Norwich bulletin., 1922-04-03
SIXTEENTH CENTURY DEVOTION
OPENS IN ST. PATRICK's CHURCH

The annual forty hours devotion open-
ed IN ST. Patrick's church following the
high mass Sunday, TO end after high
mass at s O'Clock Tuesday. This solemn
period known in Italy as Quaranr ore,
commentaries the forty hours during
which the body of the Saviour remained
in the tomb following His crueifixion. It
was begun in Milan in 1884 and was in
troduced into Rome by St Phil0 Neri
in 154S and sanctioned by Pope Clement
VIII The devotion originated in the
suggestion Of Father Joseph a Capuchin
friar at Milan. who when the city was
devastated by war asked the citizens TO
pray for forty hours in hope that God
would send them relief. The forty hours
prayer. begun in the cathedral of the
harassed city, was taken I'D in turn by
the other churches.
Heaven heard the trustful and conf
| dent prayers of the citizens for in a
| short time the Emperor Charles and
| Francis, King Of France. were seen at
| the gate of Milan arranging the articles
Of peace. From that era the devotion
has been a favorite one with Catholics
| the world over.
At st. Patrick's Sunday. high mass was
sung by Rev. Philip ]. Mooney, the an
nouncenlents being made by Rev Myles
p. Calvin. In the procession of the forty
| hours, when the sacred host was borne
| through the church by Father Mooney,
| the canopy bearers were Alexander A
| kilroy, John p Corcoran, Thaddeus
Deahy and John r. Tarrant Following
| the cross-bearer marched altar boys
carrying lighted candles; then came long
! lines of white-frocked little girls, each
! bearing a lily stalk, the youngest girls
having arm baskets of spring flowers
which they strewed in the path of the
| sacred host. AS usual. girls and boys
gave evidence Of the marvellous training
! received from the Sisters of Mercy of the
| Perkins avenue convent. whose work is
such an important factor In the progress
| and success of this parish.
During the procession the choir sang
| ''Pange, Lingua," the ancient hymn Of
Passiontide, beginning Sing my tongue.
the glorious battle with completed VIC
| tory rife; and above the cross trophy tell
the triumph of the strife" a hymn IA
| mihar to every Catholic child from his
| first visit TO the church. An innovation
this year was the arrangement made by
| OrganiSt Frank L. Farrell by which al
ternate stanzas were sung by a repre-
sentation from the junior choir stationed
in the gallery at the gospel side of the
church. The exercises concluded with
recitation Of the Litany of the saints by
Father Mooney, Father NJ H Nav and
Father Calvin joining in the responses
Although yesterday was Passion Sun
day, because of this special devotion
while the statues and crucifixes were
shrouded in penitential violet. the three
affairs were adorned with flowers. and
palms and flowers were set about this
sanctuary. Until Tuesday morning the
sacred host will continue exposed TO tht
alteration of the faithful, and the chill
dren's procession will be repeated at lh,
O'Clock Tuesday mass. Today (Mon
day. and Tuesday morning the masse.
will be at $50 and S. Priests of varying
nationalhles will assist the parish cler
gymen In hearing confessions in differen
/. languages; this began Sunday afternoon
from to 6 and from to 10 and TIT
same hours will be observed today CMon
day). Thousands of confessions are al
ways heard and are followed by lik
numbers Of holy communlons during tn
: period Of the forty hours