The San Francisco call., 1897-06-28
Feast of st. AloysiuS Cele-
brated at st. Ignatius
Church.
High Mass and Vespers Com
memorate the Saints
Virtue and Piety.
Thousands of Devout Worshipers
Kneel Before the Flower
Deoked Affairs.

The feast of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the
patron saint OF the children throughout
the whole Catholic world, was observed
with special services yesterday at ST.
Ignatus Church. June 81 was the day OF
st. Aloysius, but inasmuch as 1t fell upon
a week day the ceremonies of the feast
were postponed until yesterday.
While the day is celebrated to certain
extent in all the churches the occasion is
always one OF especial solemnity at st.
Ignatius Church. Yesterday the great
altar of the church was decorated with
white roses, palms, ferns and lilies in
honor OF the occasion, and in front OF the
shrine of ST. AIoysius a perfect bank had
been made OF beautiful lilies and maiden
hair ferns.
The vast editice was filed 10 its vi ost
capacity at the half-past 10 o'clock mass,
when the special services in the Saints
honor were beld. Solemn high mass was
celebrated by Rev. Father Burkhardt who
recently arrived from the Jesuit mission
at Buffalo, assisted by Father George But
ler, as deacon, and Father James Hickey,
as sub-deacon.
Rev. Henry Moeller, the well-known
missionary who arrived last Thursday
from st. Louis, delivered the panegyric.
He recounted the many virtues for which
ST. Aloysius was famed, and urged his
hearers TO emulate them. Special music
was given, the offertory, "Ecce Pdnis, " by
VillaT, being especially beautiful.
In the evening there were grand vespers
and solemn benediction. The myrlads
OF candles sparkling from the flower
cecked altars gave an unusually impress
I'VE appearance 10 the house of worship.
Rev. Father Calzia preached the sermon.
- 8 - L. !.
rs TO show the youth that 1t Is possible
for all to lead holy life, even from ten
der years, and TO battle with the tempta-
tions of the world and the flesh, if only
assisted by the grace OF God. Nothing so
well proves this as the lite of S.. Aloysius,
whic was passed for the m most part amid
the temptations and allurements of a
princes court surroundings such as are
most calculated to allure,a and yet he re-
mained strong and pure"
Saint Aloyslus Coma lga was n Jesuit
OF the sixteenth century and famed
for his piety and virIue. He was born IN
the Castle of Castiglione. March 0, 1868.
his father being Marquis of Castiglione
and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire.
Though reared among the IuXuries OF the
{. urt he showed signs of great piety even
in his earliest childhood. When only 9
years of age he took the vow of perpetual
chastity. dis youth was spent at various
places, at Mantua, Castigiione and Soain,
his pietc b.ing everywh here celebrated.
In 1855 he entered the Society of Jesus
and vent 10 Rome, where he studied in
the Roman College. Two years later he
took the minor orders. In 1891, while at
Rome. he was seized with the plague ana
died on June 2l, at the early age of %.
Princes and prelates honored and yen-
Grated him after his death. In 1918 the
Feasl OF ST. Alovsius was granted or the
21st of June by Pope Paul v In 1923 the
Supreme PJntiff gave him as the patron
saint of all students throughout the
Catholic world