The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-10-31
BISHOP SPEAKS TO
TWO THOUSAND
PEOPLE AT MASS
RI. Rev. Denis 0'Donashue
Confirms Class Of One Hun.
dred, Three.
ST. Francis de Sales Church
Crowded.
HE VISITS FOUR CHURCHES.

Fully two thousand persons at
tended the st. Frances De Sales
Catholic church yesterday morning
at the 900 mass, when the bishop,
the Right Reverend Denis O'Don-
aghle administered the sacrament
of confirmation to a class of one
hundred and three. TIE fpst mass
was at 6 O'Clock, and the second
mass. at which a class Of about so
received their first communion. was
at o'clock.
The bishop was escorted from
the parsonage TO the church by the
members OF the Holy Name Society
and the Knights OF Columbus. They
marched from. the house on Sixth
street and entered the front doors
OF the church on Broadway The
bishop was Immediately preceded by
27 altar boys. who assisted at the
mass The Rev. Father Monaghan.
the bishops secretary. said the mass.
after which confirmation was admin
istered
Father Connolly. in a few well
chosen words, welcomed the bishop
TO Paducah. on his first visit The
bishop replied modestly. He then
addressed the congregation for a few
minutes. after which he spoke more
especially to the confirmation class.
He compllmented the congrega-
ffot On the ha,Ioo..,a cl.-.h - -
erected and said that he had always
had the best OF reports about the
condition Of the congrr cation here.
its zeal and energy nd Catholic
spirit. RE then spoke or the church
OF God and the duty OF its members.
Each of us" he said. has his duty
to perform TO bring the non-chris-
'tian into the fold, by word and by
example. Thus you can show what
the Catholic church stands for. We
may think this is but little. but, II
We are the means Of bringing one
soul to God. we have accomplished
"a great thing. How much do we ap-
plaud the deeds of heroism? The
person who saves one from drown
ing, or the hero who rescues an in
mate of a burning house. cut of, ap-
parently. from all means of escape.
Is loudly cheered, but the salvation
of a soul is a far greater deed. We
do much to prolong life. But. what
does Il profit us to prolong life. II
we do not seek 10 save the soul?"
In speaking OF the confirmation
class he dwelt on the blessings the
sacrament brought. and what the
day meant to each. and then spoke
of the obligation OF the young peo-
pie to their church, their fellow
man, 10 themselves.
To the Confirmationists.
"lf il were as easy to do right as
it is to do wrong, life would be
easy" he said. Heaven is a re-
ward, not an accident. We have to
fight for IT, Life is a warfare and
We are soldiers, fighting the enemies
Of the soul. To do wrong is easy;
anyone can sin. A villain, with one
stroke of hammer, can wreck the
finest work of art. And by one sin
we can wreck the purest of lives.
The enemies of the soul, the devil
and all his cohorts, are always al
hand, with their temptations.
what is the devils object IN
seeking our ruin? lie has fallen
himself, and his jealousy and hatred
of the cross prompt his desire to
crush the soul. You will have Ia
guard against him today, and every
day. There are many inducements
to lead sstray.
your great work is 70 serve God
The gifts to so serve are given each
of you"
lie spoke of the great beauty OF
prayer and its aid to right thinking
and living. you are soldiers, SC
salute your commander when you
arise in the morning and again ad
dress Him when you prepare to re
tire at night. Practice the virtue
of piety every day as the grea
means to salvation. Prayer is one
of the great aids Of piety."
He likened prayer to the two rail-
on which the huge passenger trainl
and freights traverse the railroad
highways. When they are in goo'
condition, and so kept, there is M
danger for the precious burdens
they carry. A thrown switch or
loose rail means destruction, wrecl
and loss. A lapse frcm prayer wa
the unlocked switch, the broken raj
of the souls highway to Heaven.
Puts i'm Busy Day.
Yesterday afternoon Bishop o'Don
aghue confirmed class at the ST
Johns Catholic church in the county
He returned to Paducah late yester
day afternoon and left last night a
l6;15 o'clock for Mayfeld, where h