Norwich bulletin., 1918-04-08
ST. PATRIck'S PARISH
 TO BUY LIBERTY BONDS.
Special Collection, so That Rich and
 Poor May Help the GovernmentV l, Forty Hours Devotion Opens.

The entire ritual of the Roman Cath olic church might be summed up in the word "commeDoration." Every line of it's liturgy, each ceremonial every act of worship of priests and people com memorates some event in the earthly life and ministry of the Saviour. When Christ, at the Last Supper, instituting the Holy Eucharist commanded His apostles, Do this in commemoration of Me-" it was the obligation which every priest commemorates daily in offering the holy sacrifice of the mass. The church has but lately finished commemorating in Lent, the forty days and nights during which our Lord lasted and prayed in the desert and on Good Friday His death for mans redemption, also in commem- orating the joyous triumph of life over death in the Redeemer's glorious res urreetion. So it is in every day of the ecclesiastical year; each is so appor- toned as to recall, commemorate, the Blessed Lords words. and works and teachings, His sufferings His deeds of service for mankind, up to the time of His glorious ascension into heaven. The scriptural record of His sarthly ministry is followed to the letter, without question or qufbble, now, as in the earliest days of the Christian church.
 It is in accord with this literal com n1emoration that n~ce each year there is in every Catholic church the devo- ton of the 1U1ty aou1s adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the consecrated Host believed by all Catholics to be, since Christ has said it is so, His divine body, given to men for their spiritual food, that Bread of Life so often referred to in the scriptures, and by the Saviour Himself The forty hours special devotion continues in memory of the period during which the body of the crucified Redeemer remained in the sepulchres This devo- tion was begun in Milan in 1854 and the records show was introduced inte Rome by Saint Philip Neri in 154S While it continues, the Sacred Host is exposed on the altar for the venera- ton of the faithful, and the devotional period is regarded in a parish as a l time of special graces and an incen- tive to regentance.
 Sunday in St. Patricks church tfe solemn high mass preceding the de- votion was celebrated by Very Rev J. P. Guinet, M. S., of La Salette col lege, Hartford, Rev. MyIes P. Calvin being deacon and Rev. Peter J. Cuny l sub deacon. There was special music by the choir. directed .by Organist
 Frank L. Farrell, with beautiful solos l by Mrs. Farrell, the other members 1 of the quartette being Miss Loretta | Bellef1eur, John Sullivan and William
 r. Doyle. The altars were adorned
 with choicest spring flowers, arranged
 by the Sisters of Mercy from tho parish convent. In the customary pro. i cession, when the Sacred Host wa: ! borne by Father Guinet, each white. 1 frocked little girl bore a lily. othe1 daintily clad children strewed blossom:
 in the path of the Host, and long lines l Of altar boys carrying lighted taper: 1 formed an important part of the pro.
 cession, all the children indicating thc l intelligence with which they partici pated in the devotion, as well as tn,
 wonderfully thorough training whicI | they receive from their instructors, tht priests and Sisters. In the procession | the canopy above the Host was born, 1 by Alexander Kilroy. Austin Furlons
 John R. Tarrant and Thaddeus Leahy l Rev. Myles P. Calvin, who omitted
 any formal sermon because of tn l length of the services, read a circula, letter from Bishop Milan urging eacI
 Catholic in the diocese to aid in tn, purchase of Liberty bonds in ever, ! possible way, both by individual buy
 ing and by contributing to a collection
 to be taken up next Sunday for fund
 to purchase bonds in the name of tn parish. Father Calvin also urged tn
 women of St. Patrick's to make :;
 special effort to spend at least on l Monday afternoon each month at tn
 Red Cross room in the Thayer build | ing, preparing surgical dressings, no
 being. content to leave all such lauda
 ble work to the members of the Cath | olic Woman's club.
 This (Monday) morning there will b
 masses at 5.S0 ' and 8 o'clock. the las
 a high mass. and the same hours fo
 services were announced for Tuesday The church will be open from 5.30 a. m to 9 p. m. during both days. At tn
 o'clock mass each morning there vii
 be the procession of the Blessed Sac
 rament, as on Sunday.