The Irish standard., 1910-02-26
A CONVERT TELLS OF
JOURNEY TO ROME
An Episcopalian Minister of
High Standing Has Left
the Order of Holy Cross to
Study for Catholic Priest
hood---known in Anglican
Circles as Father Sargent,
His Departure Considered
a Very Great Detection.

Mr.. Henry r. Sargent, formerly al
Holy Cross, has been adopted as an
ecclesiastical student for the Arch
diocese of Boston, and is now studying
for the priesthood in st. Johns Semi
nary, Brighton, Boston.
| Mr.. Sargent, whose conversion to the
true faith is regarded by his former
co-religionists as a great and serious
loss, was received into the Catholic
Church at Downside Abbey, England,
on November last.
In an address delivered at the annual
meeting of the Catholic Converts
League of New York on January 81,
Mr.. Sargent gave brief description Of
his Journey to Rome" spoke of the
goodwill he had experienced from
Anglicans since his conversion and
sketched the Anglican body as he
knows it in England and America-"a
refined and cultured democracy" AS
reported by 1.-THE Catholic News" Mr..
Sargent said:
Il began as a Unitarian, and re-
manned in that Church up to my twen-
tieth year, when was half way through
college. During a summer vacation
went into an Episcopal church. 1 felt
lonely, and thought I could find rest
for my soul. After my ordination to
the Anglican ministry there was within
me constant feeling that I may not
be right but defended my creed with
sense that was in the right. But
yet had the thought that God was
calling me. to something else. Finally,
after many years, felt that I was do
ing just as I had been doing in the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. my Holy Com
munion with doubt.
GAS came to the end of my service
one day the thought suddenly seized
me, and said as put away my vest
ments: This must be the last time
So, leaving aside my vestments, never
to use them again, 1 asked myself the
question boldly: Now, are you ready
to enter the Catholic Church? Last
September I went to England to spare
, my friends pain-although would
remark that such a course is not the
duty of every convert-and there met
a very dear old friend, upon whose
advice I acted and entered st. Gregory's
Benedictine Abbey at Downside, Bath
The liberal spirit Of the Benedictines
the sincerity and kindness of these
dear monks cannot be spoken of toe
highly. They took me, stranger as ]
was from strange land, never hav.
ing seen one of them before, anG
> treated me excellently. The gentleman
whom sat opposite to at table could
, not very we'll call me father so he
made me 'reverendissime
"Well, I studied my penny cate,
chism for week at the abbey, anc
was received into the Catholic Church
And now am seeing things from tho
inside. The light and atmosphere
comes with Gods grace--I felt thai
when I Joined the Church--and grace
and light only come with perseverance
1T is Impossible, indeed, to under.
stand the Church from the outside
t the only way to comprehend 1t is h,
being one of it's fold. And the bes
). way for a nom Catholic to be among
the fold is to jump into it. OF course
3 there are questions for every non.
8 Catholic to consider first, such as apps.
\ tolc succession, Has the Holy See 8
claim on my absolute obedience?'
"In dealing with converts inf1nit,
e patience and charity must be used, am
: we must think Of the enormous Difficult.
y ties they have to overcome. Remem
Der, they must have time to decide tn:
question which myself spent twenty.
three years trying to settle. Sometime,
= the temptation comes to grow i'm
= patient and to resist Gods grace, bu
t we should think that If God is conten
" "oiI' We WV "iAouAu NC SoiAecHI ~
& wait. God answers our prayers, ant
t you will help your friends to the Cath
e olic Church by prayers when you will
!? not help them by controversy. Yo,
must be good children and pray to Coz
: Almighty. l seem to be preaching
: sermon now, but I cannot help 1t; Tn
SO used to it, We should always thinJ