The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-18
CHILDREN OF THE CHURCH.
Eight Hundred Little Ones Confirmed at One
Time.

Eight Hundred Little Ones Confirmed at One
Time.
Philadelphia Times of Monday.
Green garlands were twined around the pillars
Of the Church of st. Charles /, lneo, Tween
tieth and Christian streets, yesterday, and altar
boys, in red cassOcks under white SUPPLIES, were
swinging fragrant censers when the doors of the
ediice were thrown open to admit eight hundred
little children, who were to be confirmed by
Archbishop Ryan. The children assembled at 2
o'clock, in the basement of the church, and were
there marshaled by one hundred young ladies.
A little after that hour the Catholic Knights OF
temperance filed up to the church door and
were picketed along the street, making a path
way down which the children were to pass. They
marched out under the leadership of the Sunday
school superintendent.
The little girls, 800 in number, wore white
dresses to their knees, bright blue stockings and
low-cut shoes. Each dress was covered witt u
white veil, fastened in the hair BY a wreath of
orange blossoms and caught up in folds down the
back. The boys wore dark blue suits.
Archbishop Ryan led the procession from the
sacristry, carrying his gold crozier in his hand
The Rev. Fathers Walsh, Wyne, Croly, Dough
erty and Melon followed the Archbishop and
ranged themselves on either side. while he
prepared to don the vestments for the
When all was in readiness the notes of the
hymn, 'Veni Creator S%piritus, burst forth from
the choir at the rear of the church, and all the
orange blossoms futtered as the children arose
and passed in double file kown to the throne.
Many of them were mere tots and just able to
hold their white wells away from their faces.
For over two hours the Archbishop sat on his
throne confirming the children, while the music
from the choir swelled through every part of the
structure
The Archbishop was about rising, and the
dotted canopy of lace behind him was being
brought forward when a little girl approached
the throne. Her blossoms were the greenest
and her flowing veil the whitest, but her FACE
bore an expression of anxiety lest the Archbish-
op should leave before confirming her. She
came up the aisle slowly, leaning on crutches.
A sigh of pity swept through the great congre-
cation, and there was not a sound to be heard as
the little one laid aside her crutches, knelt down,
clasped her hands and looked up in the kindly
face Of the Archbishop. The ceremony was
performed, and a priest wiped the oil tenderly
from her forehead. She resumed her crutches
and slowly hobbled back to her seat with the
eyes of everyone upon her, and the music from
the choir ringing in her ears.
The Archbishop then arose and preached aser-
mon to the children. He explained to them that
the sacrament which had just been performed
was intended, like their baptism, to leave its inn
preston on them all through their lives. and to
make them soldiers in the army of Christ. They
had received a sanctiicatiOn which was destined
to give them courage in the hours of temptation
during their childhood and in their maturer age,
to act as a shield to them against the evil
sophistries and skepticisms of the world. He
then pronounced The Pontifical benediction upon
them.