The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-11
BLESSING THE STATIONS,
Celebration at St. Joseph's of a
Solemn and Ancient
Ceremony.
He Explains the Holy Way of the Gross
and Pictures the Savior's
Passion.

The Holy Way of the Cross, one of the
most solemn ceremonies of the Roman
Catholic Church, was celebrated yesterday
q st. Joseph's Church on Tenth street,
near Howard.
This devotion consists of blessing the
stations or paintings representing scenes
in the trial and condemnation of the Sa-
vior. 1t was first introduced into Jarusa-
lem among the Christians who dwelt there
ont of veneration for those sacred spots
which were sanctifed by the presence OF
Christ. From Jerusalem the custom
spread to Europe. Pope Clement XII, who
attached numerous indulgences TO the de-
vOtion, confined it exclusively to the Fran
ciscan church, but by special indulgence
the privilege was extended to all churches,
even though not presided over by Fran
ciscans, while the privilege of erecting and
blessing the stations was confined to that
order. For this reason Rev. Father Maxi
MILAN was deputed to perform that sacred
office yesterday.
The stations erected in st. Joseph's were
to replace those that have been in the
church since its dedication, nevertheless it
was required that they be blessed with the
same soIemnity as if they had been newly
established.
The service, which was particularly i'm
pressive, commenced at 3 o'clock. After
the singing of responses by the choir, Rev.
Father Doran, pastor of st. Joseph's and
master of ceremonies at yesterday S service,
led a solemn procession, consisting OF Rev.
Father MAMMALIAN, a crossbearer, two
acolytes and altarboys, to the first station.
Here the officiating priest reclted the ''Via
Crucis,' with responses by the congrega-
ton. At its conclusion the choir rendered
the old Gregorian ''Stabat Mater" while
the procession proceeded to the next
station.
The same ceremony was repeated at each
of the stations, fourteen IN number, and
designated as follows: Jesus condemned
TO DEATH; Jesus receives the cross
"Jesus falls the first time under the weight
of the cross" Jesus is met by his blessed
mother; Jesus is helped by the eyre
the face of jesus; "Jesus falls beneath
his cross the second time; "Jesus con-
soles the women of jerusalem; Jesus
falls beneath the cross the third time" !;
- Jesus is stripped of his garments" >;
Jesus is nailed to the cross; "Jesus ex-
pires on the cross; Jesus is taken down
from the cross; Jesus is laid in the
sepulchre."
At the conclusion of the Holy Way of the
Cross Rev. Father Prendergast assembled
the pulpit and delivered a sermon on the
ceremony just witnessed, drawing many
beautiful and significant truths from the
service. He said:
1t Is Well known TO all CatnOllcS tn4C latin
alone, however excellent it may be, will not
either purge away the sins of our life or lead
US one step forward on our long journey to-
ward eternity st. Paul is very explicit on
this point. ''If l should deliver my body TO be
burned, ;" he said, ''and have not charity ii
profiteth me nothing."e Faith is great light
which comes from God, Illuminating all the
spiritual world, yet unless we arise and set
forth on our heavenly journey we shall never
attain the sublime heavenly end of our being.
l know nothing more calculated to move our
hearts toward God than the holy way OF the
cross. suppose no Christian ever visited the
birthplace OF Christ and viewed the place
where our Savior trod without feeling his
heart throb with venerat1on. We cannot all
go to Jerusalem, but we can all have repro
duced for US the scenes from the life of our
blessed Savior. Though we cannot travel over
continents and oceans 10 the Holy Land, we
can at least look down upon the reproductions
of the battlefield wherein was won the worlds
redemption.
The speaker then drew powerful word
picture of the last days on earth OF christ
as depicted in the stations.
The service concluded with a solemn
benediction and sacrament presided over
by Rev. Father Mcdonnell, assisted by
Rev. Fathers Collins ana Doran.
The music. to which much OF the
beauty and solemnity of the celebration
was due, was under the direction of Pro-
lessor 2. j. O'Sullivan, who presided at the
organ. The choir consisted of Miss Lottle
Crawford Miss Gertrude Frost and Mrs.
Edward Burns, sopranos; Miss Ella V.
McClusky and Mrs. I. B. Gibson, altos;
Edward Lott and John Lerman, tenors;
F. 2: Scollins, Harry Brown and Frank
Scully, bassos.