New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-27
PULPIT SKETCHES.
THE REV. THOMAS r. WARD, OF ST. CHARLES
BORROMEOS CHURCH BROOKLYN.

had been prc yosy occupied by the Episcopal PARISH
If Grace Church under the ministry of the Rev. DR..
Francis Vnton and upon the removal OF tins cohgreg-
ton To its spacious and attractive edcc on the eigs
In what il now known Grace Court, DIR. Constantine
pise purchased the little chapel in Sidney place as
rayng point for the few and scattered Catholics OF
that ncnhborhood. Few priests of his day enjoyed II
finer reputation for brilliant accomplishments souhu
srholarship and q certain breadth of culture Whch
found currency and welcome outside aud above eceles-
osticnl limitations. Like DIR. Cummings, OF ST.
Strphcn's New York. lie was thorough cosmopolitan.
without detrinent prejudice tn his priesty once
For eighteen years DR. lse administered the affairs oi
bia growing parish meanwhile imprcssng upon it not
little Of his own distinctive characteristics in 'ie ele-
eori CELEBRATION of its solemn services. in the adorn
mens Of the sacrcd temple in the dramatic impressive
MAS or The mass music and more than ALL In the social
aud intellectual tyrc pf the congregation at high mass
which hal. under line law of personal selcction
sought his mnisration9. icthaps no alh'hr patl'h
Ia Ihn ,ocese Is moro independent of paiochial
boundaries la families come from every direction
aud aoinr uf them hong distances still dtnwh and held
h, the tmdil destinations ~ we eallrd mhis,il
Influences happily mt the pa'iah, renewed " NOT rem
httpl ht tho ltphssitp uAaiuAra TIE lhilr chapel
tp aroN ahi srfral uhlrr tho STEADY pe'a'lie
81 tts sihi hnDh aht anf uss ~ destruction lA
dfn nG.V tnub siapr 90 tho mnip4 hit earariiHa
church that nav aH1tda ROOM ht rlhsirhaleh ni
''Nt the I,aK ot nr rise, in s07, he was sueereiei
hy Ia irrr man ~ harmony with ihn traditions al
tho parish which lost nuthhA iewl"ie, at Us social
e,tigc duiRg the sixteen years OF hla administration
lhdeel there has taLth place ddllh4 lho't Years +"
steady certain development o paruchid activities ia
SUNDAY school work. In practical charities ia the parish
schools IN sodalies, and IA the care ana Visitation Oi
tbe sick and disTesse under branch OF the Society
of St Vincent de Paul DIR. Frccls administration re-
Gently terminated in his decease, and the senior assist
ant, the Rev Father Ward, presumably succeeds to
the pasorate lie native of Brooklyn and received
his academic and ecclesiastical education at home and
among the Supican Fathers of Baltimore lmmcdi-
atey after receiving priests orders he was asssned
to dutv ten wears ago under DIR. Frccl and has re-
NAMED by his side a co-workcr until called uDOn TO
succeed him in the charge of this great parish Father
Ward is therefore, literally " to the manor born'
and there is slowing up, nor hcsitancy, nor waste
fll stoppagc in the intricate workings and multiplied
duties of the church. Like the L&Ieaics bIo9kIet,
men aud priests may come and go, but the parish life
and work hurres on perpetually mere Is only a
change of hands at the wheel, while the ship, unnlnd
ul, never sweryes IN her course.
STRENUOUS DUTY OF A CATHOLIC PRIEST.
There are few subjects about which the outlying
religious worln entertain such nebulous conecures "a
the parish life of the Catholic priesthood Careful and
privileged study in this direction has driven away
plenty Of illusions and brought to light many grave
and significant realities Father Ward with all priests,
must say mass, daily. lie must read the allotted
chapters of his Drcy iay Book of Deyotions daily
lie is always call, day and night, fur the sacra
mental Offices Of his Church and the relief and Of
the sick aud distressed An unbrokcn night at the
clcrgy-house If a rare experience. The closing deys
of each week he and his two assistants must devote
almost exclusively to the severe aud wcaryng duties
of the contamination "a many rs six or seven or
more hours without relief And this l. the Sunday
prrparatiOn the scrmOI-grOwng time when most
preachers shut themselves within the learned and
privileged sccuson of their libraries There l., withal
strict abstinence from midnight Saturday until after
the Sunday mass.
There are five masses said in this church every Sun
day morning, in presence OF more than oQOO different
persons and but three priests in the parish The pas
tor assumes an heroic proportion oi thI' dGty cclc-
bTates twice. the second being the Grand llgh
Mass M o'clock sings all tho elaborate altar ritual,
and breaches rOusing sermon from the altar steps,
winding IN with proIactcd scancc for personal and
official cTrdS of half an hour or longer before e re-
tires to the rectory and breaks his last. Yet lie enters
the sanctuary tor the main service oi the morning. with
brisk, elastic pace ~ if he had never known fatigue
aud had Just emerged from rest1ul morning among
his books. He taxes up his collects VerscIe ana rect
tatiyes IN ringing mcl0dlons voice, more muS'aI
in timhro than any of his celebrate choir and he
fills the great church with the quaint dcv0uncss of the
ancient Plain Song. for with him. literally, " orare
est cnntare =; and one may plainly enough that
every attitude and posture eNacted by rubro l. any
thing bat q pclltmctOry, mechanical oh 'dionce, rs he
quickly aud most TcNcrcntly advances through the
sacred sormnitics at the close of whic-and he has
oHciatcd alone at the atar-nc reads the Gospel for
the day in English. In resonant voice and with eX
cccnt expression although IT IL wei enough under
stood that the trained singing voice IL rarely service
able for oratory The Gospel furnishes him subject
for his discourse, IL usual among the Catholic
clergy And 1t IL palpablc, sharply outlined subject,
level with the capacity of the simplest mad in church,
set touched reyercntly and handled 50 mantuy
that no ear will refuse its tribute while he speaks
There ia manuscript and no sibo token of prcpara
ton aud yet there il nothing of the furry and sctam
bo Of u uake-shit, eNtcmpore OCCASION Tho severe
aud Irotrictcd training ot two years and more OF
homctic--o logic rhetoric and moral philosophy.
together with constant dull in speaking both In
Latin aud English, IN defending and attacking tbescH
and In delivering conferences aud sermons before tho
professors leave the young scholastic ready for quich
sure work as preacher
MANNER or FATHER WARDS SERMON.
The scrmons of Father Ward stripped ct all liter
nry embellishments and rhetorical ornament They are
not di.cursi,c bat there "a steady conycrgcnco Of
purpose Thought and persuasion until the preacher
rrcw persistent and almost every eye WA glmciug
down the ri0cd barrel Of his keen attack. There tx an
unconscious, ringing mdcrouc Of authority too, In
the uttcraucc omcthing OF tho fearless Of
the herald of approaching majesty alike houghtcss
and uncunccrncd ~ 10 criticism 10 IL like the
message of standing and living between the living
aud the dying. OpprcsHivcy real and rcsouic. Yet II
i. calm, earnest, without heat cliuOr, aud down
somewhere near the bedrock of primitive cVanGehc
preaching In tine sacrisiy Father Wand scenic mex
haIsIhly bright and hearty hS tall, generous grace
fll figure bctokcuug 10 Wcll-Ordcrcd life and con-
suinnatc health, his expressive, mobile features glow
in dark eyes and animated conversation singing him
ont a. a pastor likely to win and hold his flock his
predecessors have done before him. Yet Father Ward
has holiday of only one sunday and IT, two weeks
dnrng the ecclesiastical year. does not leave his parish
diocese without episcopal PERMISSION and while in
charge of the most important parish IN the diocese
reoiccs and i happy in stipend Of $500 year and
his subsistence in the clergy house One rarely sees
u gray headed Catholic priest, and a glimpse at Father
Wards official lite suggests almost the cruel eXraya-
gan 20 of church system which atori 10 out
such men almost before they reach meridian
The church building is a touching illustration of the
NOUS resources Of devotion i'll making little money
serve great purpose. The church is low and unprc-
tending. Its slender spire does not get much above
the empowering trees, and the stranger would not
easily find the place. But within every foot of space
and wall surface reniorces the erand and message of
the sanctuary. Excellent tresc0eS of sacred themes,
here i'm color there in monochrome the ceilings
and spaces The sanctuary is built up III very
effective Gothic tabernacle and rcrcdos of wood with
color and gliding the central apex almost reaching the
ridge ofthc roof crowned vita ltc-szed crucihX and
nm rilLnr slln hrncath of tho MArNs. lherc h