The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-06-30
STORY OF AN EX-PRlEST
HIS FIRST SERMON WAS SHORT
AND TO THE POINT.

EAplOillLS eX-pfl6SIS was once a
popular business among non-Catholic
sects. They were supposed to come
laden with inside information; they
were paraded as brands snatched from
the burning; they were exhibited as
valuable acquisitions, no matter what
their character or their antecedents.
The taste for such unfortunates has
to a great extent died out, and with
the taste the value of the unfortunates
themselves. They very often, indeed,
proved sad disappointment still the
temptation to use them has always
been hard to resist.
Irish history records one such dis
appointment, which deserves to be
commemOrated. He was Rev. NJ. J.
Brennan, born and ordained in Kill
kenny. Both as student and "a priest
he was man of brilliant talents. He
lacked, however, the saving and neces-
sary virtue of humility, developed a
spirit of self-sufficiency and insubor-
dination and was suspended by his
ecclesiastical superior, Bishop Marum
of Ossory. Instead of repenting he
added to his guilt by publicly re-
nouncing his religion, and was imme-
diately grabbed up as a valuable catch
by a Protestant society of Dublin.
Owing to his talents he was wined
and dined by his new masters, and
repaid them by maligning and libel
ing the religion in which he had been
raised. He was asked to preach his
first sermon in St. Georges Protestant
Church, Dublin. 1t was to be a big
occasion in his life, and he had two
weeks to prepare. However, during
that two weeks a change came over
him; the veil wrought by pride and
vanity fell from his eyes, and he re
solved to make reparation for the in
jury and evil he had done.
When the first Sunday of Advent,
Dec. 3, 1909, arrived, the cream of
Protestant Dublin came to hear Father
Brennan's reason for leaving the
Church of Rome. Having robed him.
self in the sOutane, surplice and cap
he had worn as priest, he mounted
the pulpit. A breathless silence came
over the. audience, for ecclesiastical
millinery of that kind was new to
them. Then removing his cap he
made the sign of the cross, saying
In the name of the Father, and OF
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost"
The congregation looked on amazed
thinking he was about to scott at the
holy sign and the holy words he had
used. The priest raised aloft the
Bible he held in his hand, saying
THE Bible is the word of God" This
made all feel that they were going to
get good old Protestant doctrine free
from the errors of Popery, and they
almost wept for joy and comfort But
their joy and their comfort soon van,
ished for Father Brennan continued
with solemnity and emphasis: by
the contents of this Bible, every word
| have written or spoken against the
Catholic Church was lie"
Then he turned around, left the
pulpit and, fastening to the Church
of the Franciscans, humbly and peni
tently asked for reconciliation at theil
hands. He was subsequently admit
ted to the order, but was not allowed
to preach or hear confessions. How
ever, he used his talents well, for hi
devoted himself to the study of his
tory and produced an Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland" which keeps hi
memory green among those who low
to read of the sad but glorious stor,
of the Church in Ireland.
| The Tablet.