Los Angeles herald., 1905-06-05
BISHOP GIVES
TWO SACRAMENTS
IMPRESSIVE SERVICES At THE
CATHEDRAL
LARGE CLASSES CONFIRMED
TT. Rev. Thomas consty Delivers EIo-
quent Sermon, Dealing at Length
on saeramen nts Of the CATH
Ollie Faith
LARGE GLASSES CONFIRMED

ltfudiISllt btl NlCt VI lllt NdluOliC tilui III
two sacraments of the church were adj
ministered yesterday to large classes.
Bishop Conaty celebrated mass at 8
a. m. at the Cathedral of st. Vibiana,
at which a class of about one hundred
children received first communion. Sol
emn high mass was celebrated at 10:30
a. M, at which a class of twenty-eight
adult converts were confirmed. Rev.
W. Lonnergan was celebrant, Rev.
Father Suebert deacon, Rev. Father
Scher sub-deacon, Rev. James Reardon
master Of ceremonies. Mgr. Harnett,
V. c., and Father Collins acted as dea :
cons of honor. The main altar was dec
grated with Easter lilies and white car
nations. The curtains before the shrine
were drawn and the wax figure of the
patroness of the cathedral was made
bright by many lighted tapers. A spec
ial musical program was rendered by
the choir under the direction of Rev.
T, F. Fahey.
Bishop Conaty preached the sermon,
speaking at length on the sacraments.
He said in part:
The Bishops Sermon
Dearly beloved brethren, this is, in
deed, a day of great blessing when the
spirit of truth promised to us comes
to visit the souls who are to receive
the sacrament. 1t is we'll to think upon
what this means. The holy ghost.
spirit of truth. coming into the souls
of the faithful, means the extension
of the incarnation, the union of soul
with God. So in the providence of di-
vine economy the holy spirit of God
binds man to the spirit of his redeemer
1t means truth, power and virtue; in
word, God. The holy spirit of God
comes to the soul when sin is pardoned.
"All sacraments bring graces and the
spirit Of God, but confirmation in
special manner brings the holy spirit
of God into the soul with special graces.
The holy spirit of God is the informing
power of God on the soul redeemed. 1t
is the informing power of the church.
! when Christ ascended into heaven
it was with promise to send the spirit
of truth to his apostles, whom he left
tlisconsolate, to inspire them with love
and fortitude, making them all Christ's.
to bring the world to God.
Gods Spirit knowledge
1.-THE Spirit of God came upon them
and they became men of knowledge.
They had been ignorant except as they
had listened to Christ. They went
forth with the message of truth. AS
the result of the down coming of the
holy ghost. they converted the world
and made it possible for men of every
age To be told the story of Calvary.
With that coming of the holy ghost
upon the apostles the spirit of God
came in tangible form into the world.
The holy spirit dwells in the temples
of Christ. guarding the church from
possible error, bringing the souls of
mer through the instrumentality of
mer. 1t dwells with us on one condi-
tioJ that our souls shall be the tenn
plel of the holy spirit alone. for the
split of God will not share with evil.
Ths spirit of God, though driven out,
stil hovers around U.S. hoping 1t may
cone back and dwell with us forever.
DO we understand how much 1t is
to- us in life? 1t is a power against
evil and In dwelling in us has the force
of ten thousand men ready to resist
al that would destroy the knowledge
ofGod in a world that seems to know
little of God and less Of Christ
Good and Bad Side by Side
We are in the midst of men not
mrely satisfied with denying God, but
wlo have followed their passions down
tn broad way amidst sin and the most
derading sensuality. In that world,
in the midst of those evils, walking
sid by side. are noble men and women
whlse souls are pure, living in the
void but not of the world who in
eveY stage of the world have resisted
themselves. Where have they found
the strenith. force and power to do it, |
when Thousands apparently as good
know not how to conquer self? The |
spirit of God has given them the |
strength lions to follow in the path |
VI thN VI NIOu dlttI the great
exemplary Jesus Christ. If left to our
selves W would be as reeds to be
blown d%n by every gust of wind |
Oh, then ,hen confirmation day comes,
the messge comes of the fulfillment of |
the pronse of Jesus Christ in the
pentecostl day, let us think that the
holy gha dwells within us.
1.-The prld today needs some one to
go to itin whom it trusts. and that
some on is every Christian who has
courageto give the knowledge to the
world sd stand in the world, defy
ing it,"
At m. a large class of children
were cGhrmed by the bishop. At this
servicethe bishop made a short ad-
dress, which he explained the mean
ing an significance of the ceremony.
FolloNag the confirmation benediction
of theolessed sacrament was given.
S27O RAISED FOR
CHURCH BUILDING