The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-11
CHRIsrMAs IN IRELAND
Sns Rev. Bernard O'ReiIIy Cenpares his
ReesiiseAions Of Nary LaaAs.


Dver the community by the 'got-up" outrages
n London and In Kerry; and even the long list
II evictions by Christian landlords at this sa-
Sred season OF Christian charity and brotherly
owe. cannot stop or chill the strong. warm cur
Nnts Of religious feeling. homo affections.
leighborly sympathy and love for tho poor
he poor OF Christ-that characterize Irish So
hety during ths week aud the next 1t 10 evil
iont that Catholic homes In this dear old land
He frightened by the light and warmed by the
Owe Of the Divine Babe OF bethlehem. Tho In
natcs forget In that brightness and that Joyous
glow the darkness. the cold. and the storm
hat rule the outside atmosphere.
lam now trying to compare my recolleetions
f Christmas spent in many lands with our
celebration OF 1t In America. and with the
Iolemnities that mark 1t in this land OF the
Catholic Colt. Fi.tythree years ago was my
ast Christmas in Ireland. among my native
1elds In Mayo since ten times tried By famine.
aeporulatod by starvation and emigration. and
Impoverished by all the drains on u lands fer
hlity and on tho industry OF man ever invented
and app,iod by Irish landlordism. Visions
Arise In my mind OF the Christmas Evo illumi-
natioD-tbe blessed candle lit at midnight to
mark tho hour when lie. tho Light Of the
World. was born: the lamps placed at every
window the house within all hung with holly:
and then the chapel crowded to overlooking at
ivory mass the next day, and tho endless
streams OF Communicates to and from the
communion table. JOY. n holy and tender Joy.
seemed to All all hearts and to cover the whole
tnce OF nature. in spite Of rain. or frost. or
snow. rs the tepid air Of spring and its creative
sunlight pervade the whole earth. We chill
iren were ali very happy In that dear distant
Mayo. toward whose now desoiate fields am
30 reluctant to CO.
And then come up. before childhood Ind
uu to passed away. the memories Of Christmas
In Canada. the midnight MAS in the grand old
Cathedral Of Quebec tho glorious sanctuary
blaze Of light. the rows of 9ilded statues around
the apse shining like an apparition OF the
goiden-s toled Elders in the Apocalypse around
the Altar OF the Lamb. the hundreds Of white
surpliced college boys. seminarians. and priests
seated on both sides down the vast choir. and
the priest and his assistants at the high altar
attired in vestments VI cloth OF gold the work
OF Fronch locus in the time OF Marie do Med
lei. 1t seemed heaven TO my boyish eyes after
the lowly chapcs OF my native Mayo. And
then. We entered tho cathedral from the
eenihdry IN u lons and splendid procession
now triumi hant and THRILLING sounded ;rt IN
the organ and numerous choir tic strains of.
Snuvelie aytcsh-,
In salv,ur. En.sn, nous est he:
C'r-t dams ctnbls
gu II nous ert u ,ine.
The all-krown words and Joyous music
seemed 20 move the entire multitude in tho
vast "tiiice. for ali took up the burden Of that
Christmas song and repeated ii again and
again IN great successive waves Of harmony
yrneh, Jastenrs:
Get Enfant tout ainabiei
Dear Canada. how these memories come
back upon mo across that long, dark gulf Of
half century. niinz my soul with gratitude
70 the land ana tho people, Never until now
have seen Christmas celebrated with more
among these French Canadians. whom Gods
good providence had transported across the
lordly river from the voutions and unbsIief
that have covered Francs itself with moral
e M sn an InS Of ,as o- xa Uh hs sgSm
Christmas some thirty years ago. / must
ever treasure ASSURE. dear reeo!!ectj1ns: In Brit
spent Chrstmastide and have seen tho gener-
wealth Of traditional piety and charity in pres
snSg OF the r stptied mSngsr with the Virgin
Christmas hymns in these grand thirteenth
century cathodrals sounded as II they were
them It was my good fortune Il to spend this hoy
ssas ,o in both the !talian b and the Spanish
dover q chri,IiSn sp lss!y,, On: how issssists
Pisa amid the Joy OF the Christian world! It's
eanons and Archbishop. and the few dozens Of
the medieval priests und people. condemned
10 return to earth and atone on Christmas Day
'o haw III S WAS vast n
Florence! sadly visited and rnvaged rs her
holy nA and 1T by y hat the Frs"Sn gye
be.otten Of sans uottism and PIedmontisn,
n".anE rG pc more ,S Saiyink tsnn me spec,
these great festivals which recall the life ot Our
Lord What saw during my long stay there
Florentinss have completed after an interval
OF more than six centuries the front Of their
81 true Christian democracy embodied in mo-
di@yal Florence and her sister republics.
OF my only Christmes ia spain spent in
vigo, l would fain blot out tile memory. so
Taxed OF all ornament was the single church in
shc city. SO devoid OF all heartfelt sympathy
with the celebration throughout the Christian
iEor!d. was the social aspect OF the place. left
tho peninsula MS one parts from a land shaken
10 It's centre by successive earthquakes. and
,inkng slowly but surely beneath tho aveng-
One Christmas spent in New York consoled
me Tor the spectacle Of social ruin l had left
psar 1 tho msf few ys is
churches then timidly arising above the
ground ia t! and chanting on Christmas Day the
snip in the great city decke! interior or exte-
Nor with evergreens. or male of the religious
han ycari II was then. rs most OF your old
Eeadcrs will remember. chiefly a homo festival.
mpelitng them to commemorate the birth OF
him who came to make all men brothers. and
ucalroS inht EOtNlnH DrOtlerly love
should prevail between man and man. between
patton ana nation. SO are We free In America
In the light Of the Gospel truth and OF eighteen
centuries OF European experience. and warmed
BY tue tre or Christian charity, to create a new
world. and give to future generations the beps-
a. OF those virtues preached and practised By
Christ and which practised by men. can make
THIS earth Paradise.
Believing that the children Of Catholic Ire
land have had not a little to do with the happy
ehange that has taken place in our Christmas
celebration In tho United States l feel more
confident in speaking OF how Christmas is
srent here. Let the readers OF THE Sun indulge
an old man Ia the fond belief that although
the Chrisendom Of tho last thousand years IL
disappearing fast with its social institutions
and its religious manners-ike a gradually
snbmerged continent in geological times~yst
ms ,ittie western1lnost, island Of Europe.
this little Green Isle Of our own. shall ever
Htt her fair head above tho triumphant
hood Of irrellgion. After travelling much and
observing carefully ! have looked with care
beneath the surface OF things here. ana. amid
the festivities OF this Christmastide, my great
est happiness Is to think that the irish people
at home after all their ehsstening and grind
doal such as history records OF no nthar PACE