The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-01-25
THE THIRD ORDER.
Several Sound Reasons Assigned For
It's Excellence.

Several Sound Reasons Assigned Fo
It's Excellence.
The first Christian Church in the New
World WAS founded at a small settle
ment of the island of Hayti by Father
Perez de Marchena, Franciscan in
the year 1898. The previous traditional
missionary efforts of the Irish and
others We're apparently not permanent
IN their results; so that the Franciscan
may clearly claim the credit OF get
ting firm foundation for the church
OF this continent. OF their labors and
success ii is not to the point TO speak.
But side by side with this great con
sccrated body of religious works a no
Die army Of the laity under the prOtec-
ton of the Blessed Mother of God and
of the Seraphic st. Francis. and known
10 the world as the Third Order of St
Francis. The excellence of this organ
1zation has been the attraction of all
eyes and the reasons for it have been
summarized to the following purport:
First the excellence of the order is
apparent from the sanctity Of its foun-
der. Brethren" said ST. Paul to the
Corinthians Il beseech you. be We fol-
lowers of me. as ] also am of Christ"
And TO none other, since apostolic time
save st. Francis of Assist can the
words be more appropriately applied.
A writer SAYS What St Francis was
tC the church is acknowledged by her
AT the solemn ceremony of the corona
tion of the Pope, when she adds TO
the prayer to the Holy Ghost and to
the Blessed Virgin an invocation of
this saint, beseeching him to continue
to succor as he assisted to renew her"
Secondly. its excellence can be
CLEANED from its object and end: that
is Principally 10 convert sinners and
TO give them opportunity to do penance
for their sins, guarding them at the
same time against relapse by the re-
moval of the occasions of sin: to awak- |
en- tervor in lukewarm souls to fortifv |
and preserve the just and virtuous !
and to lead all to Christian perfection. |
Thirdly we should learn its excel /
lence from the example of holy and ex-
allied persons. The Third Order in
cludes on its roll of membership sew
eral Supreme Pontiffs who did not deem
it inconsistent with their nigh and
honorable position as Christ's Vicar
on earth To honor this institution with
their membership and so obtain the In
tercession of st. Francis in heaven
on their behalf. More than three thou |
sand others, cardinals. patriarchs, bish-
ops have been enrolled: while among
its secular members of high rank can
be counted no few emperors. fifty kings
and princes and numerous array OF
other temporal dignitaries. This alone.
II has been aptly pointed out. supplies
a proof that the order was destined
by God, not for the benefit of the hum
bier classes alone, but for all classes
Of society. But in the category of | {
holy and exalted persons who have
belonged to the branch to how many
the church has accorded the honors of
he altar-holy men and women youths J
and virgins. widows and penitents-
whose light has shone before men.
whose good works they have seen and
Who have glorified their Father in 1
heaven. F
Fourthly. the excellence of the Third e
order is esta blished by the contents or
Is rule. All these details can be learn n
d from the various directors and a
'erusal of the requirements will justl- c
y the claim of excellence.
Lastly, the excellence of the order Is Il
manifest from the numerous declara- c
ions and formal approvals of so many h
overeign Pontiffs down to our own v
eloved Leo XIIL After his consti- m
ution Of May 29, 1883, it is well pointed
ut that no true Christian, having al L
cart the salvation of his soul, can in id
lture excuse himself from entering of
Ito this ark of safety amid the deluge
{ perverted world. pI