Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-01-29
DOMINICAN MISSIONARY HEARD.
Rev. Charles H. Mokenna, Eloquent
and Vigorous at II, Tells st. Pat
ricks Congregation What the Holy
Sacrifice Of the Mass Is.

In the historic white habit and black
cloak with white-lined hood of the Or
der of st. Dominic, Rev. Charles Fl.
McKenna, O.P, of New York, preached
at the high mass in ST. Patrick's
church Sunday, following few words
Of Introduction by the rector, Rev.
hugh Treanor. The venerable mis-
sionary, now nearly n, who has spent
his life in the upbuilding of Christ's
Kingdom upon earth, and who has been
especially designated the Apostle Of
the Holy Name, referred briefly to the
object of his visit to the parish, and
why he was to endeavor to increase
the membership in the Holy Name SO
ciety during the evening vesper serv-
ices. He then read his text, from ST.
Fauls first epistle TO the Corinthians,
xl:2S, explaining that his topic was.
to be The Mass. The text follows:
For have received of the Lord that
which | also deliver unto you, that the
Lord Jesus, the same night in which
he was betrayed took bread; and
when he had given thanks, he brake it
and said, Take, eat; this is my body,
which is broken for you; this do in
remembrance of me After the same
manner also he took the cup, when he
had supped, saying, This cup in the
Lew testament is my blood; this do ye
as oft as We drink it, in remembrance
Of me. For as often as We eat this
bread and drink this cup, We do show
my death until l come.
Starting with the simplest form Of
instruction which a Catholic receives,
tast from the catechism the speaker
explained the relation between this
command of Christ to renew, to re-
produce the Last Supper, and the
Mass, which latter is defined in the
oatechism as the offering of the IN
bloody sacrifice of Christ crucifled.
Sacrifice is to all religion what life is
to the body; without it religion is
dead. Even Plutarch declares that
primitive man, ignorant even of hus-
bandry, through some innate craving
to worship a higher being has had his
sacrifice. Sacrifice in It's origin is
of the remotest antiquity. Cain and
Abel offered sacrifice; Noah offered
sacrifice so did Melchesidech; David
foresaw and foretold the sacrifice
which Christ would institute. The In
dian beyond the Rocky mountains, the
Aztec jewellers in New Mexico and
Peru, the primitive men Of western
Europe, Druids, Scots, Ivernians. left
[ =,
has been man, there has been the
priest, the altar. the sacrifice.
Christ not only instituted but by
| the words Of Holy Writ commanded
sacrifice, which had been definitely
| commanded and its rites fixed in the
| Old Testament also. Again the cate
| chisln tells why the sacrifice of the
| Mass is offered, the reason being four
| fold; i. e., to give God honor and glory,
| in thanksgiving, for a coTnmemora-
/ ton of Christs death, in atonement foI
| our sins and to ask Gods help in oD-
tanning graces and blessings.
J The momentous character of this
| sacrifice was explained by the mis-
sionary; the inability of man, worm al
| the earth, to give proper glory to On
impotence except through the loving
aid Of an understanding Saviour; the
| equal inability to offer adequate
| Thanksgiving TO the Giver of every
gift, to express proper repentance fol-
innumerable sins without the media
ton of ChrisEs blood, or to petition
for graces ana blessings without the
same loving Mediator. He pointed out
the peril of undertaking. faith, with
out which man is as one lacking sight
and reproached those who permit trlv-
ial, sinful, slothful excuses to keel
them from being present at this stu
pondous sacrifice which Christ has in.
stituted as a memorial Of his bOundless
love.
The man who remains from Mas
because he is going on some excursion
because perhaps he has spent Satur.
day night in debauch, those who ar,
distracted during mass by thought o.
vanity, of fashion, who come in hur
I .Fo - e.
utilize this means of Christs love t.
bear heavenward petitions that hi
sons may grow in faith, in purity, 10y
atty, honesty; the mother who doe
not improve the offer of the Saviour
willingness TO bear to his Heavenly
Father her prayers for her little ones
exposed to so many temptations ant
dangers, the sinful who are all mel
in such dire need of strength and aid
to all such the preacher uttered dire
rebuke, exhorting them to awake t,
realization Of the great privilege whicl
is theirs in the holy sacrifice of tn
Mass.
The sermon was the message of on
who has been about his Fathers bus
mess with such earnestness of purpos
for 80 many years that 1t was as dl
rect as 1t was forceful and the apt
ness of illustration and argument we
not lost on the large congregation
who must ever have a new realization
of what the Holy Mass means. 1t pre-
pared the congregation for Father Nc
, Kenna's evening discourse, and lef
each listener with the conviction thai
as was said Of another, 1T is a grea
thing to have seen and heard a gres
mani"
| Hanono;&taA ~ EnLo,.,....4