The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-06-26
FIRST MASS
Said Yesterday Morning
BY Rev. Father Oscar
Wernet at ST. Peters
Catholic Church.

congregation. Besides the celebrant
the others officiating were: Rev. Vic
Liseto Perez
Following as a synopsis of the ser
mon:
This is great, glorious and spir-
itual celebration. 1t is an inspiration
of devotion-and of loyalty TO the
Catholic priesthood. A strange, but
welcome face is seen in this sanctu-
ary. We behold here a newly ordain-
ed priest enthroned within the holy
of holies, clad in the sacred vest
ments of Aaron the High Priest, sur
rounded by his venerable pastor and
the members of the clergy-the church
bedecked in her festive attire-to well
come another priest to the sanctuary.
All nations have regarded the priest
hood as the highest dignity to which
mortal man could be raised. There
is a continual commerce going on be-
tween heaven and earth. The real in
who is in heaven, must needs have
His agents hcre upon earth, and these
agents are His priests. Priests are
the ambassadors of Christ upon earth.
Priests must intercede with God for
men, and hence are Mediators be-
tween God and man. The priest is
not only a mediator but he repre-
sents Christ, and becomes identified
with Him in his ministerial func-
tions
The priesthood has it's origin in
heaven; but the functions of the
priesthood are exercised upon earth.
1t behooves the priests to offer sacrf-
fee, to bless, to rule, to preach, to
absolve, to baptiZe.
The priest must continue the func-
tions of the priesthood of Jesus
Christ upon earth Although the
church has many priests, ,nere is but
one priesthood.
DUTY OF PREACHING.
The priest is and always must re-
main the consecrated harold of the
Gospel. He is charged to deliver the
message of God to man.
He is sent and commissioned to an
nounce the same decalogue that Moses
received on the mountain. He is
commanded TO utter the same warn
ing the prophets uttered on the plains
of Judea. He is commanded to preach
the same Gospel that Christ preached
at Galilee. The soul of man is on
trial, and Gods interests are at stake.
The priest must vindicate Gods
rights, and initiate the obligation Of
obedience to civil, as well as to di-
voice against avarice, and lust, against
disloyalty and divorce, against strife
and bloodshed; in fine, against all
crimes. The Gospel is more tnan OF,
healing wounds, and flowing upon the
surface of life's turbid waters. 1t is
a sword, creating war between virtue
and vice, a leaven penetrating, fer
menting and purifying society.
POWER OF THE KEYS.
The power of Christ was transmit
ted to His priesthood upon earth.
Justice and mercy are in conflict after
sin has been committed. Justice de-
mards condemnation.
Mercy appeals for pardon. The
Catholic priesthood furnishes the me-
diation and mercy triumphs. God
alone can forgive sin. But the priest
has the power to absolye from sin in
the name of Christ. God forgives by
authority. The priest absolves by
commission, by delegated powers.
POWER OF CONSIDERATION AT
MASS.
/. Sacrifice and priesthood are linked
together.
2. The highest act of the priest
hood is sacrifice.
Calvary is created over and over
again-in the celebration of Mass. In
each Mass Christ is the victim and
the principal celebrant. Thus, it is
not the priest, but Christ Himself
who, in the mass. is the sacrificing
priest.
The sacrifice of the mass is the
chief and central act of Catholic wor-
ship. From Calvary's darkened
brow, light never seen before diff
fuses itself through the earth and
like a creeping sunbeam makes its
way from age to age.
The poet of the South, Father
Ryan, writes about the theme OF
"consecration" as follows:
''The sound of low sweet whisper
Floats over little bread,
And trembles around a chalice,
And the priest bows his head
Ger a sign of white on the altar,
In the cup DER sign of red,
AS red as the red of roses,
AS white as the white of SHOWS.
But the red is the red of surface,
Beneath which Gods Blood flows;
And the white is the white OF sun.