The Oskaloosa herald., 1902-05-22

vice or information when he himself
was the best prepared to give both.
Above all, he feared the responsible
ties of a priests ministry. How could
he become holy enough to climb up
the new calvalry-the altar-and call
down the Immaculate God and offer
Him in sacrifice? How could he go
out to stand before all men and teach
them? How could he sit on Gods
own throne and let sinners come to
him to be cleansed in soul and abb
solved from sin? How could he go
to a strange people and be set up as
a model for any flock? These over
whelming thoughts overpowered him
and made him lean more and more
upon God.
But who could fathom his reflections
IN the day of his ordination to the
priesthood? Heretofore he was re-
sponsible to God and for himself.
Henceforth he must answer for those
given into his keeping! He must go
into the canctuarry and hereafter be
the companion, the familiar friend,
and, in a degree, the protector of the
hidden God of the Tabernacle-Jesus
Christ lncarnate! He must fall on
his face in the holy place, die to the
world, and rise up again, to be, hence
forth, a holocaust to God, in bowed
obedience and purity. Espoused thus
to God and the church, he must, to be
saved, be a holy one, though he feels
the infirmities of fallen human nature
In his own person. He must be per-
feet, like mis- Heavenly Father; merci-
full, like His Son; and loving, like the
Holy Spirit. The Church of God,
through the consecrating Bishop, will
endow him with power from on high
to ~consecrate the body of the Lord and
to forgive the sins of men. When he
celebrates a he will renew the
Feast of the ~Cenaculum, and, as anoth-
er Christ, he will take bread and wine
and transubstantiate them i nto the
living body and blood of the Goldman.
In him God and the people shall meet.
He is to De the link binding time to
eternity. AS he sacrifices, he bridges
the chasm between the finite and the
infinite. He holds in his hands the
Creator, God, and he gives Him in
Holy Communion to the adoring be-
levers.
All this Father O'Carroll realized ut
his ordination. You are witnesses
that he never forgot these things dur
ing his pastorate here. Were it other
wise, he could not have gained, or re-
tanned, the esteem of his fellow citi-
zens here for so many years. His
honesty and sincerity of purpose at
tracted all who knew him. The trib-
ute paid him by the government OF
this city, on the day of his obsequies.
was touching and eloquent-more than
words could be. In my own name and
for this parish l gratefully thank the
Mayor and City Fathers for their pres
ence in this church during the funeral
services over the remains of Father
O'Carroll.
Dear people Of the congregation, |
share in your sorrow, and offer my
coincidence in the loss you have sus-
tanned. Your late pastor had you al
ways in his thoughts. He never failed
to give you pastoral instructions, and
he never gave a sermon without ser.
ious study and preparation. When
ever he visited me he consulted about
the fittest things to teach his flock
and the best methods of imparting in
formation in the pulpit. But his voice
is hushed, his lips are closed forever,
and the living Word of God you shall
no more hear from him. His conse-
Grated hands will never again be raised
to help or absolye you. Long ana
lovingly ne served you. and prayed
for you. and stood at Gods altar to