Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-25
CARDINAL CONFIRMS
A SOLEMN CEREMONY YEsTER-
DAY.
Entire Congregation Took Part in Re
ception Held in the
Church.

Cardinal Gibbons confirmed yesterday at
the Church Of the Immaculate Conception
class of 219 candidates, of whom fifteen
were adults and ten of these converts to
the Catholic Church. This official visit of
the cardinal to the Immaculate Conception
was the first since the present pastor, Rev
D. ]. Mari, took charge, and the occasion
was invested with all possible solemnity. In
administering the sacrament of confirma-
ton the cardinal was assisted by Very
Rev. ]. A. Hinch, pastor of the Domini-
can monastery, and Revs. Fathers MARI
and Beavans.
First Assistant Postmaster General Rob-
ert J. Wynne was a sponsor for the boys
and men confirmed. At the high mass at
IL O'Clock, which preceded the confirma-
ton ceremony, Rev Ambrose Beavans was
the celebrant. and the cardinal preached.
Every seat in the church was occupied.
The theme of the sermon was that the
dignity of Christian men and women con-
sists in the fact that they are children of
Gd4; by adoption brothers and sisters of
Christ, temples of the Holy Ghost and
heirs of heaven. He described the Chris
tan religion exemplified in the life OF
Christ and promulgated by His teachings,
as religion Of love and universal charity
Love, and not fear" he said, lis the DOM
inant motive of the New Testament. This
is typified in the Lords prayer, the most
commonly invoked, the most comprehen-
sive of all prayers. 1t was handed to man.
kind by the Redeemer, and 1T proclaims
the men and women of the world to be the
brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.
Many of us. many times. have done
things by commission and by omission
that were unworthy the brothers and sis
tiers of Him who shed his blood in bitterest
anguish that we might enter into, and
know in all its gorgeous sublimity the king
dom of God. And yet however fraught
soul be with nnwOrthineEa. this
Christ, our Brother. is ready and willing
and anxious to wash away from our spirit
ual being the stain and the sea rof sin.
A Consoling Message.
Christ descends to earth that he may
take us to heaven. He comes not empty
handed but He brings us that sweet, con-
soling message of His gospel. 1t IS not
the language of exaggeration to say that
we are purchased people, not purchased
with gold and silver. but with the precious
blood of Jesus Christ which has bought
us from out the bondage of sin. We, clergy
men and laymen. are a royal priesthood,
for are children of Him before whom
the whole world and all it's peoples are hs
dust. We are priests of the temple Of
hearts and of the home that we live in.
The hope of eternal life sustains the real
Christian through every sorrow ard every
difficulty. for there be no happiness
worth the name that has an end
The cardinal made a short address to the
newly confirmed. in which he urged them
to faithful obedience of lawful authority,
whether of the hurch the state and The
home-and that the best way to be a loyal
citizen was to be a good Christian. lie
also asked the boys to stand up and repeat
a pledge of total abstinence from intoXi-
eating drinks until they reach the age of
twenty-one. The entire class of boys did
as requested
Cardinal Gibbons afterward received the
congregation. the members passing up 70
the sanctuary. where he stood surrounded
by the officiating priests.