The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-14
SEASON IS
FAST APPROACHING
Circular to be Read in Catholic
Churches Today
THE MUSIC AT ST. PAUL'S
Ash Wednesday observances and Reg
ular Services During Lent-vespers
viii Be Sung Every Sunday
Night After Today.
THE MUSIC AT ST. PAUL'S

| At high mass at st. Paurs church to-
day the choir will sing Batmann's Kyrie,
Credo sanctus and Agnus Del and Miss
Ella Nolan viii sing a beautiful Ave
Maria as an offertory.
on Ash wednesday the ashes will be
blessed and distributed at the o'clock
mass, and on Wednesday night at 1880
o'clock there will be sermon and the
benedietion of the blessed sacrament.
Every Wednesday night during Lent a
sermon will be delivered and the stations
| of the cross will be the devotions every
Friday night.
Every Sunday night during Lent YES
pers will be sung and cermon Will be
heard.
Circulars from Bishop Allen will be
read to the Catholic congregations today
One Of them prescribes the regulations to
be observed from Ash Wednesday until
Holy Saturday inclusive and one Is ON
the general subject OF the pentitentiaI
season. Extracts from the general let
ter follow:
The Lenton season. commencing the
forty days fast of our Redeemer In the
desert reminds US that 1t is our duty to
initiate our divine Master In his pen
itential exercises, for Christ is our model
and guide In all things. He was without
sin and yet He suffered for all sinners
not indeed TO exempt them from penance
but to pay the price Of our redemption.
In doing penance for our sins we are
consoled by the assurance Of st. Paul.
that: IF we suffer with Christ, we may
also be gloriied with Him" Rom. viii,
| IT, However inadequate penitental
exercises may be- they seem In the divine
economy OF mans redemption TO be part
of the price to be paid for the eternal
| joys of heaven Therefore, St Paul says;
'I consider the sufferfngs of this present
time not worthy to be compared to the
glory to come which shall be revealed to
u.s." Rom. viii. IS.
There are two roads to heaven" says
a famous servant of God, the road of in
nocence and the road Of penance." Those
who have lost their innocence have al
ready departed from the easy way and
II they with to gain heaven, they must
now travel over the rugged road Of
Cavalry. the road of penance. They must
take up their cross and follow Him.
who bore. our inffrmities and carried
our sorrows." Isaias. B3-4.
There is no other way to gain eternal
life; for says st. Augustine: HE who
made us without our concurrence. will
not save US without our cooperation"
Hence we must labor and toll In spirit
of penance as long as we are permitted to
dwell here on earth. The works of pen
ance recommended to us during this holy
season are prayer, fasting and almsgiv-
Ing Ientis a time for diiigent self-exam-
ination and deep reflection on the truths
of religion. As faith cometh by hearing"
(Rom. K. III. we ought to avail ourselves
of every opportunity Of hearing the word
of God expounded. bearing in mind ths
he who speaks to us from the altar or
pulpit, speaks as the ambassador OF
Christ for to him our Lord addressed
these words of our Lord: He that
heareth you heareth Me. and he that
despiseth you despiseth Me"-Luke x, l6.
The Lenten season 10 q time for gener-
Gus almsgiving and for the devout recep-
ton of the sacramento On tho first Sun
day of Lent, In accordance with the de-
crees OF the third plenary council OF Balti-
more. the collection for the home and
foreign missions will be taken up through
out the diocese. The reverend clergy are
requested to read this letter and urge the
collection on Quinauageslrna Sunday and
on the first Sunday in Lent. From the
| funds derived from this collection, many
struggling missions at home and abroad
are relieved and strengthened.
There is no better way OF showing our
gratitude to God for the gift Of faith than
by giving generously to support those
who are laborins in season and out Of sea-
son to extend Gods kingdom here on
earth. In this connection we cannot praise
too highly the work done by tho Society
of the Propagation of Faith. This society
has been organized In many of the par
ishes of this diocese and It should be es-
tablished In all, for we are deeply In
debted to It for help given to the diocese
in the past.