Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-23
SPEAKS ON LIFE OF
cHURcH'S PATRON SAINT

The patronal feast of the Church of St.
Thomas the Apostle was celebrated yes
terday morning with a solemn mass in the
presence of Bishop Conaty, who preached
the Sermon.
Rev. ]. J. Clifford, rector of the parish,
was celebrant; Rev. William Palmer,
deacon; Rev. G. ]. George, c. M, sub
deacon, and Rev. j. Burke, master of
ceremonies. Rev. Raphael Fuhr and Rev.
D. ]. Devine assisted the bishop.
Bishop Conaty said in part:
"One of the beautiful and consoling re-
suits of our belief in the communion of
saints is that which teaches the interest
which the saints in heaven have in our
salvation. The relations which they have
held toward places in which they have
passed their earthly life and the persons
with whom they have been associated
never ceases to interest them now they
are near the throne of God.
1.-The apostles are still the protectors of
the church. anxious for its development
and success. Those who by their labors
have led nations to Christianity still
watch over their children and obtain for
them the graces of fidelity in the faith.
Besides this, special patrons are placed
over individuals and nations that theS
may be not only advocates in heaven but
also may bring to the attention of men
the great blessings of the redemption
through which they have been sanctified.
THE patron saint's day of a parish
brings to mind the specai providence of
God under which we are confided to tile
special care of the blessed in heaven who
are enjoying the fullness of the happiness
of God because of their fidelity of Gods
holy laws. Just as the child in baptism
is blessed under the protection of the
saint in whose name he receives the
sacred character of Christian. so a con-
gregation enjoys the advocacy. the watch
fulness and the benefit of the prayers of
one of Gods children in heaven
Tells of Apostle
This church bears the name of st.
Thomas the Apostle, one of that chosen
band of faithful men whom Christ gath.
cred about him during his public life in
Judea, whom he trained to his service, to
whom he explained his doctrine and to
whom he confided the cares of his church.
1t was a solemn moment of preparation
for the work of redemption when Christ
called men to follow him that he might
build upon them the visible church which
was to be until the end of time the means
used by him for the redemption of man.
kind.
THE apostles were simple, unIettered
edge and virtue by Christ himself He
selected the poe. and obscure fishermen
of Galilee in order that the world might
recognize the divinity of the church built
upon such simple foundations. which of
themselves would be incapable of sup
porting the mighty structure of Christian
ity to depend upon them. Christ used the
humble things of life to confound the
proud the poverty of life to confound the
ri Oh nf 70 10
learning. so fhe world might see the
power of God as manifested in the results
of the labors of these poor men.
st Thomas was Galilean fisherman.
a follower of the synagogue. of obscure
surroundings and blessed with little of
the worlds goods. Called to follow Christ,
he gave himself at once to the services
with all the simplicity of his heart.
He evidently found difficulty in under
standing the truth of Christ as explained
by him, and consequently we are not sur
prised to find him constantly questioning
the meanings of the different statements
of Christ. The spiritual and the mystical
seemed to be entirely beyond his compre-
he-sion, so that when Christ spoke of his
going to prepare place for his disciples
in his Fathers house st. Thomas com.
planned of his ignorance of the way and
of the place toward which Christ spoke of
going.
Devotion Of Disciple
'It was tlen Christ made clear his ex-
by those beautiful words: I am
the way and the truth and the life; no
man cometh to the Father but by me-
In this way Christ made clear that the
way of salvation was in the knowledge OF
his doctrine and the practice OF his pre-
cept. and that thus men by the knowl-
edge of the truth and the practice OF
virtue would follow him and reach a
place in his Fathers house which he
was, by his death, to prepare for them
st. Thomas while of an inquiring mind,
duh, perhaps, of comprehension, yet was
positively decided as to his devotion to
our divine Savior. He had the courage
of the strong man that he WAS and lat.,i|