Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-26
PRIESTS BLESS
THE WINDOWS
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES ON
EAST SIDE
Offering of Heart and Hand by the
Pensioners Is Received
Amid Scenes Of
Splendor

With impressive ceremonial, priest
clad in white and gold robes yesterda.
morning blessed the fourteen beautiful
new stained glass windows of tn,
Church of the Sacred Heart, East Lo
Angeles. The church was elaborated!
decorated for the event, it being tn,
feast.of the Annunciation of the BLESSED
Virgin. The main altar was adorned
with feathery bridal wreath. whole
tn side altars were decorated will
lilies and ferns.
The windows were blessed by Rev
Raphael Fuhr and Rev. D. w. J. Muir.
ply. with a procession preceding the
solemn mass which was celebrated al
10;30 o'clock by Rev c. Gregoire, as
sisted by Rev. Raphael F'uhr as deacor
of honor; Rev. Dean Tracey, deacon;
Rev. P. Farrelly, sub-deacon: Rev. d
w. ]. Murphy, assistant priest. and
Rev. Michael McAuliffe, the pastor
master of ceremonies.
The choir rendered "Messe Solem-
nellie" Miss Mary Merrick sang as
offertory Ave Maria by Gounod. with
violin obligato,
Seven Years Work
Father Murphy preached the sermon.
taking for his text: 81 have loved, O
Lord, the beauty of thy house and the
place where thy glory dwelleth."
After congratulating the pastor and
people for the work accomplished, he
said:
Nearly seven years have passed. be-
loved pastor, since you first looked
upon the skeleton of this church, un-
adorned. uninviting and numbered with
debt Yet it has been given to you to
wreath the dwelling place of God with
a beauty fresh and glowing, which tells
of the unfading loveliness of the Sa-
lvior's spouse. ever Frightening with
age, growing more vigorous as the CEN
turtles roll by, more youthful as the
number of her years increase.
"This spirit of zeal-the self sacrifice
you communicated to the faithful,
united as one man they girded them
selves for the work, strong in their
faith. 1t was no trivial work to re-
construct and beautify from foundation
to gilded cross, from sacristy to noble
entrance. this temple, and as fitting
climax set these jewels in yonder
windows; jewels glistening in the sun
light, radiant with the old, old story
of Jesus and his love.
Offering to God
''With the sound of song and music
like to that of the silver trumpets
which the Levites blew in Solomon's
temple, and the jubilee of the angels
and we trust with the approving smile
of Gods acceptance, you present to
him this offering of heart and hand
a token of your service-a solemn me-
mento pointing heavenward and warn
ing all who walk the busy highway of
life to think of the country that is
above, the one toward which we jour-
ney.
Like the stones set up by the Israel
ties which they took from the river
Jordan in their fight to the Prom
1sed Land, your children and yaur
children's children will ask What mean
these stones? What mean these win
dows. these decorations and altars?'
The same question might be asked at
the door of every Catholic church in
the world. What means this lavish
of money, these noble col
umns of marble, golden and silver can-
delabra and vessels of beaten gold?
Why, o priest, art thou arrayed in the
vesture of kings, in silken and golden
clothes and shut off by yonder rail
from the people you serve"
House of God
Brethren. the answer is, This is the
house of heaven, which echoes the same
sentiment which was painted by Michel
Angelo on the dome of St. Peters, This
is the chruch of God, the pillar and
ground of the truth
1.-THE greatness of Israel of old was
the subject of pride among the Jews.
1t was not measured by material pros
perity, for therein she was outstrtpped
by the lands of the Pharaohs, nor by
knowledge of the celestial spheres and
their movements. for Arabia eXcelled
in the sciences, nor yet in letters, for
Assyria and Babylonia are even now
the wonder of the world, but her real
consisted in the abiding pres
ence of God, who at sundry times and
in divers manners spoke to her prophets
and to her people. He led her with
pillar of fire by night and a cloud by
day for forty years through the will
derness, teaching her ordinances and
laws and showing her the way in which
she should walk.
1.-THE greatness of the church OF
Christ beyond all other congregations
is not measured by material prosperity.
for to use the words of her founder,
NV kingdom is not of this world; seek
first the kingdom of God and his JUS
tice,' nor by her advance in science
and letters, though in these she ever
leads the way, but to use again the
Masters words, Behold, am with you
even unto the consummation
Of tho world -