Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-24
Nenr of Jubilee.

III year of jubilee, proclaimed by Pop
Leo NH, begins on New Years day. A,
an appropriate means of ushering in thu
year, permission to celebrate midnigh
mass, Sunday night, December 81, has beer
granted by the papal authorities. subject t.
the approval of the bishop of each diocese
throughout the Catholic world. BishoI
S~cannell of the diocese of Omaha has ap.
proved the decree, and midnight masses
may be celebrated in every church in the
diocese. Several of the Catholic churches
of Omaha are already arranging for the
midnight service. Midnight masses al
Christmas are common in the east, but
very rare in the dioceses of the west. Only
on extraordinary occasions, such as the
closing year of the century is deemed ia
be, are masses celebrated at midnight, New
Years eve. The rarity of the eremony
is expected to draw large congregations
to the churches.
The papal decree respecting the year of
jubilee takes a turn at the end of the cen
fury discussion, declaring the coming year
marks the end of the present century,"
1t reads as follows:
1T is most becoming that we who are
about to celebrate the commencement Of
the holy year, happily proclaimed by our
Holy Father Leo Kill, should, in the depth
or night, rise TO greet the Author of time
and PROSTATE before His affairs, to offer the
most successful victim, who is the I'M
maculate Lamb. assisting at the sacred
banquet, so that at this most opportune
time we may find the assistance of His grace
and mercy, for our salvation is nearer; be-
hold now is the acceptable time; behold
now is the day of salvation. And if the
kingdom Of heaven, which is the church on
earth, /. likened to the ten virgins going
forth in the night to meet the Bridegroom,
each one OF us may, on the occasion OF this
solemn festlvity, consider more attentively
these sacred words: Trim your lamps; for
behold the Bridegroom cometh, go We forth
to meet him.
since, moreover, at midnight of the last
day of December of the coming year the
present century will come to an end and
a new one begin, it is very appropriate that
thanks be given TO God by some plous
and solemn CEREMONY for the benefits re-
ceiyed during the course Of the present
century, and owing to the urgent necessi-
ties of the times that greater favors be
implored in order to begin auspiciously the
new era.
Therefore, in order that the approach
ing year, 1900, may begin happily through
the supplication of the assistance OF God
anu us OulS btBullcn sun, our kgdeempr,
and that it may end after a prosperous
by u~shering in a stlll more happy
as 1t is right for us to expect. our
Most Holy Father Leo XIII, graciously
that, with tho prudent consent
Of the ordinary Of every place, at midnight
ON the, 3lst day of December, both of the
'lcsing and of the coming year, in all
and chapels where the most
blessed sacrament is Tightfully kept, the
most august sacrament may be ex-
posed 10 alteration; and permission is given
% read or to sing at the same hour 'Co-
Sanctissimo,' one mass Of the feast
If the Circumcision Of Our Lord and the
octave of the Nativity; and permission is
given, by special favor. to the faithful 10
'eceiye holy communion either during the
mass Or after it; all necessary conditions 10
70 observed.
A things to the contrary notwithstaud-
ng, 18th day Of November. 1888"
tsignedD G. BISHOP or PRAENEsTE
CARD. MAZELLA. Project.
Sacred Congregation Of Rites, D. Panel. |
secretary. i