The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-19
Bishop Milan Pays
 His First Episcopal
 Visit to Bridgeport
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 The opening of the vestry door l sjgnalled the approach of the bishop. | From out of the vestry in single l. file streamed the altar boys, follow | ed by the priests of the city, who were to assist the bishop in the ex- | ercises.
 At the end came Bishop Milan, attir- l ed in his flowing robes and wearing 1 the bishops mitre. At his approach l a sea of heads bowed, the children to ! the rear arising. At the kindly com
 mand of the bishop all heads were | raised.
 Following the blessing of the olive | oil and balm, or holy chrism, the bish- 1 op confirmed a number of the altar l boys. Assisting the bishop were Rev. c. J. EcElroy, rector of St. Angus tines as deacon and Rev. J. B. Nihill pastor of St. Patrick's, sub-deacon. Other priests who assisted were Rev. William H. Lynch, pastor of St. |. Charles, Rev. Thomas J. Kelley of St. of St. Mary's, Rev. Matthew Judge of the Sacred Heart church, Rev. James A. O'Meara, of St. Augustines and Rev. Joseph T. Picker of St. Pat rick's.
  isles on. the right. When the confir-. nation was started the boys went to the left altar rail and the girls to the right.
 Each. child with clasped palms, as if in prayer Each bore cara upon which was written the name of the child who approached the altar. After they had been confirmed, at signal from one of the sisters, those children at the altar would arise and a section of those children seated would take their place.
 When the last had been confirmed, l the bishop divested himself of his of | ficial robes of state and his mitre and put on his purple cassock. He then addressed the children, saying, My dear little children, Why have you | been kept so long in preparation for l this great sacrement which you nave l just received It is because you are l intended to be made stronger in the | knowledge of that sacrement to al- | ways be attentive and to try to hnd | out the lessons which the church in | tends to teach you. You are not end | ing your lives today, you are just oe- | ginning them. Stop moment to con- | sider how different God made you l from other things. You have been l given the power to have something | higher to look up to than the world. l These animals we see about us have no SOULS, put we all nave SouiS' oiiu s l must save them. We cannot see all of the good that is done, but we can l understand some of it. If we look l at the sun, We find it is so light. What light must God be, when he gives that great power to the sun! There have been great men in the world whom we have all looked up to for knowledge, yet they receive their learning from him. But there will come a day when this knowledge will be naught Our Saviour has said What doth it profit man if he gains the whole world, and suffer the loss
 of his. own s9ul giua for or bIs Mhat so .'Children, learn these words by heart and use them Use them when you are tempted. Say to yourself, What does it profit me if sell my soul, I shall be condemed.' .sThe sign of the cross recalls to your mind something sthat happened many years ago in that city of Jeru- l salem To show how much He loved us, He died on the cross. To show each us not to sell our souls, He al each us not to sell our souls, he al lowed himself to be crucified. The stroke on the cheek is to remind you hat at some time or other in your fife you will meet temptation. But you can overcome it. Say to yourself, I will not be a Christian just as long s 1t IS necessary, put NiriStidh lor- ,ver.''
 ITO you beloved brothers, you who Ire older, and perhaps have received his great sacrement in past days, as sting at this time, the Holy Ghost lad descended upon you. Have you lived up to your faith? If not have you not lost a great deal of time in ieeking eternal happiness. Is it fair hat the church shall exist and you leyer enter it fair to neglect all your luties. Will God open wide the doors f heaven and force you into eternal fe. A knowing man does not figure his way".
 Bishop Milan, in closing gently com handed all the children to kneel and ave them the pledge of abstinence, fol- ecessor, the late Bishop Tierney. The immense body of children repated af- CT him,
 q promise with the help of God, abstain from all intoxicating li- uors until I am 25 years of age" All answered in unison, "I do.' When the confirmation exercises yere over, the church was emptied, many waiting on the outside for the kit of the bishop. It was a very impressive sight to see mothers, with abes in their arms, approach the pre- ate, he bestowing his blessings on .eads, approached the bishop, and neeling kissed his ring.
 The bishop and the visiting priests. prior to lunch at the Sacred Heart ectory, visited the Sacred Heart chool and the Sacred Heart convent n Park avenue. These buildings are considered one of the most valuable