Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-05-02


Msry's county from that Spring
morning, the Feast of the Amman
ciation in the year 1884, when the
Holy Sacrifice vas offered for the
first time on st. Clements Island
hy Father Andrew White, the
"Apossle of Maryland" They
we're apostolic men. who left their
homes in England to endure the
hardships OF missionary life in .
pew country. IL required no CON-
mon zeal and virtue to brave the
restrictions Of penal Legislation; it
vas . life Of unremitting toll and
sacrifee fcr the handful OF Priests,
botthey were taJof tier high vo-
cation. and the old Maryland Catho-
lics were worthy of their Pastors
Amid perils and vexations they kept
the torch Of faith brightly burning
and transmitted it to their descen-
dents.
No doubt there we're many amo ong
the Pastors. during these 27O years,
Who were attached to st. Mary's
county and loved it's people, devot-
ed to their work, satisfied with their
surroundings. and who would have
cheerfully spent their days here un-
til Gcd should call them to their
eternal home. But, in general,
their stay was short. A Jesuit, like
soldier, must 60 where duty calls
him. and obedience frequently as.
signs him new occupations and new
fields OF labor. So far as the rec.
ords within my reach furnish in
formation, | can find no one, dur
ing 270 years, who has had charge
of Leonardtown Mission so long
AZ Father Lancaster; and in the
history of Lower Maryland | can
discover the names of only two
Priests whose term Of service at the
same place exceeded his 2l years at
Sacred Heart-Father Carbery at
st. Inigo's and Father George Hun
Ter at st. Thomas. before the Amer
lean revolution.
This 10 q noteworthy record.
Twenty-one years of life brings
young man to his majority and gives
him the right to vote; twenty.one
years of service should make him
an adopted SON of st. Mary's and
be for him an additional title to this
Jubilee. 1t shows that lie has ia.
ken deep root here-that he has
neither sought nor wished for
change-that he has found, in the
position to which obedience assign
ed him, congenial people and am
pie opportunity to labor with sue
cess for the salvation of souls.
We are commemorating the Sill
YER Jubilee Of his Priesthood. Twen-
ty-five years have rolled around
since he was commissioned to offer
the Holy Sacrifice, to impart abso-
luton in the Tribunal of Penance,
to preach the word Of God.
Consider the sublime dignity of
the Priesthood The Priest is con-
stituted to offer Sacrifice, that Sac.
rifice Of the Mass in which Christ
Himself 10 High Priest and victim,
a Sacrifice of infinite value. And
whilst the Priest as such offers Sac.
rifice, he is at the same time TIE
Minister of the Sacrament of the
Holy Eucharist, which 10 the centre
of our faith and worship, around
which the other mysteries cluster,
to which the other Sacraments are
directed. For in them grace 10 con-
tanned, by them grace 10 impaired
to our souls; but in this Sacrament
We have the source and fount from
which oil graces flow. Christ Him
self, with His body, soul and divin-
ity comes to NJ, becomes one with
us by q union so intimate that We
are strong with His strength, we
live with His life. For He has de-
clared it "He that eateth My flesh
and drinketh my blood, sbideth in
Ne and ] in him." By the other
Sacraments we are born into the
life of grace, we become children of
God, or we receive special grsces
for the fulfillment of special duties.
This Sacrament preserves in rs the
principle of supernatural activity;
it keeps the fame Of spiritual life
within us brightly burning; it aug.
ments and intensifies it, for in il
Christ's body aud blood become the
| food and nourishmsnt of our souls.
Who can grasp the power that il
hnrn disnlaved and axorc;aad he th<