Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-03-31
CEREMONIES OF TUE CHURCH.
Father Donnhoe Delivers AN Interesting
Lecture on This Subject.

AT St. Vincent's Roman Catholic
church Father c. Il. Donahoe. the pas
,uc, continued his Lenten instructions
last evening and devoted his uttentiyn
to the ceremonies OF the church
The Use Of TIE Latin Language and
the Frneration of Saints" was his sub
ject. This is. ne said, IAN age of GER
emHnies. We are all the Creatures Of
ceremony and it is by ceremony or mo-
ton that we EXPRESS ,,r show our ad-
miration for or appreciation of certain
acts. We can certainly have no cere-
mony too great for Almighty God or
that which pertains to religious ce're-
! lnpny that tends 10 draw men toward
God. God gave the most mil.ute dilec=
tons as TO ceremonies under the old
law, presenting With the greatest Gaze
the ceremonies, the clothing of the
priests and all attending. Can we do
less NOW? lIve:y ceremony of the
church has its own particular meaning
There is MT one article used or action
that has not it's own peculiar and sig
nNflcant meaning aud the vestmen;s now
by the priests srnd the attending assist
ants all orl some act or Ilint in
the life of our Divine Savior To the
un!earned who cannot read ceremony
IS of the greatest assistance. They can
LdlioW al! the points OF the mass; can
follow the stations OF the cross and the
life of our Lord aud learn to love bis
religion, yet they may not be able to
ieau ore "oIu vi It's hlStMy. Cert-
mony is necessary to impress us Vita
the importance of the act performed
and in our daily life we follow it I'M
consciously.
The Latin language was selected be-
cause 1t w.s the language of the Roman
Empire. which, at the zine Of Christ,
was the acknowledged ruler of the
world and until the overthrow Of the
Roman Empire it was the iangu. sc f
ali scholars as it is today. After the
overthrow Of the Icmpr, by the Bar
tbat,ians the language of Europe, and in
fact of the known w.5rld. was cuntinu-
ul!y changing, Yet the Latin remained
and was the language used by scholars
and it was the langua ge Of the church
Although Latin is now 4 Let,d language
1t is ~ The more desirable in that it is
not liable ia change The words mean
now and will always mean What they
always have meant and no changes a:-
likely 10 be made. Latin. too. is the
language If the universal church ANA
the Catholic church is UNIVERSAL 1t IS
not national and consequently no ma
iicnai language would be suitable. II
is the language by which all tie people
Of the Church may communicate and by
which all communication between
church dignitaries OF different coun-
tries is carried on and an American is
as muca at home in Il Catholic church
in Paris ,'r Berlin as in Newport News
50 far as attending or assisting at mass
is concerned
las to devotion 10 saints. we do no;
honor the material figure; We honor the
person represented. We pray To SAINTS
through Jesus Chris. ard every prayer
the church utters eEds with these
words: Per eundum dominuun Jusum
Christum' {rhrough our Lord Jesus
ChrisO. The persons who charge US
with worshiping- saints give great hon
or and worship to persons who We're
not saints. We honor and we revere
The memory of Washington: We honor
his nunlen us statues and uncover ,Ilr
heads as we pass before them. Is that
idolat.y? Is it diffesen, from the honor
VIZ SHOW those Who have been tie
friends OF God? We honor the flag of
our uniry: we wcuid resent any in
suit 10 its honor; we would eherish. yes.
honor and worship it for the liberty It
represents, but We are not by the act
:Ioators
Every one should save a reassn for
the :uith that they have. We should
know and be oble 10 explain 1t, Let
each on+ then study diligently the facts
which TIE chCMch presents to US and
would recommend all of you TO learn
carefully the larger caIetllism, th,.
Cath lie Christian Instructor or some
other book of that chara cte-"