Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1903-09-17
THE CLOSING
SERVICES

The mission by the Vncentian Faith
ers at st JOseph's Catholic church
closed Sunday night with a sermon by
Father Kennedy on Perseverance, IN
Good " The apocalypse of st. John,
2nd chapter, 10th verse, formed his
text. BE thou faithful until death
and | will give unto thee the crown
of everlasting life. " In eloquent
Language he pictured to the audience
what All auspIciOus event, what a
heavenly time was the present For
the past seven days. lac said, Iou
have been absorbed in the COntempla-
tion of the great truths of eternity and
As a result conviction has forced its
elf upon YOU that one thing alone Is
necessary and important in this world,
viz, the sanctitiCatiOn and salvation OF
your souls Life is tieeting, the un-
certain day of death Is fast approach
ing, consequently how foolish to put
of our sincere conversion TO God. Our
resolution at this time must be formed
in the conviction that it Is the means
and the only means which Will bImg
Us safely to life eternal, - He strongly
insisted OH the means of sanCtitiCatlOn,
namely, prayer, holy mass, ,sacIaments,
avoiding bad company and the oc-
casion of sin. He outlined for parents
their duties toward their children and
insisted on their Christian education,
moral training and good example at
home Young men and women were
told in plain concise language what
constitutes a model Christian young
man or woman and such they must be
if they wish to have the respect of the
community i'll which they live and
save their immortal souls.
The speaker concluded his sermon
by exhorting those present to remem-
Der the reward in store for them if
they proved true to their Christian
vocation.
The spacious auditorium of St. JOS
eph's church was the scene of a re-
markable service in the afternoon
when the large number of children IN
the parish were blessed. The church
was we'll filled, the little ones mingl-
ing their voices in dIscoIdant har-
mony. 1t was 3 80 O'Clock when
", K.nnAAvv uagf.1 in, gnrnlina
stole and cope came into the sanctuary
While the choir chanted the psalm,
Laudate pueri Father Kennedy
went through the church blessing the
children with holy water and at the
conclusion gave his solemn blessing
from the altar. The little ones were
then invested in the sCapular. 1t was
scene which could not fail to make
| an impression on all who heheld II
and which by many will never be for
gotten.
The mission sermon at High Mass
was preached by Father Tracy. De
votion to the Mother of God" was
his theme. The sermon was blend
ing OF dogmatic, moral and devotional
| thoughts. The speaker eXhOrted all
young women to place themselves nm.
der the guidance and protection of the
Mother of Christ and tor this reason
to become affiliated to the SOdality of
the Blessed Virgin Mary The mar
ried women we're exhorted to join the
Rosary Society of the parish.
Sunday morning at 3 30 "a High Mass
OF Requiem was chanted by Father
Kennedy for the deceased priests and
members of the parish; also for the
friends and relatives of the parishOn,
ers who have gone to their God
The final sermon was preached at
Z 30 At Is close the Papal bonedic.
tiOn was given and the services con.
cluded with the bonedictiOn of the
Most Blessed Sacrament.
The work of Fathers Tracy and
| Kennedy has no doubt made deeI
impression. The two priests are zeal
| ous and indefatigable workers. Most
| kindly and courteous during their stay
at St Joseph's they endeared them
| sleeves to everyone.