The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-03-14
TRIBUTE TO PRIEST
! Is PAID BY BISHOP
NFUNERAL SERMON
Local Prelate Points 10 Lessons
In Life Of Very Rev.
John 4. SlaQ
SAYS ALL PRAISE IS VANITY

ONtO Nib DOUUS6 10 vUUJU
Finds In Career Of Dead Cleric
However, incidents In
structivs to us Ar
Tribute to Very Rev. John A. II
slag's work as = priest Of the Roman
Catholic church was given Tuesda,
morning by Most Rev. Vincent
Wehrle. bishop Of the diocese Of Bis.
marck, In his funeral sermon owe,
the body Of the local priest who died
last Friday ut Rochester, MINI.
Asserting that In the sight Of
death all human praise Is vanity
Bishop Wehrle said he would moi
preach the praises Of Father Stag but
would, instead, draw from his life
facts (which are instructive to u
ALL"
Challenging 'indifferentism" In
religion, the venerable bishop said
the truths Of religion inspired Father
Slag's action throughout his life and
were guiding star to him in death.
The text Of Bishop Wehrle's address
follows:
II consider 1t my sacred duty to
thank you all who have come here
for the funeral service, and also to
all citizens Of Bismarck, Catholics
and mont Catholics, for all the acts Of
kindness and love shown to Father
Stag during the days Of his last sick
ness. and especially after his death
I wish to express publicly my graft.
tude to Doctor LaRose and the other
doctors for the self-sacrificing care
given to the sick priest. cordially
thank also the men In the highest
offices in state and county, and the
ministers Of Protestant denomiua-
lions for their sympathy and their
presence at these funeral services.
Punishment for Sin
The Catholic church well knows
that death Is the punishment Of the
sin Of Adam, the father Of the whole
human race, from whom we have In
herited original sin. She realizes also
that every human being come there.
fore to the use Of reason, falls more
or less into sin, and teaches US ia
offer up to God our own death, with
its humiliations and sufferinRs, as an
act Of penance, united with the SUI
fertngs and death Of Jesus Christ.
who, for us and for our salvation,
has become the true Lamb Of God
who taketh away the sins Of the
world.
AT this occasion I will not preach
the praises Of Father Stag; for In the
sight Of death and eternity IN hui
man praise seems to be vanity; but
wish to draw your attention to some
facts in his life which are instruc-
tive to US all.
Born Of deeply religious parents,
fitted out with . strong and healthy
body, and many noble gifts Of intel
lect and mind, he received his first
education from his own parents and
felt very early drawn towards the
priesthood. His classical studies he
made In Catholic college In Hol-
land.
LET me remind you, dear brethren,
that truly Catholic home training
Is of the highest Importance for this
earthly life and even more for the
life to come after we shall have left
this valley Of tears.
Nov I wish to tell you how I Sc
cured Father Stag for my diocese.
When became bishop In 1910, my
first great care was to find priests
for my diocese. Having so many I'M
migrants Of German-speakiug Cath
olics from Russia and Hungary. I ap-
pealed to Doctor Beck. professor Of
the University Of Freiburg, awitzer-
land, and rector Of the 9alesianum, q
seminary in the same city. For q
number of years he recommended
candidates for the priesthood to me
but on account Of the war some could
not come across the ocean. Finally.
after the war, Father Stag was the
first to come here. He and four 9th.
er priests now working in my diocese
received their theological training In
Freiburg and will, their whole life
long, be benefited by the influence
Of Doctor Beck.
There Is No Compromise
Doctor Beck hammered most fire.
quently the following principles into
their minds: No compromise between
truth and error.
mo good priest can have his heart
divided between Jesus Christ and the
world. Christ himself has declared:
You cannot serve God and Mammon.
Thanks to God, Father Stag has
all the years Of his priesthood been
guided by these principles. He came
in contact with all kinds
Of men. But he did not seek popular
ity: he never sacrificed any prin-
ciples: and by this very fact he won
the respect and even the love Of hun
dreds outside the Catholic church.
II beg all priests and all Catholic
laymen to take this lesson 70 heart,
and to try their very best never to-
let others get the impression, that
they favor religious indifferentism.
Father Stag had during his years Of
theological studies. the happiness to
witness many time the deep and
solid love for the Church Of Christ,
the Catholic church, with which Doc
tor Beck,s heart WAS filled and which
he implanted into Thousands Of fell
lowmen. He sometimes witnessed the
enthusiasm Of the Catholics ct con-
gresses held to instruct people on the
great questions Of the day.
MA>A - - 1AH1aAp 0enO
has also here In North Dakota done
much to arouse In the Catholic popu-
lation q true enthusiasm for our
Catholic church and her teaching.
This was the reason Why he was al
ways ready to speak ct so-called COM
Of the schools. Il had
always the purpose to make people
realize that true education cannot Be
from religion.
Had Deep Understanding