The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-08-19
London, Aug. 5th. 1911

London, Aug. 5th. 1911.
1t is our duty to record two unique
ceremonies this week. Though one
is of yearly occurrence there is moth
ing like it to be witnessed in any
part Of the world; while the other,
it is hoped, will never occur again.
The first is the great pilgrimage to
the summit of Croagh Patrick, the
Holy Mount of Erin, which took place
last Sunday. More than fifteen
thousand people from all parts of
Ireland, from America, Canada, Eng
land, Scotland, and even distant Aus
tralia joined in the wonderful pill
grimage which stands out pre-emin-
emily amongst our devotions of to-
day with all the heroic sacrifice which
was trait of the Catholics of other
days and still survives in Ireland
Before dawn vast crowds of men and
women, peasants, and more cultured,
but not more devout, clients from the
cities of Europe, commenced the
long ascent of the steep and difficult
mountain, the last few yards of
which have to be made almost on
hands and knees, clutching at con-
stantly shifting rubble. When you
remember that this journey was
undertaken fasting in the first hours
before dawn, that many had come a
long way to commence it, and that
the summit of the mountain far above
the clouds would probably be bathed
in the rays of a scorching sun before
the descent would be completed, you
marvel to see young girls and old
men so courageously setting forth.
Solemn Services, Inspiring Sermons.
At dawn the morning light revealed
a great crowd already gathered
around the altar which stands on the
summit where st. Patrick prayed,
and as the clouds lifted one by one
the marvellous panorama of Erin's
beauties lay exposed to view as If
the whole island were cast like a
gem at ones feet. The first priest
commenced Mass at a. m. and from
that hour onwards the sublime sacri-
fee never ceased till noon. At every
Mass hundreds of communicates ap-
preached the altar, while priests who
had but just reached the summit
were hearing confessions in the
shadow of the rocks. The summit is
$500 feet above the sea, and the hills
around, the coast of Glare, the Bay
of Clew, and Achill make wonderful
surroundings seen through the morn
ing mists. Towards noon the sight
became a wonderful one. There
were priests from four continents
celebrating Mass at the same time in
st. Patrick's oratory. while the whole
mountain side was covered with vast
crowds of ascending and descending
pilgrims. After the final Mass solemn
Benediction was given, at which the
hymn to ST. Patrick was sung, its
waves of sound floating up and dowr
the mountain in; swirls of devotion
like the incence which curls round
the altar at the Mass. There was q
magnificent sermon in Gaelic
preached by Canon Curran of Galway
Abbey, and then Father Gwynne, the
distinguished Dublin Jesuit, uttered
wonderful discourse, informed
throughout by the lofty spirit Of
Croagh Patrick's summit in which hi
dwelt upon the glories of the Irisf
race. "You are not merely the eye tha
sees, the hand that tolls, the brai1
that thinks, the heart that loves" ht
cried, "an these make up the man
and you this morning are not merel.
the Catholics of Ireland celebratin!
an historical event, you are the Cath
olic Church making pilgrimage.
is the Church of Christ which greete'
Patrick as he descended from thi
holy mountain, which was hencefortl
to bear his name. 1t is the Catholi
Church which is praying on the mour
tain top this morn. Here is you
strength. Other nations have wandere
far from the path they tro6
Here Patrick knelt on the rugge
stones, and looking out over the lane
with tears streaming down hi
cheeks and all around storm and mis-
and cloud,-ftting picture of the hi.
tory of the country for which h
prayed,-he asked God that the me
of Erin should be steadfast to tn
end. And though the stones of tn