Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1929-09-26
SPECIAL CEREMONIES At
ST. JAMES CHURCH HERE

1
mony was held last Sunday after
noon at ST. James Catholic church,
when two new statues were blessed
and dedicated to the greater honor
and glory of God. The statues were.
as noted in last weeks Democrat,
| the gifts of Thos McGovern of Gin
!, cinnati and Geo. 3. Kenney of Nc
J Connelsville.
| There was a grand procession
from the rectory to the church.
headed by a cross-bearer and two
/ acolytes carrying lighted candles:
these were followed by the Honor
Guard, of the Fourth Degree Assem-
| bly, knights of Columbus in full
dress, sword and baldric, which
made an impressive sight The al
tar boys followed next in beautiful
rich scarlet cassocks and white
/ sashes; these were followed by the
| flower girls and their attendants,
all carrying beautiful bouquets; next
in line came the visiting clergy and
the officers of the service
The whole body proceeded to the
altar where the statues were bless
ed by Rev. Father Robin of Corn
| ing, assisted by Rev. Father Muel-
Ter of GAINESVILLE, and Rev. Herman
Tague of Churchtown. The sermon
was preached by Rev Father Her
man of Marietta. An address of
welcome was given by Rev. Father
| Preston, after which solemn benedic-
| tion of the most blessed sacrament
was given. The services were con-
cluded with the singing of the Te
E, Deum, hymn of praise, after which
the procession moved down the mid
die aisle, while the Sir knights of
! the Honor Guard, Knights of Co
lumbus, formed an arch of swords.
The flower girls were Jane Huck
and Helen Ritchey, two little girls
of the parish, who were dressed in
pink, white veil, white slippers and
| stockings, and carried bouquets
which they presented to the statues
of st. James the Greater, and st. An
thony. Their attendants were the
Misses Virginia Biedenbach, Ruth
Smith, Rosemary Flanagan, and AL
! ice Kenney.
The officers of the services were:
Cross bearer, John Flanagan; AGO.
| lytes,, Thomas Kenney and Paul
Smith; Rev. Father Robin, Gel
ebrant; Rev. Father Mueller, Dea-
con; Rev. Father Tague, Sub-Dea-
con. The master of ceremonies was
Rev. Father Preston. Present in
/ the sanctuary were the following
visiting clergy: Rev. John Diegle-
man, Crooksville; Rev. Joseph Pr
, card, Lowell.
"Veneration OF The Saints
| Extract from sermon follows: By
hn nxxtn oh H. salN ,l1
! socrates to the service of God and
religion, the Catholic church reach
es men not alone through the sense
| of hearing, but through all the av-
enues that lead to the soul. Modern
| books and periodicals are full of pic
lures. BY means III drawings and
! models the suCcesAlu1 teacher ap-
peals to the eye as well as to the ear.
| This valuable principle of psycholo-
gy has been recognized by the church
since earliest times.
Pictures and statues of our Lord
and His angels and saints are used
in the Catholic church in much the
same way that family portraits are
honored in the home, the likenesses
of poets are preserved in public Ii
braries or the monuments of civic
heroes are set up in parks. They
keep alive memories worth preserv-
ing. They inspire high ideals and
lead men to initiate the deeds of
those whose superiority is acknowl-
edged.
Even in this enlightened twen-
tieth century and in this highly civ
ilized land, the average non-Catho-
lie has a very hazy and sometimes a
very erroneous idea of what Catho-
lies believe. The prejudiced notions
of hundred years ago persist to-
day in the minds of many. For
them the Catholic is a "worshipper
of idols" a senseless dolt who bows
down before lifeless things, who Of
fers alteration to the statues of
dead men and dead women, and has
almost lost sight of his Creator and
Saviour. The inbred bigotry of gen.
eratiOns of narrow minded ances-
tors has been inherited in it's full
ness by many of those native
Americans" whose religion consists,
for the most part, in an unwavering
hatred of ''popery," whose minds are
filled with constant dread lest the
Vaccinations of Rome shall over
throw the free institutions of our be-
loved land, and who seem to have
derived from their daily intercourse
with Catholics no more knowledge
of Catholic truths than their ig-
norant forefathers had in the days
when papists were few and far be-
tween.
What is the teaching and practice
of our church in regard to images?
OF .cf npfh hn Gn4h ia
doctrine about worship First of all,
Catholics adore no one but God.
Absolute and supreme worship is
paid to Him alone, for He is the
source of all goodness and all
graces, and no other being has any
power to forgive or sanctify us.
Our church honors and venerates
the saints and angels, with relative
and inferior homage, as friends of
God, having the power of inter-
cession for us; but she has never
held that even the most exalted
saint is to be adored. A saint in
heaven is simply saved soul made
illustrious by exceptional virtue.
The church has maintained for
many centuries that the statues of |
our Blessed Lord, or of saint are
worthy of honor; but she has never !
taught or permitted that they !
shall be adored. A statue or pic
ture is, as it were, portrait of the
Redeemed, or of holy servant of |
God. 1t brings before our minds a |
vivid picture of the one whom it
portrays. If the picture or image be
that of our Lord Jesus Christ, He,
of course, is entitled to the supreme |
being God, but His image
is not God, and is to be honored
merely with reverence, not with |
alteration. If the statue or picture
saint, he or she is not