The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-31
A RETROSPECT

of the Sacred Heart yesterday Rev. Dr. Moore, the rector, addressed his flock substantially as follows:
 (By Rev. pr. R. F. Moore) My dear Brethren.
 Today marks the first anniversary of my pastoral administration of this parish. On an occasion, such as this. our chief duty is a heartfelt gratitude to God. Without His di- vine help but little can be accom- plished even by the greatest of His creatures. Without Me-" says our Divine Master, you can do noth- ing..'' This necessity of Gods as- sistance in all our undertakings was emphasized long ago by King David when he sang these words: fUn- less the Lord hath built the house, they labor in vain who build it. cess that is new is due first to God; then to the mutual sympathy and cooperation of priests and peo- pie.
 TRUE STANDARD.
 During the year just passed. while the various phases of parish life have received their due attention. yet our greatest efforts were direct ed. to one special end:-namely, the streng gthening of the religious and moral well being of our people, Howsoever successful we may have been in other respects, in the last analysis it is the spiritual life of a parish that is Of prime importance. It is possible for a parish to be ma terial1y prosperous and succes sfui, yet it may be lamentab1y lacking in fervent piety and devotion to God. Indeed a parish may point with { IA fees as the expression of peoples magnifcence; nevertheless these structures, so praiseworthy in them selves, can become the idle monu- nnents Of vanity, if they are not constantly and generously used to attain the end for which they were erected and maintained, namely, the glory of God and the salvation
 of all souls.
 religion and the various activities of religion. Therefore if a true es- innate is to be made Of the real worth and work of any parish. it must be based not merely upon it's material wealth or culture, but ratt- CT upon something more fundamen- tal-upon it's spiritual strength and moral health. This is the true barr ometer of all parish prosperity.
 SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES.
 In accordance with that true standard we have been concentrat- ing our diversified energies: and thanks to God, our 1abors have been blessed with a harvest of rich re- suits. We are happy to be able to say, that the people of the Sa,- cred Heart parish ere coming near CT to the ideals of the Sacred Heart of our Redeemer, through the con efa ties and their good use of those moral uplifts that make for a true Christian manhood and woman hood
 It re3oices me as it does every other shepherd of souls to note the increased devotion to the Holy Eucharist ito behold the constant ly increasing attendance at the daily nasges and the various devotions; to see the activities of the different church societies-all intensifying in their own way. Catholic piety and devotion; to behold tllsi crowded con fessionafs on the festiyal-eyes and first Fridays. Albeit. the crowded confessionals are a true index of a peoples anxiety to live clean and wholesome lives. A matter of the greatest consolation, is the stupen- dous number of Holy Communions in one year-which reached the enor- nous figure of 46,310.
 This spiritual fact while it retoices us. has elicited the surprise of oth- CTS and has won the special com mendation of our Rt, Rev. Bishop While there has been much spiritual progress. there is still room for i'm provement. especially among the young men and some old men,. These men must not be overlooked. A mission in the fall will take care of their special needs. Upon the whole. there is spiritual advance ment. Where it is not, there is spir- , itual stagnation and decay.
 MUNICIPALITIES.
 It is almost a truistn. that a parish cia1ly weak As a rule, there Is ever fair proportion between the spiritual and the temporal charac- teristies of parish Our statistics and figures help to prove this as- sertion.
 While we have not employed any special or new methods to raise our church revenue we have achieved within a year. some astounding d-5 nancial results. When my pre- decesscr, Father Sweeney, was con strained, owing to fatal illness to lay down his pastoral responsibility there was still a mortgage debt of $11,400. He made gigantic efforts to clear the debt, but like Moses was not permitted to enter the land of his ambition.
 When assumed charge some i'm provements in the rectory were made and paid to the amount of 5000. Tn addition, we paid last year. $6.o0o of the mortgage debt
 DEBT PAID
 On the 18th day of July, 1914,-a day sacred to me with many mem ories, I delivered to the Derby Saw ings bank cheQue for S5 595 to pay the balance of the mortgage with interest. On that day the Sacred Heart parish took it's place among the very few parishes of the diocese as having no mortgage debr on it's property and belonging en- tirely to God. (Here Dr. Moore commented upon the early strug- gles of the parish under it's two founders, Fathers Cremin and OBrien.)
 NEW IMPROVEMENTS.
 With no debts to intimidate us :, ,,-+