Year: 1877




The closing devotions Of the month of May
the festival of Corpus Christi, and the First
Communion exercises were all celebrated this
year in st. Stephens parish on the last day OF
the month of May. Three beautiful feasts
which bound together the alteration OF the
Son, the honor Of the Mother, and the piety Of
the faithful in one harmonious festival! As
the revered pastor of this parish is on the
eve of his departure for Europe, his parting
words of instruction to the children whom he
had SO carefully prepared for these great col
emnities were particularly precious to them.
In touching words he told them Of q certain
landlord whose house was surrounded by
thick shrubbery, bushes and briers, and in
which the birds had built their nests and
where they warbled their delicious melody
from morning until night. Thinking to en-
sure an unfailipg and perpetual concert OF
sweet music he caught the happy birds, con-
fined them in q silver cage, placed them in q
gilded saloon and provided for them dainty
and delightful food. To his grief and great
astonisbment the birds seemed no longer
happy, they dropped their tiny wings, refused
to eat, and sang no more!


A good friend, to whom he told his trouble,
bade him release the birds, 30 that they might
seek once more their favorite retreat and
| breathe again the atmosphere in which
| they had been born. There they would find
the food which nature had provided, and soon
they would regain their joyfulness, and sing
their happy songs once more.


"And SO it proved, of course, and thus will
it be with you, dear children" said the Iever-
end father. God created us all to be happy;
but your souls, like these birds, must have the
atmosphere and the food proper to them the
atmosphere of religion and the food of prayer.
1t is true You must live among the thorns OF
| tribula tion and the briers of care, but you will
always be happy while you breathe the blessed
atmosphere of heaven and live upon the food
prepared for you.


| Bot soon you place your soul in the
silver cage of pleasure or in the gilded saloon
of fortune, then you will be no longer happy
you will lapguish with remorse and you will
sing no more. We can not give all the words
of this beautiful instruction, 80 rich in imsg.
cry, so exquisite in feeling; but the touching
application of the divine food prepared that
day for their souls in their First Communion,
and which would ensure their happiness, was
singularly eloquent and impressive.


The band of First Commandments was quite
|
met as brothers at the table of their Common
Father. In this practice alone, the Church
shows her divine Inspiration, for at her altars
there is 10 distinction of rich or poor, of bond
or free. Around the Ark of the new Covenant
all tribes and tongues and peoples and nations
gather together, to sing the canticle of eternal
| joy. We do not know how to describe COS
tunes, we only know that every child
1 ~ ~ T.
innocence, with garIands of virtues, and in
their hearts and hands shono the light of faith
and charity.


Father Mandine pictured most eloquently tc
the large congregation before him, the source
and the abode eftrue happiness. Not in kingi
palaces, not in houses of splendor, not in th'
homes of the rich. Too often, those who ap
pear happy because possessed of many tempo
raj blessings are in reality so miserable tina
they can hardly bear to live. In spite of al
their gold, their honors and their pleasures
they are strangers to true happiness. But il
the house of God, at all times, but PARTICULAR!
on the day of First Communion, true happiness
} may be found-in the hearts of the innocen
children-in the bosoms of proud and piou
, parents.


} In the afternoon tie beautiful ceremony o.
renewing the baptismal vows and that of the
coronation of the Virgins statue by the child
rem, closed the solemnities of the happy day
and month, and gave to ell who witnessed
them realization that the earth is still the
footstool of the Lord, and that his children are
oftentimes permitted to approach in loving
} proximity to his throne of majesty and glory
and to touch, as it were, the hem of Hi
} shining garments.


) May the beautiful Influences of these three


feasts in one, accompany the cherished pastor
of St. Stephen in his journey across the ocean
follow him in all his pious pilgrmages, ant
remain with him until he returns in safety tt


the parish and people whom be tries Sc
earnestly to draw nearer to their God.


Society Notes.