The herald., 1895-08-05
Father O'Dowd breaches the
Sermon at the Cathedral
THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
The Rev. W. W. Tinker on the Growth
of Christian Character
An Eloquent Address at the First Congrega-
tionaI Church by DR.. WaIIace-Y. W. G.
A. Gospel neeting

Father o. Dowd preached strong SER
mon yesterday morning in the cathedral
on the Communion of Saints. taking for
his text Colossans 1st, 18th: "Giving
thanks unto the Father which hath
made us meet to be partakers of the in
heritance of the saints in light"
When good Christians are called out of
this life by God. they do not cease to be-
long to the Catholic church. aid be still
children of the spouse OF Jesus Christ.
While some of her children still wage war
upon earth against the world. the flesh
and the devil others already victorious
in the fearful combat, triumph and re-
joice in heaven and others again suffer
great pains in purgatory in atonement OF
the faults which they committed in this
life, and for which they had not entirely
satisfied the divine justice when death
called them to judgment. And the inter
course between these three is what we
now call the communion of saints.
The saints are all the members OF the
church of God. The term saint applies
even to the sinners within the church. be-
cause our Lord has inculcated that his
people ought to be saints.
All Christians are called to be saints
to be holy and without blemish in the
sight of God in charity-a chosen genera
tion, 4 kingly priesthood, a holy nation.
purchased people. But when we say the
term saints means all the mem bers Of the
church of God, we mean the church in
its most comprehensive sense the church
trium phant, the church militant, and the
church suffering.
The church triumphant is composed of
the saints in beaven; the church militant
is composed of the saints who are still on
~ t.x haHt M
enemy of their salvation. and who have
been stamped with the seal of sanctity IN
their baptism. The church suffering is
composed of the saints in purgatory where
the souls of the faithful are detained un-
til that. which Gods all-seeing eye hath
discovered, has been wiped out that then
they may be admitted into the mansions
of bliss. The communion of these saints
means then that all the blessed spirits in
heaven, all the holy souls in purgatory
and all the faithful. here on earth are
united with each other in interests of a
spiritual order, which are common to
them all.
All the members OF the church are as
sociated in one great alliance and CO.
operate toward one universal end. which,
in Its ultimate end, is to glorify God;
each has his merit in this great work,
not according to his individual part in l.:
but according to the entire work done by
the entire church is the merit of each OF
the mem bers composing il. and God, see-
ing the honor and glory resulting from
such association and cooperation. grants
His gifts and graces to the church, tor
the full and entire benefit OF each men,
ber, as well as all combined.
The saints IN heaven do not forget that
they are still our brethren; they pray for
us and obtain for us the graces we SO
much need; we join them in thanksgiv-
ing, praising and glorifying God; and for
these various purposes we celebra feasts
and erect churches in their honor. AS
they in heaven look down on us, We look
in turn to the holy souls suffering for a
time in pulgatory. We do all we can to
release them; we pray for them. and ap-
ply indulgences to them. In considering
the communion of saints as between our
selves here on earth, we constitute one
and the same kingdom-one and the same
family. Whether Jew or gentle, whether
bond or free, all are one in Christ Jesus;
each faithful Christian partakes in all
the prayers which are offered in the
church. in all the virtues which she prac-
ticeS. in all the graces which her children
receive. The abundance of one supplies
the want of another. And what is partlc
ularly touching in this communion of
saints is, that sinners, even the most
guilty, are not absolutely excluded so long
as they remain in :the church and pre-
serve the faith OF Jesus Christ. Ihe molly
mother church intercedes in their behalf
as if each one was her only child.
Consider, then, brethren. that if one
Lord commands us to be saints, He who
never commands impossibilties furnishes
us with the means. which if we make
good use of them, will make us saints.
Grace and love make all things easy that
are done or suffered for Jesus Christ;
keep yourselves closely united to the
saints on earth, meriting by your piety
the privilege OF partaking in all the good
works they perform 20 the saints IN
purgatorv by every opportunity of aiding
them by your prayers. and to the saints
in heaven by devoutly and sincerely i'm
ploring assista ce of their prayers and
their powerful intercession with God that
one day you may be admitted into their
triumphant society. to enjoy In the bosom
Of Abraham the eternal delights of the
blessed