The Irish standard., 1908-07-18
ATTENDING MASS DAILY.

ATTENDING MASS DAILY.
While The Irish Standard, as its
name indicates, is journal devoted
largely to Irish affairs and is chiefly
interested in matters for the advance
ment Of the Irish cause, it is also q
Catholic paper. Indeed to be irish it
must be Catholic, for Ireland's affat. q
are. and always have been, very close
ly identified with religious affairs.
Hence our desire to call attention to
the custom which has always prevail.
ed in Ireland Of attending daily a.
Mass.
This ancient and holy custor. prac.
ticed by large part of the Irish pew
pie since the conversion Of Ireland to
Christianity is undoubtedly one Of TIE
chief factors in maintaining the Irish
people with such rare fortitude through
the long and dreary centuries IF their
country's suffering. 1t is this, and tho
custom Of frequenting the sacraments,
which follow it. that has made the
Irish character so stable and ever firm
in the Catholic faith. There seems
to be something In the soil or the air
of Ireland. or In both, which keeps h.r
people fervent and true.
Would that the same could be said
of the descendants of that people in
this and other lands. Had all the
people Of Irish birth and descent in
this country remained true and fer
vent in the faith, their power for good
by word and example could hardly be
estimated. What more beautiful or
beneficial custom could there be than
that of attending daily mass with the
angels In adoring round the altar VI
God? In some Of our cities Of what
we are sometimes pleased to call the
wild and woolly west" men as we'll
as women can be seen by the hunc-
reds coming from an early mass, with
their empty dinner buckets on their
arms after a night SHIFT in the COP
per mines or smelters. 1t seems when
workmen will do this, there is some-
thing about 1t which ought to be in
spring to at least those engaged in
the less irksorne occupations of life
1t may seem almost absurd for us to
ask the question, but why cannot the
business and professional men Of our
cities rise half an hour earlier and
put In that much time daily at the
Holy Sacrifice Of the Mass? So often
we can see the Holy Mass celebrated
without single man and with very
few women present. Even at that, why
should salvation be more important to
stood the love for us Of the God Man
who instituted this perpetual sacrifice
solely for our benefit we would be
present in ever-increasing numbers
Most Of US have had friends at sorce
period of life for whom we would
make great sacrifices to please. Some
Of us undoubtedly have felt at tim rs
that we would deem 1t an honor and
privilege to undergo almost any
torture, If 1t became necessary, to- save
an esteemed friend or a loved ore from
pain and anguish. Still here on orr
altars is daily inundated the greatest
friend that any Of us ever had. The
One Man in all the world whose love
for us was so intense that He actually
longed to die the cruel death of tho
cross to save US from sin and eternal
punishment for sin, and while that
great sacrifice is being repeated ev-
cry morning for our benefit we remain
Indifferent and forgetful. We attend
one mass a week and frequent the sac
rements once year.
It has been said that Immediately
after death, when the soul catches
the first glimpse Of Jesus in His glory.
it becomes so enraptured that 1t is
actually melted with love. It leaps
and bounds with joy and admiration at
the sight of God and its sole desire
is to get near and show that it loves
Him, and when restrained because Of
coldness toward Him in life ~ cries
out begging for an opportunity 20 show
its love for Its Redeemer. All human
loves then appear sham and worthless
and the soul feels its greatest anguish
because of the coldness and neglect it
showed Him in this world, While Hc
was inundated daily for 1t on the al
tar. The custom Of attending mass
every morning is one which most of
US could follow If we would, and notn-
ing can be more conducive to real re-
ligion. Nothing so apt to purify tie
heart and strengthen and sustain it
through the trials Of life. The holy
custom has true and lasting merit and
will bring true JOY and happiness and
4