The San Francisco call., 1899-06-19
PRIESTS MAKE
A RETREAT At
SANTA CL ARA
Week of Communion
With God.
CATHOLIC CHURCH SERMONS
FATHER CHIAPPA EXPLAINS
ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH.
Fathers MacCorry and Wyman Preach
Eloquently at Morning and
Evening Services at Old
st. Mary's.

This morning all the assistant priests
of the diocese will go into a retreat at
Santa Clara. A period of one week will
be spent in prayer and devotion, after
which the fathers will return to their
respective fields of labor. Over sixty
priests will this time compose the body
which goes yearly into solitude which
brings a closer communion with God
Yesterday Father Ramm preached the
sermon at Last Mass at st. Mary's
Cathedral. He built his discourse on the
words OF St Peter to our Lord, Depart
from me for l am a sinful man." which
We're taken from the Gospel of the day
Father Ramm told of the universal con-
seriousness of sin on the part of man
when realizing the presence of God.
During the day the annual reorganiza-
ton and classification of the Sunday
school was held in the cathedral under
the direction of Rev. Father Prendergast.
At the II O'Clock mass yesterday morn
ing at St Ignatius Church Rev. Father
Chiappa of Los Gatos preached a sermon
on The Church" His text was from
the gospel of the day and embodied in the
following words: Jesus going into one of
the ships that was Simon's desired him
to draw back little from the land, and
sitting. he preached to the multitudes out
of the ship" In part Father Chiappa s
words were as follows:
The ship, according to the saints, Is type Of
the church. The bark Of Peter is the symbol Of
unity in its flock. and expresses that upon
which our Lord laid the foundation for his
church. Christ instructed the multitudes
from st. Peters bark and to-day he only
breaches from that church which is represented
by st. Peters bark
there be but true church. Moreover,
Christ speaks Of his church. not churches; his
kingdom, not kingdC ms; his spouse, not spouses |;
for he is neither poygamist nor Mormon, and
can have but one spouse. He further refers to
his body. not bodies, as he has but one myth myth
because truth is one and error is manifold
Luther has given birth TO the Lutheran
church, but not to the church of Christ; Calvin
founded his religion, but II was not OF Chrlst;
John Wesley laid the foundation Of the Metho-
dist denomination, but not of the church Of
Christ: England has given rise to the Episco-
palian belief Scotland to the Presbyterian, and
so of all the other sect and denominational
leaders and their followers. They may claim
the Bible for their foundation stone, but not
Christ for their founder. They may claim the
ality. but Christ disowns them as children of
his flock because they have not him for their
ligious denominations have sprung into exist
ence since the time Of our Lord.
Rev. Father MacCorry delivered the ser
mon at II O'Clock mass at St. Mary s
Church. California and Dupont streets.
His subject was THE Great Salvation.
Special music was rendered by the choir.
At the same church in the evening Rev.
Father II. II. Wyman preached sermon
from the following text: I'VE have la
bored all the night. but have taken moth
ing, but at thy command | will let down
the net" In part he said:
The incident related in to-day's gospel shows
that with all possible human effort 1t is not
possible for to attain success in the object
for which placed in this world. In
a word success, both temporal and spirit
uai depends on the blessing of God. We can
see this most clearly if reflect that all
things We're made by the word of God. and
without Him that nothing made. The
same God who created US had established an
order TO be followed and he blesses us ac-
cordngly as we follow 1t. The One who
created all things preserves them until his
will concerning them is accomplished.
The only obstacle to the accomplishment of
Gods will Is sin, in consequence Of which the
original blessing Of creation has been less
ened and the world has become vale of tears,
so that are in constant need Of a merci-
full and bOuntiful God to take away this curse.
st Peter, though doubtless he had labored
hard and persistenty had received no fruit
for his pains, but the Lord a reward of his
faith brought to him a more abundant bless
ing than he had even dreamed Of.
The effects of the divine blessings are life,
sustenance, prosperity and happiness. The
means for obtaining these benefits are faith
and charity. Those who in the state of
grace have the first claim on Gods blessing.
For such the law of God is the first thing Of
Importance and God has from the beginning
promised his blessing to those who keep His
commandments Again special blessing, both
temporal and spiritual. impaired through
the channels of grace, deposited in the church.