The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-05-22
OCARROLL EULOCY.
Memorial Sermon in Honor of
the Late Priest.

late Father U Carroll at st. Mary's
church this week. The sermon was
delivered by his friend and fellow
worker, Rev. John O'Farrell, OF OF
tumwa 1t was a beautiful tribute
to the dead and is here given in full.
Every high priest taken from
among men is ordained for men in the
things that appertain to God, that he
may offer up gifts and sacrifices for
sins; who can have compassion on
them that are ignorant and err, be-
cause he himself is comprised with
infinity; end therefore he ought, as
for the people, so also for himself, to
offer Tor sins" Heb. 5:1-3. Rev.
Fathers and Dear Friends, such is the
description of the priesthood given by
St. Paul to the Jews who had been
converted to Christianity. The priest
must be carefully selected from the
people. He must have pity for the
ignorant and the sinful, and he must
stand between them and God, to plead
for their pardon and peace. Above
all, he must remember that his life
and his work are to be for God while
he serves Gods people. And to this
divine work and divine life, st. Paul
f1ysthnp m tolls fhO Tnurc fhof nanl
priest must be especially called by
God Himself. And therefore it was
that our Savior said to His apostles:
"You have not chosen me, but / have
chosen you" John 1916. To such a
life God called our deceased friend,
Father O'Carroll. And such a life he
lived in this city for nearly a quarter
of a century. In heart-grief and sor-
row we participate in these memorial
services for him. Thirty days have
come and gone since his death occur
red. We shall never see his face
again. May the Lord give his soul
the light Of heaven. May his memory
live in the hearts of his people.
AS a help to this end we will reflect
a while on the priestly Office and the
pastoral life in the church of God.
Like Aaron of old, each priest is
the called and chosen of God. From
eternity each one, in the mind of God,
is selected for his life work. And
when he is ordained a priest, he is a
priest forever. Hence the call is from
eternity and the office t o eternity.
Each priest is chosen before time was,
and a priest he shall continue to be
when time shall be mo more.
The Catholic mother carries her in
FAINT son in her arms, kneeIs before
the altar and offers him to God. Fer
vently she Implores God to take him
into the sanctuary and make a man OF
Coda priest. Parents and brothers
and sisters work and pray for the
member Of the family destined for the
priesthood. In his early youth, while
his mind is in its formative period,
the boy, like young Samuel, is brought
to Gods sanctuary and there separated
from home and earthly surroundings.
that he may grow into the life of His
Savior and, like Him, increase in ''age
and wisdom and grace before God and
man." Indeed, the Council and Trent
directs each Bishop to have all aspir-
ants to the priestly Office under his
own immediate care and near him.
He is to watch and study and train
them. A love of purity and prayer
and the services of the sanctuary are
10 be, to the Bishop, tokens of Gods
choice. The intellect must be trained
by long years of study; the mind and
heart must be sehooled in every vir-
tue; the antics and responsibilities of
the priesthood must be kept constant
ly before him-he is to be "a man OF
God" "the salt of the EARTH" perfect,
as his Heavenly Father is perfect"
He must VOW chastity and obedience
in assuming the great dignity of the
priesthood. And the work of the col
lege and of the seminary all tend to
make each student realize the sanctity
and severity of the priestly life he
Will be compelled to lead if he desire
to be sound at the end of his earthly
pilgrimage.
Knowing the inner life of Rev. Faith
er O'Carroll for nearly forty years. l
know how well he realized what a
priest ought to be. He was convinced
that he would hardly save his soul ex-
cept in the priesthood, and yet he
looked on himself as totally unfit for
such a life of holiness and responsible
1ty. And his prayers and Holy Com
munions were offered that God might
make him worthy. His physical
health was never satisfactory. but he
studied and worked uncomplainingly.
He was blessed with a keen, logical
and analytical mind, but his humility
was so profound that he regarded him.
Saif os q nonanfitv Whatever fha