The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-11-26
A PRIESTS FAREWELL SERMON
FIR. Sheehan, Of Holy Ro.ary Church,
Leaves for New York.

Leaves Tor New YORK.
The Rev. Father NJ. A. sheehan, o. P,
pastor of the Holy Rosary church,
preached his farewell sermon last Sun
day morning. Father Sheehan has been
at Holy Rosary three years, the limit of
pastorate in the Dominican order. He
leaves to assume charge of the Church
of st. Vincent Farrar, large parish in
New York city, where Father Sheehan
was for eight years assistant. After
leaving st. Vincent Farar, he was three
years in charge of st. Peters church at
Memphis, and from there came to Min
neapolis
Father Sheehan. in his sermon, spoke
of the perishable nature of earthly things
and the Importance of keeping in mind
constantly the life beyond this one. He
said in part:
'In the calendar of the church this is
the last Sunday of the ecclesiastical
year, and while we are rejecting on the
serious thoughts which fill the mind as
we view the dying year, we cannot
fail to be impressed with the perishable
nature of things earthly. Years termi-
nate as we'll as months, weeks and days.
The tree puts forth the buds and bios
SONS of spring, and beneath the warm
sun and the gentle showers the tiny bud
develops into the full-grown leaf, and the
tender blossom into the mature fruit,
but soon the chilling blasts of autumn
strip the tree of fruit and foliage
"All that the world holds dear. the
wondrous workings of the brain and the
achievements of the hand. all perish
sooner or later The gospel for today re.
minds US that the world has an end. We
are Inhabitants of the world, and since
it must one day have an end, SO must
we.
every day human beings are dying,
passing on to the life beyond the grave.
While, then, we contemplate man as he
hurries on from the cradle, where he is
nursed, to the tomb, where his cold form
is laid, are we not led to think that
this cannot be his whole history? Was it
for this that God endowed him with
these wonderful gifts of mind? Was 1t
for no other purpose that He gave him
an immortal soul? Was it for this only
that God gave him that longing for
happiness which the things of this
world cannot satisfy? Was it only to
dazzle the eyes of the world that he was
made by God little lower than the
angels? Certainly not, for from our in
fancy the scriptures have taught us the
contrary.
Men too often lose sight of their
heavenly home. and center their affec-
lions on the things of the earth. Elated
by period Of earthly success, they seem
to have forgotten the future life, and to
lean entirely on the present.
"Those that do not fail to realize that
present things are gliding away, that
nothing in the world is stationary In
the bloom of youth, in the bosom of opu-
lence, in the gay circle of amusements,
and amidst the incense of f1attery, all is
gay and smiles: fancy heightens the
charm of every present scene, and points
to succeeding scenes, in which new
lights meet the eye in charming vision.
But in the lapse of time this fabric van
ishes into thin air. and then disappoint-
ed hopes and frustrated ambitions spread
over the rest of life gloom, while fail
Ing health and broken strength indicate
the approach to the grave to which we
can take nothing.
Even without waiting for the changes
Of time, some sudden evil may come
upon us; some great catastrophe, ship
wreck, quick disease, or some other
calamity. 1t is important that each in
dividual should pause and reflect on the
present and look to the future, compar-
ing the things of earth and those of
eternity, and not forgetting that which
lies beyond this life"
Father Sheehan then addressed few
words of farewell to his congregation,
saying that he came among them as
stranger three years before. Their re-
lations had always been most pleasant,
and nothing had happened to mar their
friendly feelings toward each other. AL
though the climate had not altogether
agreed with him he would not leave with
out many and deep regrets. The faces
which had once been strange had grown
familiar and dear, and the many kind
nesses of his flock would be remembered
by him into whatever field he was sent.