The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-14
CONTRIBUTED
First Communion Day in St. Francis
Xavier's Church.
Arise, nv soul! Give unto God

:
The world and all its glittering SHARES
By the lives of the young shall VIC he
able to forecast the lives of those of ma
tnre age. Therefore the Catholic Church.
IN It's omniscient prudence has always ia
ken under ITS sheltering care the training
OF the youthful minds. From the modest
nehches OF It's catechiSm schools have gone
fortl those intrepid opponents of its faith
which built on rock as everlasting as
eternity itself, stands and will stand for
everm0re.
For the last twelve months the bell of
the chapel OF our village has called week
~ to its catechism class the children of it's
inth, some eighty in all of that number
ehlfty were preparing for their first COM
mnnion. All happy days of youth! when
with faith and innocence for guide, we
view life with a confidence which can on
~, spring from a love towards a Savior to
whom we owe all. To await for that (ay
when we shall be joined to Him is more
than fervid expectation, 1T is that thrill
ing hope of a better life and of higher
AIMS As the hand of Time records our
accrllIng years and when our exhausted
lite, tossed amidst the furious passions of
inns world, seems ready to lay down in
despair, the picture of our first commune
ION day will relve in our memories, incl
ting anew that holy love for a Savior who
gave "even himself for us that we sbould
be saved"
preparatory to first communion it was
necessary for the postulants to pass an ex
animation, and well, indeed, did they ac-
quit themselves of the task. Perfect
knowledge of the catechism was the STAN
dard required. Out of thirty children,
ten girls and eight boys were accepted, Of
whom five girls and four boys passed with
out the shadow of a mistake and the rest
without any mistake of any consequence.
Three adults were also added to the class,
The Church requires at for the three
days preceding the Sunday OH which they
expect to make their first communion. the
children shall enter on retreat at the
Church, receiving frequent instructions
from a. IN. until 6p. m, and isolating
themselves i'll pious meditatons and i'm
prayers. The day was approaching and
the young hearts had become almost i'm
bned with heavenly love. Guilcless and
almost sinless they awaited the day when
Jesus should call them His own.
Sunday, the fourth day of July, shall
ever he remembered by those young souls.
The sun rose unclouded and shone all day
on Il scene of contentment and joy. The
church was decorated in honor of the COM
mnnlcants, and when the bell tolled the
call for the faithful, the ediiice was filled
with the happy parents and with the in
habitants of the village. The choir in
toned the Mass and as the swelling notes
of the organ responded to the 'Kyrie,"
the postulants, Oh Bonded knees, led the
congregation in asking Gods blessing
"Lamh of God, who takest away the
sins of the world, have mercy on u.s.
The priest kueels, Frustrating himself
before the altar; when youthful voice.
clear and slightly trembling, says aloud:
"Lord Jesus, King of everlasting glory,
behold desire to come to Thee this day,
and to receive Thy body and blood in this
heavenly sacrament"
finishing the aspirations before COM
munon. When ended, the holy conlmu-
Mon WAS given to the postulants as well
us to a majority of the parents and to a
large number of the congregation. The
communion is c0nsumnated and the priest
kneels i'll thanksgiving, when Il girls
voice rises distinct and exulting, the cry
of joy of the faithful:
Behold, 0 Lord, have Thee now, who
hast all things. 0, my God and my all,
may the sweet flame OF Thy love consume
my soul, that so may die to the world
for the love of Thee who hast vUuchsafed
to die upon the cross for the love of me-"
finishing the aspirations after communion.
What eyes could have remained I'M
dimmed
All young heart, may that cry of hope
be thine for ever! The tempest may rise,
the winds may rage, the elements may
tear asunder the armament, but, if in the
midst of the flashes of lightning and the
roars Of thunder thou canst cry aloud
Behold, o Lord, l have Thee now who
hast all things" thOn art safe.
After Mass an ample collation. was serv-
ed to the first communicates as well as to
the congregation. At night the first com
municants renewed their baptismal VOWS
and consecrated themselves to the Bles-
sed Virgin Mary.
Sunday, the 18th inst, was the closing
day of the First Communion Festival
At o'clock in the afternoon a collation.
was served to all the Catholic Catechism
children, and the Pastors yard was filed
with youths and maidens whose cOunte-
nances beamed with perfect happiness.
At I o'clock the Church was lighted up
and at the call of the Pastor the children
filed in, taking their seats in front of the
altar. They were to receive prizes as a
reward for their assiduous studies of the
year. Ono by one each deserving child,
on being called, stepped up to the altar to
receive from the hands OF their beloved
Pastor such testimonials as he deemed
them entitled to.
To the eyes of the wise man of the world,
from the height of his assumed human
knowledge, it 10 doubt appears an act of
presumption to relate the humble acts of
u modest country church but when the
unerring hand of death will stitle your
tlectng breath, which would you rather
be-the worldly, who satiated Of this
world, defying God and denying chris
tianity, will return to his dust with no
beacon of hope except his doubling and
and unsatisted soul or that humble,
trusting child who, faithful to the vows
taken in her youth, when called to answer
the summons of her God, will stretch ont
her arms and cry aloud-''Behold, 0 Lord,
l have Thee now, who hast all things"
Southern Patents.