The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-21
BISHOP CONFIRMS
MANY CATHOLICS
Fhree Hundred and Seven in
Three Glasses
SOLEMN RITE IMPRESSIVE
Class at st. Paul's Numbers 172-At
Our Lady of Sorrows rs Were
Confirmed At. St. Cath
crimes Sixty.

The Right Rev. E. p. Allen. bishop of
Mobile, confirmed large classes at three
churches yesterday-St. Paul's, The Rev.
Father Coyle, pastor; the Church of Our
Lady of Sorrows. the Rev. Father Gal
land pastor. and st. GATHERINGS. the Rev.
Father O'Grady pastor. The latter church
is situated in Pratt City.
The total number confirmed in the three
churches was S07. While the majority in
each case was made up of boys and girls.
a larger number of adults than usual re-
ceived confirmation.
The bishop first visited the Church of
Our Lady of Sorrows at o clock. and I'M
mediately after the mass proceeded TO
administer the sacrament of confirmation
There were seventy-fve in the class.
ST. Paus chruch
At st. Paul's at high mass at 1920
o'clock the bishop preached an impress
sive and edifying sermon on the unity of
the Catholic church. After the mass he
was vested on his throne for the sacra-
ment of confirmation. and was accom-
panied to the altar by the Rev. Father
Coyle and the Rev. Father Duffy, who
seated him in a chair on the marble plat
form. In short address the bishop ex-
piained the significance of confirmation
BY baptism the candidates were made
Christians and by confirmation they were
made perfect Christians and valiant sol
ders of Christ. The bishop spoke with
singular tenderness, and his exhortation to
the candidates was at once earnest, sim
pie and practical. At St. Pauls 172 persons
were confirmed.
The church presented an animated scene.
The candidates for confirmation entered
the sacred ediflce In procession, and were
seated in reserved pews in the middle
aisle. The girls wore the regulation white,
with wreaths of white flowers encircling
the head. The boys wore suits of dark
color and a bow of white ribbon on the
left arm. The church was crowded to Its
pacity. Nearly all the pews not occu-
pied by the candidates were filled by
women. Many men stood throughout the
service in the spaces near the doors. But
large majority of the male members of
the congregat ton in the habit of attending
high mass heard one of the earlier masses
instead, so as to make room for the con-
firmatlon class at the 1890 o'clock SER
vice.
The ceremonies at the church being end
ed. those who had been confirmed were
grouped In st. Pauls yard and photo
graphed by Covell.
At night Bishop Allen visited st. Cath
crimes church, and confirmed class OF
sixty. The church was filled to over
flowing.
The Amounting OIL.
The ohrlsm used in confirmation Is a
sacred unguent composed OF oil of olives
and balsam, solemnly blessed by the
bishop on Maundy-Thursday.
The outward amounting of the forehead
with chrism represents the inward
amounting of the soul with the Holy
Ghost The amounting of the forehead Is
made in the form of the cross, the bishop
saying as he performs the act: Il sign
thee with the sign OF the cross, and
confirm thee wit hthe chrism of salvation,
in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Ghost. Amen The
bishop then gives the person confirmed
gentle stroke on the cheek, to teach him
or her. that being now soldier of Jesus
Christ, there must be henceforth a man.
full fight against all the Savors enemies.
Each person conhremd is exhorted to
suffer patiently all kinds of affronts and
injuries for the faith, and bear with
meekness all crosses and trials for the
sake and for the glory of the Lord and
Master.