Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-09
RT. REV. BISHOP CONATY
SPEAKS OF "SACRED HEART"
PALM SUNDAY OBSERVED AT
CATHEDRAL
Following an Inspiring Sermon Large
Number of Members Received Into
League-Church Is Crowded With
Worshlpers

Palm Sunday and the triumphal en-
try of Christ into Jerusalem were OBJ
served yesterday at the Cathedral of
st. Vibiana with solemn services.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Conaty blessed the
palms at the last mass, at which the
Passion was sung by Revs. T. F.
Fahey, G. seubert and ]. j. Cody.
At the vesper service last evening
Bishop Conaty preached the sermon
on the Sacred Heart" following
which a large number were formally
received into the league bearing that
name. The large cathedral church was
crowded with worshipers, many stand
ing throughout the ceremonies.
The statues were all draped in pur-
pie and the white marble altar was
relieved with simple clusters Of palms.
Bishop Conaty spoke of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus and of the apparition
which founded the devotion, in an elo-
quent manner. He said in part:
Behold the Heart
Behold the heart which has loved
men so much These words said by
Jesus Christ, our Saviour in an ap-
partition to a humble nun in her Con-
vent of the Visitation In France,
brought to us our alteration.
the apparition appeared. Our blessed
Saviour stood before her. AS she be-
held him it seemed as though the
wounds were as dazzling suns and his
figure surrounded by light. His heart
manifested itself pierced and inf1amed
with blood, from which issued rays
of fire.
"It was surmounted by cross and
crown of thorns. The humble nun
prostrated herself but our Saviour saw
In her an instrument Of lowly degree,
as he often did, unknown and obscure,
in order that he might make known
the will of the sacred heart; to be-
hold the heart which loved men so
much. This has been approved by
the church, and Margaret Mary. the
humble religious, has been canonized
by the church. The message which
she received bade her preach the gos-
pei of the love of the sacred heart.
Twenty-Five Million Members
"That it has manifested itself in
public devotion today Is shown by
the 25,000,000 members who are en-
rolled in the League of the Sacred
Heart in all countries and under all
circumstances.
"The devotion to the sacred heart Is
not a new one. 1t is new in the public
form, but it began at the cross of
Calvary when the soldiers pierced the
sacred side from which came forth
blood and water. 1t began when that
heart burst Through all the ages of
the church there have been devotions
to the precious blood, wounds and
cross of Christ.
1--WE speak of friend whose heart is
full of love, or an enemy whose heart
is full Of hatred. We speak of all
affections centered in the human heart
and We judge a man by his heart, for
it is the source from which comes all
good and from which comes all bad
ness. 1t is heart speaking to heart;
heart acting to heart; love beseeching
that love be given in return. This lat
ter manifestation Is but another tribute
of his eternal love.
Why Christ Assumed Humanity
Christ assumed humanity that he
might be able to die, for divinity could
not suffer, in order that he might eX-
plate sins multiplied by the free willed
action of man.
Behold the heart which has loved
men so much For all eternity it had
longed to sacrifice for men, that
through it's blood might come mans re-
demption. Brethren, this manifestation
is but another one; from the beginning
he has spoken to men.
w nat mas ne uOlle lot us lie mas
become man for us-the God of light,
son of the Eternal Father. He came
that man might be able to call God in
heaven Father; he came as the scape-
goat; he, the spotless one, comes as an
outcast and stands at the altar and
offers his blood for ungrateful man.
Saw in Man Image of Father
do we think sufficiently of what re-
demption means? He saw in man the
image of his Father, the creature whom
God destined for a high place. He
came to blot out sin and make man
free. He saw humanity chained to the
chariot wheels of the demon who hated
his heavenly Father. He took that
humanity which had been destroyed by
sin as the object of his redemption
took it himself without sin-born at
Bethlehem that one might become the
man of Calvary.
1.-THE church bids us adore the sacred
heart of Jesus. 1t is an appeal to
gratitude. 1t has loved you and me-
offered it's blood that you and 1 might
be able to love it in return. What
sacrifice do we make Cor it which has
not been made for us? Human love is
returned by love. Mother love is be-
yond human conception. When the
child turns on it's mother all our nature
rebels Jesus Christ has borne us all
as his children. What mother has
done for her children Christ has done
for us.
"That sacred heart stands clamoring,
begging, pleading that we may love
him who loved us so much"
Owing to the rush of business the
Talk-o-Phone department of the South
ern California Music company will be
open Wednesday and Saturday evenings
for the accommodation Of Herald sub