The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-11-04
Father York,s Sermon.

Rev. Father Yorke of San Francisco
is visiting Father Organ. Father
Norte has been all through Europe dur
ing the past year. He preached last
Sunday on the Doctrine of Purgatory.
He said. in part:
During this week the holy church
brings most forcibly before our minds
that We are all Of one family, united by
common interests throughout eternity.
There are two great occasions. the feast
of All Saints and the commemoration
OF All Souls which put as in commu-
nicatiou with the souls Of all who have
lived before us. All Souls has a spe-
cial meaning, that of contact with
death The memories of our beloved
dead are the most sacred thoughts Of
our lives. and the most tenderly SYM
pathetic chords of our natures are
touched by visions of those gone be-
fore.
Each one of us has his own litany
of saints and remembering the dear de-
parted friends. fels that he is not a
stranger in the life to come. On All
Souls day the church bids us remem-
her the grief of the world, not forget
ting that according to the divine words
Of Jesus Christ we are all brothers and
sisters. This. then. is the meaning Of
All Souls. that death is not the end of
things. What a strange thing it would
be if. when this whole world is a strug-
gle for existence. six feet of earth
should finish everything
What is all this rushing working
world but a strife to live and is it not
most rcpugnant to die? Wa do every
thing beg, borrow. steal and even take
the lives Of others-to live We look
with horror upon those who commit
suicide, even as we do upon sentinel
who has deserted his post in time Of
war If all this civilization were to end
in six feet Of earth would it not be a
mOckery?
There are some who make them
selves believe that there is no after life,
hut the vast majority Of people. sound
in mind and body believe-no matter
what their religious affiliations may be
that beyond the grave there is an inn
mortal home. The rogue who has dis
sipated away his manhood may. per
laps. be able to persuade himself that
death - the end Of everything but the
healthful, natural and sensible instinct
lively know better Who can make the
mother as she gazes at her new born
babe lying stark and stiff who can
make her believe that its life is gone
out completely like a taper extin-
Eutshed by a breath of air from an open
easement?
No, no, my brethren. this life is like
the daybreak before the full and per
feet day. At the death of friends or
strangers there is among us all an in
StinctNe questioning as TO what has
become Of him, even as when on a chilly
winters night one has left the warm
room and gone out into The gloom and
cold we wish to pull aside the curtain
and peer out after the departed one
We ask ourselves Waterman. what of
the night" From Christ comes the an
swer low and clear. Nothing defiled
shall enter the kingdom of heaven and
we fear. for who is without sin? We
think Of our good friends who have
gone before-good. but also Humankind
we fear for them. Nothing soiled by
earths journey may enter heaven. If !
there is no hope the outlook is sad. but I
God in his mercy always finds a way. |
This Very thought the holy church 1
points out to US in the doctrine of pur-
Eatory. Nothing deiled may enter I
true-but those defiled may be purged. /
And those living may shorten the time
OF purgatory for those gone before by /
their prayers and acts of goodness. /
What noble, uplifting thought it is. 4
Let the hearts of men rejoice at the 4
opportunity Bread cast upon the
wa ters viii return. and so if your hearts /
have been soft. responsive and gener@ I
Gus for others when you have departed .
the prayers Of the living will aid in
shortening your time Of punishment |
and purgation, drawing you nearer to /
that place whore the beloved Of God .
enjoy eternal hapSiness"