Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-02
OBSERVES
Anniversary
SPECIAL SERVICES HELD AT
ST. AGNES
Rev. James w. Collins Tells of the
Catholic Church and Its
Divine Authority and
InfaIIibiIity

The second anniversary of the or
ganization of st. Agnes parish was
observed yesterday with special SER
vices at the chapel on West Adams
street. High mass was celebrated at
1920 o'clock in the morning, when Rev.
William Hughes preached the sermon
on "The Devotions of the Holy Ro-
sary"
Bollman's mass was rendered by the
choir. At the Vesper service last evening
Rev. James w. Collins of the Church
of st. Thomas the Apostle preached on
1.-THE Catholic Church" He took for
his text Thou art Peter, and upon
this rock will build my church and
the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it," He said:
"The greatest force in the world is
the church to which Christ gave his
powers, mission and authority. The
church of God should have authority
be infallible, since God sent it and He
is responsible for it's teaching.
God cannot teach error. The very
fact that the Catholic church makes
these claims, teaches these doctrines,
is evidence that she is the church OF
Christ. Only one has stood in the midst
of man and proclaimed himself God;
Jesus alone made this assertion and
we believe Him for the assertion car
ries with it the light of it's own truth.
"Only one church dares to say to
the world I am divine; l have divine
authority; l am infallible.' Only the
Catholic church lives up to the idea
of a divinely instituted church.
IF our Lord Jesus Christ instituted
a church, If he sent it with his power
to teach the world and promised to be
with it always, even to the consun-
nation of the world, he certainly is
responsible for that church and for its
teaching. If it teaches error 1t is he
who teaches it. From the divine insti-
tuition of the church its infallibility
necessarily follows. The Catholic
church is the only church, which now,
or at any time past, has claimed in
fallibility. Nothing that comes after
that original church can be the church
of Christ, for Christ promised that his
church as he instituted it should last
until the end of time, He pledged his
word, his divinity to it.
IF, therefore, sixteen hundred years
after Christ it was necessary to start
a new church it could be necessary
only on the supposition that Christ's
church had failed. If it had, then
Christ had failed; his prophecy was not
true and he himself not divine.
Catholic Church Divine
"The Catholic church antedates all
others. She was here when the others
began. The Catholic church further
shows her divine institution in that she
is animated by divine charity. She
first built hospitals and homes for the
poor. No want but she has provided;
no wound but for which she has balm.
The orphan cried to her and she took
the child to her bosom; the outcast ap-
pealed to her and she housed him; the
leper asked aid and the priest of Jesus
Christ hastened to Molokai, the fallen
sisters of the Good Shepherd to lead
her back to Jesus Christ.
"And so the Catholic church stands
as the greatest force in all history.
She has had her trials and persecu-
tions but this was to be expected, for
her divine founder predicted it. IF
they have prosecuted me they will also
persecute you Her enemies have NOT
only plotted her downfall, but have
predicted it. The church stands today
greater and grander than ever.
Lord Macaulay says there is not
nor ever has been a work of human
policy so we'll deserving of examination
as the Roman Catholic church. The
history of that church joins together
the great ages of human civilization.
The proudest royal houses are but of
yesterday when compared with the
line of the supreme pontiff. Nor do
we see any sign which indicates that
the term of her long domination is ap-
preaching. She saw the beginning of
all the governments and all the eccles-
iastical institutions that now exist,
and we feel no assurance that she is
not destined to see the end of them
ALL"