The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-11
LENTEN PASTORAL
READ IN CHURCHES
BISHOP ALLEN EXPORTS CATH
oLlcs To ACTS OF PIETY.
ASHES WILL BE BLESSED AND
DISTRIBUTED WEDNESDAY.

The following pastoral letter was read
in all the Catholic churches in Alabama
yesterday:
To the Clergy and Devoted Laity of the
Diocese Of Mobile.
The Lenten season begins this year on
Ash Wednesday, February 10. 1t is a
time of fast, abstinence and prayer, dur
ing which we should think most seriously
of our duty to God, to our neighbor and
to our own souls. 1t is time for deep
reflection and seclusion from amusements
which at other seasons of the year may
be tolerated AS our life is but a fleet
ing moment compared to eternity, and
as our souls are immortal we should at
this time direct our thoughts in a special
manner to all that concerns our saliva
ton. Holy Job has truthf"lly said: THE
life of man on earth is a warfare" job
vii, /; for as soon as we are born we
must begin a contest and the end does
not come until the breath OF life departs
from US.
We have three great enemies to cope
with, the world with its allurements, the
flesh with its inordinate desires, and the
devil with his wiles. In contending
against these our Savior is our model and
our guide. He shows us how TO fight and
conquer The road He has pointed out
to us Is that of penance and mortifica-
ton. IF any man will come after Me, let
him deny himself. take up his cross and
follow ME" Matt xvi. "a Unless you
do penance, you shall all likewise perish"
Luke xiii, 3. The unspotted Lamb of God,
who came from Heaven to atone for our
sins, spent forty days and forty nights
in prayer and fasting to teach His fol-
lowers the lesson OF penance and self
denial. And st. Paul, the apostle OF the
Gentiles. said: II chastise my body and
bring it into subsection, lest, perhaps
when l have preached to others. l myself
should become a castaway" l Cor. tx, o.
From the apostolic times, penitential
works have always market the lives Of
the true followers of Jesus Christ. By
penance sin can be blotted out and
strength and courage restored to the
soul. Sin causes man to forget God and
to neglect His service and the care of
his immortal soul. But we can always
find our way back to God by the road Of
penance-that is when the external
works of penance are accompanied with
true grief of heart and sorrow for sin
committed. Hence We should pray fer
yently with the royal prophet David,
Create a clean heart in me. o God. and
renew a right spirit WITHIN me-" Psalm
!, II.
During the Lenten season, the faithful
should, whenever possible, assist at daily
mass and receive the sacraments of
penance and holy eucharist and hear the
sermons and instructions delivered in
the churches.
If we would advance In spiritual life,
1t Is necessary for us to know what God
requires of us, and what religion taeches
us. We should know the nature of sin
as well as the evils caused by 1t and the
means of avoiding it, We should know
fl,t. - 80 s.f
life as well as the virtues we are called
upon to practice.
1t will not avail us at the day OF judg
ment to plead ignorance of Gods COM
mandments, and the requirements of His
holy law. when we might easily have
obtained all needful knowledge by hear
ing the word of God. There Is no better
way to fix the truths of religion In our
minds and hearts than by listening to
sermons and instructions. Does not ST.
Paul tell us that Faith cometh by hear
ing?" The grace of God goes with the
words of His ministers and moves the
heart of the devout listener. Those.
therefore, who habitually neglect to hear
the word of God are neglecting oppor-
tunities of grace which will never re-
turn
We are called upon to contribute, on the
fist Sunday in Lent, to the home and
foreign missions. We ought to do this
cheerfully and gratefully. We should
find pleasure in contributing our share to
the grand work of extending Gods king
dom hero on earth. for by this means we
help to make Christ's name known and
loved among men. We should be CRATE
full for this opportunity to contribute to
this charitable purpose, for 1t is the best
way to show our own gratitude to God
for the priceless gift of Catholic faith,
Our zeal and our chariy should be
quckened when we remember that our
brethren in France, who we're for many
years the leading contributors to the
foreign MISSIONS are this year sorely
tried by the enemies of God and religion
and are, in consequence, unable to do
anything for this great charity. In view
of this circumstance we confidently hope
that the contributions for mission work
at home and abroad will be greatly in
creased this year.
Commenting myself to your prayers,
am, very faithfully yours,
EDWARD p. ALLEN,
Bishop of Mobile.
j. W. SHAW, Secretary.
Mobile, February ?. 1907 Feast of the
Publication of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
! At high mass at St Pauls church the
Rev Father Prendergast was celebrant
and the pastor, the Rev. Father Coyle.
read the announcements for the week
and the bishops letter.
On Ash Wednesday the ashes will be
blessed and distributed at the S o'clock
mass. Evening devotions Wednesday
will consist of rosary, litany. sermon, the
distribution of ashes and the benediction
of the blessed sacrament
-----.s.--
Bombs are Found
| Moscow, February 10.-Another search
| for bombs at the Moscow Female uni