The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-06-20
PAROCHIAL GRADS
GIVEN DIPLOMAS
BY REV. CARI
RedemptOrist Father breaches
a Mastery Sermon to Class
IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION
The Feature of Theme-Likens
Religious Training to the
Keystone of Arch

Twenty-seyen bright, cheerful. ear
nest and promising graduates Of the
St Francis de Sales parochial school
were given their diplomas Sunday
morning. The ceremony took place
during the High Mass at st. Francis
de Sa'es church, and the scrolls we're
distributed by the Rev Father Car
ty, who gave his blessing to each
member OF the class, Later the class
roce we'd Holy Communion
The sermon was delivered by the
Rev Father Warren Of the Redemp-
torist order Father Warren had
been in Bennington all Of the prev
ious week, ne having conducted a
week. retreat for the women of the
parish, which was concluded Sunday
night Like all other men OF the
Redemptorist order Father Warren
is a man Of profound learning not on
ly in theological fields, but in every
field of science And he 5 mas
ter Of language; his oratory is grace
iu, compelling, manly; his logic is
like adamant
A Modest intellectual.
Father Warrens address Sunday
was directed especially to the gradu-
atng class. and it was a masterpiece
Of wisdom and rhetoric He speaks
without manuscript and laugh ngly
declined. Sunday afternoon, to die
tate a brief synopsis Of his magnifi-
cent grafton You know. said he,
that we do not seek publicity and
I'm positively unwilling to advertise
myself If you heard the sermon and
liked it, say whatever you may see
fit about il and can assure you that
III be satisfied
In substance Father Warren told
the graduates that they were about
to make their bow upon the stage Of
life They had been well trained at
the rehearsas, When an actor
pleases an audience he is usually ap-
plauded said the father The audi
ence Of the class henceforth will be
the public he declared, and what
ever OF applause any member OF the
class wins must be shared with the
prompters beh nd the Scenes-in
this case the humble, though en-
thus astic Sisters who supervised his
or her education. The Sisters. he
said are too modest to make person
al claims However they cannot es-
cape the conviction that their pre-
cepts and example must have an
overwhelming influence for good over
the lives of their pupils.
Religion the Keystone
Father Warren likened the relig.
ious teaching which the graduates
had received to the keystone of the
arch Of character VIII lie the boys and
rls before him had been given every
Ftellectual advantage offered in any
other school, their hearts also were
touched by religious instruction.
Their religious training therefore is
the keystone Of their forming char,
aCters The keystone Of an arch
eXerts its influence, he said upon
every part of the material in the
arch. If tAe keystone is of disinter-
grating material il must soon crum-
Bile and then the arch will collapse.
The Keystone of character is relig-
ion. 1t is the panacea that protects
and saves the individual from all the
p tails Of life A firm. unbending
religious faith he declared, is the
only remedy for seltishness, the sole
guarantee of Justice the true guide
to direct one through life and into
eternal happiness in the world be
yond He urged the graduates to
adhere strongly to their religious
principles and no matter in what
walk of life they may be placed to do
their work we'll 1t is not the for.
tune of all said the speaker, to do
extraordinary things But the small
things of life are just as important
Father Warren related a story of the
great Michael Angelo Some friend
had asked Angelo why he gave so
much attention TO trivial things
Trivial things, Angelo replied, go
to make perfection
Church is Filled
Special music for the occasion was
rendered The congregation that
witnessed the diploma awards was
not unusual at that place, although
it completely filed the large ediiice
This is by no means a reflection on
the interest which the members OF
the flock take in the educational ac-
ytes of the parish, but merely
emphasizes the fact that all services
in St Francis de Sales church. upon
all opCagippg throuohout thn ypar