The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-18
MASS OFFERED FOR
 DEPARTED KNIGHTS
Birmingham Council of the Knights of Columbus
 Attend in a Body

The annual memorial mass for the re- pose of the souls of the departed members of Birmingham Council, 635 Knights of Columbus, was celebrated at St. PauTs church yesterday at 10.30 o'clock.
 The Knights attended in a body. They met at their hall on Third avenue, be- tween Twentieth and Twentyfirst streets at 10 o'clock and, escorted by Nappis band. marched to the church. There were about 300 men in line. At the head Of the column were borne the handsome banner of the local council and large United States flag of silk. Immediately behind the banner bearer was Grand Knight M. F. Linnehan. All the members of the order wore the regulation mourn ing badges. As the procession was form ing on the avenue near the hall the band played funeral music dedicated to Rossini and as the column approached St. Paurs the marchers were keeping step to cho- pins ''Marche Funebre."
 The Rev. Father Coen was the ceebrant of the mass and at it's conclusion the Rev Patrick Turner, pastor of the Church of tho Blessed Sacrament, West End, read the epistle and the gospel for the day and delivered the memorial discourse
 Just before the sermon Father Turner read the list of those members of Bir- mingham council who had passed away, namely: Eugene Crowell Reilly. Thomas McNamee, Jr., Michael M. Boggan, J. A. Blount, Patrick O'Byrne, Dennis Duggan. Rev. F. A. OReilly, M. J. Mullaly. James McNulty John w. Gahan, Frank O'con- nell, James O'Conner, John E. Flynn, Henry R. Hury, Walter M. Mitchell, J. E.. Fitzpatrick, Patrick McCrossin, Frank P. o'Brien, E. N. Garden, John J. Kennedy, John J. Harte. Charles Roy.
 The preachers text was from the sec- ond book of Maccabees, chapter F, verse 46 It is, therefore, a holy and a whole some thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins"
 Father Turner said in part;
 Any act of ours by which we relieve the sufferings of a human being or draw soul nearer to God is accepted by all men as a holy act The more dependent on others the persons who are helped, the more utterly unable they are to assist themselves, the holier becomes our act Now my dear brethren there is no suffer- ing of a human being on earth which can be greater than the sufferings of a soul in purgatory, and there are no pow erty stricken widows or orphans on the face of this earth so helpless to assist themselves as are the souls in purgatory. Therefore, there is no work of charity which you could perform towards the liv- ing members of your order or those whom the deceased may have left dependent 3n others which would be as holy as the act which you perform today in offering up the holy sacrifice of the mass for your deceased members.
 Tn order to see the truth of this assertion 1t is necessary for us to consider for few moments the real meaning of the Catholic doctrine on this subject and the grounds which we have for holding 1t. The Catholic distrne is that the soul at the par ticular judgment immediately after death will be admitted at once to the presence of Almighty God in heaven or condemned to. the everlasting pains of hell; or if found too good to be condemned to hell, yet not pure enough for the presence of the God of purity and holiness in heaven, will be con- demned to remain in a state or place of punishment called purgatory, till puri- fled of every stain and the remains of sin and rendered fit to enter the pres- ence of God in heaven.
 This doctrine is in accordance with the dictates of common sense. In fact, If you take away belief in purgatory it will be impossible to find any sys- tenn of rewards and punishments in the next life by which common sense can reconcile the truths revealed in scripture regarding hell and heaven and the infinite justice of Almighty God. In other words, deny the existence of purgatory and reason will demand that you deny also the existence of heaven and hell. Admit purgatory and you can reconcile the mercy and justice of God. This is bold assertion to make, but it is justified by a consideration of the nature of sin" ..
 The preacher then quoted passages of the New Testament to sustain the church's position with regard to pur- gatory.
 Not only the existence of purgatory," continued the speaker, but the fact that souls therein are assisted by our prayers has been believed by Cath olics from the very beginning"
 Father Turner pointed to the in- scriptions in the catacombs and to an cient inscription elsewhere.
 Turn then to the pages of the early fathers said the preacher, "and read the words of St. John Chrysostom when he writes, It was not without good reason, ordained by the apostles that mention should be made of the dead in the tremendous mysteries because they knew well that these would receive great benefit from it. Or listen to the voice of the great St. Augustine, when he says, It Is not to be doubted that the dead are aided by the prayers of holy church and by the salutory sac rifice, and by the aims which are of fered for their spirits; that the Lord may deal with them more mercifully than their sins have deserved. For this which has been handed down by the fathers the universal church observes
 Father Turner spoke in a clear, strong voice and with stirring elo- quence.
 Mrc Tarrard niac