The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-02
Breaches Sermon at St. PauPS
 and Afterwards Delivers a Lecture-CIass Confirmed
 There Numbered Nearly 13O
Procession Marches From St, PauPS Hall to the Church, the AcoIyteS in Red Cassocks and White CottaS Leading.

Yesterday was Catholic confirmation day in this county and the Right Rev. E. P. Allen, bishop of Mobile, delivered several discourses and confirmed about 230 candidates.
 He preached and delivered lecture on the sacrament of confirmation at the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows at the eight o'clock mass and confirmed a class of about 5O At high mass at St Paufs he preached and afterwards delivered a lecture. The class which he confirmed there numbered nearly 130. In the after noon at five o'clock he delivered ser mon and slart lecture at St. Cath erine's, Pratt City, and confirmed there a class of 52.
 Large congregations attended all three of the churches. The girls who presented themselves for confirmation were array ed in white. They wore wreaths of flow CTS and thin white veils. The boys wore regulation dark clothes. In each of the classes were several adults but they were not required to wear any particular style of dress.
 St. Paul's was filled to It's utmost ca pacity. At 10:3O o'clock the candidates marched from St. Pauls Hall to the church, acolytes In red cassocks and white cottas leading. When the process sion reached the portals of the church the boys and girls began to sing a pro cessional hymn. With solemn decorum the long column moved down the middle aisle and all the candidates were seated in pews near the sanctuary. The Rev. Father O'Reilly, the pastor of St. Pauls acted as master of ceremonies
 The Musical Programme.
 Father Sweeney was at the altar. A choir of thirty voices sang the music of the mass-Emersons Kyrie Gloria and Credo; the Sanctus from Gounods St. Cecilia and the Benedictus and the Agnus Dei from Webers celebrated mass In G. The choir also sang the Veni Creator as the bishop entered the sanctuary and knelt in silent prayer before the altar, and during the ceremonies of consecra- T1on, another fine old hymn of the church. The offertory piece was a violin solo played by MT. Oliver Chalifoux.
 After the reading of the gospel Bishop Allen entered the pulpit and preached a sermon on the divine character of the Catholic church. He pointed out that only an institution guided by the Holy Spirit could have come down through the centuries influencing the conduct and the lives of millions of men and women in every age since the time of the apos- ties He quoted many texts of scripture fo eto ms sage from Froude, non-Catholic. and a passage from Gladstone, a on-Catholic. He exhorted the congregation to be true to their profession and be careful not to live or act in a way that would bring scandal upon the Catholic church.
 At the end of the mass the bishop ex- changed his cape for a cope and putting on his mitre and carrying his crozier, as- cended the altar steps and was seated on the platform. He was attended by the Rev. Father Kennedy and the Rev Father Sweeney. Remaining in his seat the bishop made an address to the candidates, in which he explained the sacrament which he was about to administer.
 The address being concluded the bishop proceeded to confirm. The candidates ap- preached two and two. Lifting his hands and extending them over their heads the prelate said short prayer. He then signed the candidates with the chrism. Accompanying this rite he repeated these words:
 A Latin Formula.
 Signo te signo crucis. confirmo te charismate salvationis in nomine Patris ct Filii ct Spiritus Sancti. Amen. q sign thee with the sign of the cross I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.)
 After all had been confirmed the class followed the bishop in recting one "Our Father" one Hail Mary and the Apostles Creed. Just before leaving the church the children sang the Te Deum and sang 1t well.
 In the class at St. Pauls were 2S can didates from St. Anthony's church. Ems ley. and 13 from St. AIoysus church. Bessemer.
 In the afternoon those who had been confirmed at St. Paul's reassembled and renewed their baptismal vows. the Rev Father O'Reily officiated and delivered a short homily.
 Bishop Allen will confirm a class at Brookside today.