The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-03-14

Don't YOU think that we know what
sins Il young man of % might have
committed? DO you believe in the
church,"
Father, if l believe in any, ii is in
the Catholic Church"
Now, will you try: Let us say a
good prayer first"
The two knclt down in prayer; then
the priest began to question. When
all was over, the priest said:
well, my friend, tell me now that
you sincerely repent and wish to bc II
Catholic"
lis that all?" said the young man.
quite surprised
Yes, that is all
"Well did not know; it was not
worth while to he afraid of confess
sion"
Another convert. after confession,
said:
II was afraid, but now aln very
glad"
The saintcd priest of AIRS. who died
in 1853, rather than argue in vain,
succeeded with many to dispcl the
cloud of umbelicf from their eyes after
their hearts We're purified. He knew
that God rcsisteth the proud, hut to
the humble givcth grace.
One day, for instance, he saw a
fashionable man entering his s;lcristy;
people of high rank were also attracted
by the sweet odor of his virtues and
holiness. The priest simply pointed
out the knrrling stool used for confess
sion.
"EXcusc mo. Monster IL Curc,' said
the gentleman. don't come to con-
feSSion; want to reason with you"
"Oh. my friend. You mistake me
very much. cannot reason. hut if YOU
need amy consolation. knwl there
pointing to the inrNorahlr St,nl; and
believe me. many moro knrlt down
there and did not repent of it,"
But. reverend sir. I have alrrud;
had the honor to tell YOU | did not
come to confess and this for Il very
simple rcaSon-I have no faith. I be-
licvc no more in confession than l do
in all the rest
You have no faith, my friend? OH
how much pity YOU. You live in a
fog. \ child of = with his c:,trchism.
knows more about ii than YOU.
thought myself very ignorant, but You
are still more so than |, as YOU ignore
the first things one ought to know.
You hay" no faith? Well, look. ii is "A
reason for me to prove you; | would
not have dared to do so otherwise; il
is for your good. Put yourself there;
! ann going To hear your confession
After you, have made your confession,
you will believe"
Persuasion. sweetness. authority.
tempered by grace. made the man
yield. lie made the sign of the cross
what he had not done for n long time,
and hum'ly avowrd his faults. lie
stood up not only conSolr,l, but per-
fcrtly believing. having experienced
that in order to come to faith the
shortest AMI sur"st way is to perform
the works of faith according to the
eternal word Of the Master of men.
words far too little understood: Gle
that do"th truth colnrtll to the light"
10. iii:21.
The celebrated Cardinal Chevcrus,
who was formerly bishop of Boston,
was much beloved by Professionals and
Catholics 1t often happened that even
Protestant ladies of the most respect
able families IN Boston came to com
suit him. They told him their family
troubles. their nnXictieS, umcnsincss of
conscience, and asked his advice pre-
risrly as Catholics do in confession.
One day lady told the bishop that
there was one doctrine Of the Catholic
Church which she diSlked exceeding
~ and which prevented her from be-
coming a Catholic, and this was the
doctrine Of confessions; she could moi
prevail on herself to confess her sins.
"Mndam,' answered the bishop,
smiling, "you say you dislike confess
sion, but your dislike is not so great
as you imagine: for. to tell you the
truth, you have been really confcssing
to me this long time. You must know
that confession is nothing else than the
ronfiding of your troubles and faults
to II priest in order to obtain his adj
vice and to receive through him the
forgiveness of your SINS
Indeed, what was the difference?
This lady had told him all, how she
lived as Il girl before and in marriage
this was in the bishops lmrlor;
strictly speaking, he was not bound by
the secret Of confession, but only by
natural secret. However, all that was
needed yet was to ascertain IL there
was anything more ana If she did
really repent and purpose to amend.
Probably she was leading good life
then and perhaps she always had done
So AS matter of fact, this lady was
very much astOnishcd; a new horizon
opened before her; the mist cleared Off
and she became Il Catholic.
Many Names of ireland.
Ifnlv nj