Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1917-04-02
FORTY HOURS, DEVOTION
At ST. pATRIcK,s CHURCH



Blessed Sacrament.
The Forty Hours Devotion. COM
memoratjng the period during which
the body of the Saviour remained in
the tomb following His Crucrif1xion,
day, after the high Mass. large con-
gregation. attending. The devotion,
ANNUALLY fixed for Palm Sunday in this
parish. serves each year to demon
strate several important facts.
First, it is an evidence. IN an age of
fragrant atheism and indifference, of
the mistaken and ever-strengthening
belief of Catholics In the Real Pres
erainess of Scripture and their faith
that when Christ promised to leave in
the Blessed Sacrament a legacy of
Himself to His church for the spirit
ual food IL His followers. He kept
Transforming bread and wine into that
spiritual food. when He commanded.
do this in commemoration of Me"
He was instituting sacrifice and a
sacrament to be perpetuated through
His church while earth shall endure.
OF Great soIennity.
Because of this firm belief that the
consecratsd Host is truly the body
and blood of Christ, the special ex-
position of the Blessed Sacrament up
on the main altar for the veneration
OF the 1a1tnIuI Qur10E the Il OTLy
Hours Devotion. is always Of great
so1emnfty, particularly coming at the
beginning of Holy Week. when Cath
o1ics are following in spirit the be-
trayed Lord during His sufferings.
eliminating in the supreme sacrifice of
Calvary.
Procession Of Children.
Besides accentuating this belief in
the Real Presence. the annual pro-
cession of children which always ac-
companies the Devotion is revelation
to the adult congregation, not only OF
the great number of younger members
who are being brought up to follow in
the faith of their fathers, but Of the
Incompatible training which they are
receiving from their teachers in
school and Sunday school. the Sisters
of Mercy, those holy women devoted
to the service of God. who, silently
even their names concealed from the
world-faithfu11y, conscientiously and
and influence the young lives and up
lift the souls of the hundreds of 1T
tie ones many Of whom. in the home,
would lack the proper first impulse
ing. we're 1t not for the example as
well as precept of these consecrated
women.
The wonderful training in efficiency
which these mere infants. in some
CAGES, thus receive Is best demon
recollection and devout demeanor DUR
ing the procession of the Blessed Sac
rament each year.
Blessing Of Palms.
As it was Palm Sunday yesterday,
there was the blessing of the palms
In commemoration Of the palms with
which the path of the Saviour were
strewn on His triumphal entry to
Jerusalem. This ceremony of bless
Ing took place Before mass. and was
by Rev. Peter J. Cuny. who also sang
the high mass The palms were dis
tributed in the vestibule following the
service.
Gospel From St. Matthew.
Although statues and crucifxes are
still shrouded in the violet of mourn
ing and penaflce because of the holy
season commemorated. the affairs were
adorned with lilies and festoons of
graceful vines. and the sanctuary with
tall palms and ferns, also with gid
ed candelabra, because of the Forty
Hours. The lengthy gospel for the
Jesus Christ as narrated by Saint
Matthew, xxi-xxvii, was read by Rev.
Myles P. Calvin. who also read the
circular letter from Bishop Milan an
ing for diocesan charities, which offer
ing last year in Connecticut amount
ed to over $4,000.
Special Music.
The music of the mass, directed by
Organist Frank L. Farrell. was part
iy Gregorian and partly the superb
mass by Gounod. At the offertory
Mr.. Farrell played F'aure's THE
Palms. with magnificent sweep and
harmony. Throughout the service
the soprano solos were sung in a fin
ished manner by Mrs. Farrell.
In the procession of the Blessed
Sacram the canopy over the Host
carried by Father Cuny was borne by
John r. Tarrant. Thaddeus Leahy
Lynch.
Because of this special devotion
there was no evening vespers or Len
ten sermon.
Continuous Devotion Till Tuesday.
The devotion closes with the solemn
high mass and procession of Tues
day morning. Today and Tuesday
there will be masses at $50. and
o'clock.
That the lengthy services were car
ried through with such smoothneSs
and celebrity consistent with proper
reverence and solemnity, was largely
ed supervision of the rector, Rev. John
II. Brodericlz.
At all hours of the dav and night
from Sunday noon until Tuesday
morning, the church is open and de-
vout parishioners are in prayer be-
fore the main altar, upon which the
Sacred Host is exposed for veneration
Priests speaking six or eight 1anguag-
es are assisting Father Broderick DUR
ing the two days. that the parishioners
Of this great church which includes
many nationa1ities may find clergy
men capable of hearing confessions in
the different tongues.