural, aud
CALL OUR vESERATIoN OF GODS SAINTS SUPER
STlTI0N.
WeIlefs Goa on the feast of the Immaculate
Conception, f lied With great and ineffaceable
Consolstlop, ready to give witness to every one
of tho marvellous houor bestowed by the
of the E2st, st. Francis Xavier, TO walk in
W h oae footsteps is HEARTFELT desire and sole
an bition.