The San Francisco call., 1897-03-17
TO CELEBRATE
A SAINT DAY
Grand Programme Of Ex-
ercises in Honor of
ST. Patrick.
Impressive Anniversary Ser.
vices at st. Patrlck's Church
Last Night.
Ente rtainments Will Be Given at
metropolitan Hall and Mech anics'
Pavilion.

To-day being one OF the greatest OF all
Irish festivals will be tttingly celebrated
in San Francisco by the Irish societies of
the City. The secular exercises will in
clude a double celebration, commencing
at o'clock at Metropolitan Hall and
closing at the Mechanics Pavilion with
grand musical festival and promenade
concert. A choice literary and musical
programme has been prepared for both
functions. special features of the celebra
lion at the Mechanics Pavilion being the
display of stereopticon views of Irish and
American scenery and grand chorus of
500 voices, the whole under The direction
OF Alfred Roncovieri and John w. Nc
Kenzie.
The Knight. of ST. Patrick will hold
their twenty-second annual banquet the
same evening at Delmonico's, S, the guests
assem- bling at 8 o'clock. 1t goes without
saying that the weIl-earned reputation of
that order for bounteous hospitality.
characteristic OF the race. will be more
than sustained on that occasion.
The celebration of the twenty-fifth an
niversary of 81. Patrick's Church on lis
sion street will be continued throughout
morning, afternoon and evening. The
fact that this anniversary falls on a day
makes the event doubly interesting and
it will be signalized by the Assem- bling
from all parts of the State OF all the priests
wAo, during the term of its existence,
have been pastors OF st. Patrick's Church.
The special services yesterday were quite
rs impressive as those OF Monday last.
Tho huge and imposing interior of the
church was crowded from the altar rails
TO the doorways with earnest worshipers,
who fervently joined in the responses, and
listened atteniiveiy to the religious ex-
hortations OF the officiating priests.
The order OF the service WAS as follows:
Recital of the rosary by Father Brennan,
during which the choir sang the mysteries;
special prayers in honor of st. Patrick; sermon
by Father M. d. Connolly of st. Paul's; bene-
dlction OF the blessed sacrament, Father Con-
molly officiating, assisted by Father Brennan
and Father keane; blessing OF objects of devo-
ton by Father Brennan.
Father Connolly preached an eloquent
sermon, with St. Matthew K as his text,
prior to sending them forth on their mis-
sion to the nations.
II take this text" said the preacher,
first because 1t conveys solemn injunc-
tion OF the greatest i'm portance to all who
would be followers of Christ. and Sec
ondly because of the virtues which it in
culcates, namely, fearlessness with re-
Spect Tor men ana sanitary rear OF GOd.
These virtues shine forth with special
brilliancy in the light of him who is Ire
lands apostle, the patron of her church,
whose feast we celebrate tomorrow. That
st. Patrick was mated by great fear
of God is manifest from the heroic au-
sterity of his life, and the severe penances
to which he subjected himself. In carry
ing out his high mission he displayed the
greatest fearlessness towards men. His
courage and his manliness never failed
him when his duty to the one trus and
living God, whose minister he was, re-
quired him to speak openly against the
idoatrous customs OF the people among
whom he preached.
while admiring the heroism OF this
great apos le of our race let us ask our
selves whethor, in the profession OF our
faith and the fulfillment of those duties
which that faith entails, we have been
moved by the spirit OF Christian independ-
ence which we so admire in the glorious
st. Patrick"
The preacher cautioned his. hearers
against an attitude of a too great human
respect, pointing out that those who court
human appreciation too frequently forfeit
tho appreciation of God. He denounced
the miserable cowardice which prompted
the renunc: alton of religious convictions
for fear of smile or jest, and referred
scathingly to the unfortunate being who
could not be witty without obscenity as "a
man who is doing all that in him lies to
bind the souls of his fellows to the chariot
wheels OF Satan"