The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-01
Nearly Eight Hundred Boys
and Girls March in
Procession.
MAY DEvoTIoNs TERMINATED.
Rev Father Seaman breaches an
Eloquent Sermon on the Duties
of Children.


Howard, was thronged yesterday after
noon with parishioners and especially the
young folks of the church composing
the various sodalities. The occasion was
reunion of all the sodalities of the par
ish and formed a fitting close of the May
devotions that have been held at st.
Joseph's during the past month.
At 2:30 o'clock the various sodalities
assembled at their respective meeting
places and marched in procession around
the block and into the church. The spec
tacle was both imposing and beautiful.
Between seven and eight hundred child
rem and young folks, the young girls clad
and yelled in Immaculate white, and the
beys wearing sashes of red and blue and
gold, filed up the broad stairway and into
the church, where swelling strains from
the organ greeted their approach. Many
a spectator crowded the entrance to catch
a glimpse OF the demure countenances of
the innocent maidens hidden beneath
their filmy wells.
Within the church the rich decorations
of the altar and the walls the scores of
Pickering candles, the fitting altar-boys,
the mass of white presented by the wells
ana garments of the young girls as they
sat together in one section of the church
and the eager faces of the hundreds OF
worshipers and spectators who filled the
spacious edifice made the sight wonder
fully impressing and awe-inspiring one.
Many of the members of the sodality be-
long to st. Ioseph's School, which has an
enrolment of about 900 boys and girls,
although besides the scholars there are a
larger number of older memb ers of the
parish-young men who have grown up IN
oh roh "A = how
professions or business, and young ladies
who, although they have passed their
childhood days, nevertheless cling to the
old associations which they have formed
in early years.
The three principal sodalities of st.
Joseph's parish are the Sodality of the I'M
maculate Conception, composed of young
men and boys, and divided into three divi-
sions of about 100 each under the charge of
one of the Brothers of Mary who teach in
the school, and the Sodality OF the Chill
dren OF Mary. consisting of about 100
young ladies over IL years of age, and the
three branches of the Holy Angels Sodal-
ity, of ABOUT 100 membe each, composed
of girls between the ages of IA and Is.
The branches OF the girls and young
ladies' sodalities are in charge of the Sis
tiers of tn Holy Name, just as the boys are
under the Brothers of Mary. Besides
these young people, ali of whom have
taken their first communion, large num-
be- of the younger children of the parish
took part in yesterdays procession.
The impres i've ceremonies within the
church consisted of the browning of the
statue of Our Lady, an instruction and
solemn benediction of the blessed sacra-
ment. The church choir, consisting of
Messrs. Scullin and Smith, Misses Rot
tamil and Eastman and Organist Sullivan,
rendered the following selections: "Salve
Regina" Queen of the Angels" 1.-THE
Memoraie" and "Te Deum."
Rev. Father Scanlon preached the SER
mon, which was addressed especially to
the children and young folks present. He
congratulated them upon the appearance
they made on the occasion, and spoke
feelingly of the good work that had been
done and was being done by st. Joseph's
Parish. In his sermon he reminded the
children of the duties they owed to their
parents their friends and their country.
'The word religion signifies chain"
he began; cit is the chain which binds
together Creator and creature, God and
man. Many separate their religion from
their everyday life-they put off their
religion with the Sabbath sunset. Such
person may be a good business man, but
he is a poor Catholic. Because the church
consecrates one day a week to religion, 1t
does not follow that the other six should
be given up to the world. the flesh and the
devil.
boys and girls, you must all be saints
throughout your whole Lie. Not saint as
l:.js sometimes conceived of, as insepara-
bly, related to monasteries, penancy ard
martyrdom, but such a condition as will
enable you to enter the kingdom of heaven.
You may all be saints, for even the great
saints. even Paul, were once great sinners.
You must not treat religion as a thing to
be put off with the Sabbath, but as a part
of your very being.
on must show your good works. BY
their fruits shall we know them > and the
fruits of your religion should be shown in
your home circle. Obedience, respect,
love, sympathy and bearing your own
burdens in the home-these are the duties
of your catholicity.
IF you remain true to your present
principles, if you stand steadfast in your
present faith your reward in this world
and the next will be exceedingly great:
and when finally the welcome hand OF
death shall be laid upon you you will meet
with JOY at the gates of heaven Mary your
queen, Joseph your patron, and will be
judged mercifullv by Jesus YOUR jud ee.''