IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) LO I.I 1.25 " ilM IIIIM ■ iM IIIII2.2 iiili 1.4 112.0 1= 1.6 c^l a // (? / //a Photographic Sciences Corpordtion 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBlfER.N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV ^q\' ^^ o % V ;v ^n>^ cS^ % CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductiors Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. n~7 Coloured covers/ I Vl Couverture de couleur [7\ D D n □ □ Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul^e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ nt Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 film6es. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6X6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Stre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiquds ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur I I Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piqu^es □ Pages detached/ Pages d^tach^es D Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of print varies/ Quality indgale de I'impression I I Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible D Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film6es i nouveau de fapon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. D Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppl6mentaires; ~lf This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ M Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqud ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X n 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grace d la g6n6rosit6 de: Bibliothdque nationate du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de l'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier esc imprim^e sont filmds en commengant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film^s en commengant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contaii the symbol — h^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END "), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de chaque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole ^^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as require ^. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent etre filmi^s d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est i\\m6 d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ST. PATRICK, " HIS LIFE AND TEACHINGS, " A 8ERM0N PREACHED * IN THE t OMAN fATHOLIC CATHEDRAL OF S H E R B R O O K E . 11th of March 1878. ^y 1^^' 1 1 $m. ^^^i^CS©^ / SHEEBROOKE. " St. Charles Seminary " print. 1878. M ST. PATRICK ? " HIS LIFE AND TEArillNGS, " .SEPiMON rKEAC'IIEl) JN HIE io!\^AN Catholic Cathedral OF S II E H B 11 O O K E . 17th of March 1878. I3T l^v, I I Jigsaii, SHErtBr.ooK::. *' St. Charles Seminary "' print. \t*-- \ 1878. J>5 ■mmemii^^^itmn ■ THE MOST REVEREND piS lOCTOR #EORGE mONROY|i Bishop of Ardagh and Clamacnoise, FIRST APOSTOLIC DELEGATE TO CANADA, THIS Discourse on TlIK apostle of IKKLAND \i iniUi kmM. 'i ,. . .1;^'. ',. ■■l It. iATRICKS EkY't Hahebitis autem hmic diem in monumcntum et ctichnihitis eumfestian Domino in perpe- tvos (jeneraiiones. " And this di\y shall be a memorial to you, and yoii t-hali keci) it u least to the liOrd in vour jj;eneialionH with an ever- lasting ob^eivancu. " (Exodus, XU, 14.) My Lord.(=^) My Brethren. It has always boon a sacred duty to maiikiiid to keep alive the iiu^mory of great benefits. All nations, even the most rude, have been strict gbservers of feasts in honor of their forefathers who have acquired renown. Who ignores the celebrations held by the Greeks and Komans in mc^mory of the founders of their most impor- tant cities and nations. This is a law which nature itself has engraveir in our hearts. And does not God sanction it in Holy "Writ ? In the text of my sermon, I have the divine ordinance given to the chosen people to keep for ever in " their generations with an everlasting observance " the memorial of the extraordinary benefit accorded to them while in Egypt. Thi' descendants of Jacob are ground to the dust by the oppression of Pharaoh, but the Lord has not forsaken them ; he will yet deliver them from the horrid yoke under which thev groan. He makes use of a (*)\rgr. Ant. Er.cine, ri^hf p oCSheibrookc. 4 — mystorious rito : lot each laniily iako n Iniiib and oat it ao- cording* to ct'rtain riios, then let tlu'iii si)rinkle tho door posts with its blood, and the aven,i!;ing- Aniiel in his pa.s- Kagi' will Kpar(» the houses over whose door lie shall llnd blood sprinkled. In thaid^sg'ivin«»' for such an (Extraordi- nary prc^ervMtion, the JeAVs have been I'aitht'ul down to tho latest days in keopinjL^ holy this day. The practice of tho Jews was agTea})l(> to the Lord, l)ut fi'reat as was their j^'ratitudo to him alone for his . supreme and sov(Ereig-n kindness, they never could ibrg-et th(^ man whom Grod had chosen as his ambassador and interpreter towards them. The memory of their Lawgiver was alwa}'s vivid with the Jews, and the Book of Ecclesiasticus, chapter XLV, is filled with his praise. " Moses was beloved of God and " men whose memory U in benediction. " Ho made him like tho saints in glory, and magniiied " him in the fear of his ennemies. " He glorilied him in the sight of kings, and gave him " commandni'Mits in the sight of his people and shewed " him his glory, " He sanctified him in his faith and his meekness. " But if the Bible is thus filled with the prises of one who gave his people the Law of fear, ^vhat shall we say on the present circumstance of th»? herald of the Law of grace and mercy towards our nation i May we not praise and ])less him ! May we not rather raise our hands and hearts towards tho celestial abode, where, in the presence of tho Lamb that was slain for our Redemption, he con- tinues, till tho present time, the office which he begun 1500 years ago, namely: of praying and intercoeding for us. 5 nl it ac- i*' door lis pun. ill liiul I'.iordi- wu to d, hut iprciiio <^ man n>Jvtc'r I with i^V, is d and niifiod t» him Knvt'd • * who y on ^v of >raise and ionco con- 'i^un ' for Cllorious St. Patrirk, hear our prayers ! From tho mo- ment the hri^ht sun iM'U'au to liild th(> sliores of far otf India, until he si'em to melt in the waves which l)athe the feet ot'the lvo:'ky Mountains, a tril)Ute of prayers and })h'ssiims and thanksLiivinu's will ascend towards your heart. Youuu,' children, who ln'gin to lisp your dear vencrahle name, old men, tottering to thi' ii'rave, will havt' a pi'tition to offer you. In poor litth^ huts and in majesti.' Cathedrals, hymns and canticles shall he sung in your honor ! ( )htain lor us, your devoted children of the Irish Catholic Church, linal i)erseveraiic^' in that holy faith which you taught our fore lathers ! The hest m(»ans of ohtainiim' that happy result, is the pious examination of the life and teachings of our Ajwstle. It is very difficult to give the precise date of the birth of St. Patrick, and his native coimtry. The Iioman Brev- iary adopts th(^ opinion .that ho was born in (raul, in Lower Britanny or Armorica. llis father, who afterwards became a priest, was Calphurnius, and his mother, Con- chessa, was a niece of St. .Martin of Tours. Ilis birth was probably in 887, and his dcnith occurred on the 17th day of March 4()5, at Downpatrick, where, surrounded by his beloved Hock, he ])ri'athed his pure soul to his Creator. The historians of the time tell us that w^hen the news of the death of their Apostle had spread over the country, it was received every where with intense sorrow. Prelates and Clergy Hocked from all (quarters to be present at the fuueral obsequies, which were celebrated with unus\ial magnilicence and splendor. Masses were olfered up on the altars continually, and not only the day, but even entire nights werc^ spent by th(^ assembled jn-iests in psalmody. The funeral service lasted t^velve days, and — G — so gvoai was thi^ profusion of lio-his luul torches. " tliut " darknos:.^j Avas dispelled and night seemi d to be changed " into day. " AVell might the Church of Ireland bewail its loss. AVith lilliseus, seing Trophet Elias dei)arting upwards, she might exclaim : '• My fatln^r, my lather, th(; chariot of '• Israci ajid the conductcn* tlnu'eof. " Ihit her grief foiuid solace in the thought of the reward Patrick did immediat- (dy re.'eivc from the Prince of Pastors. AVhen the choir of Holy Angels brought the soul of the Apostle to the feet of its Creator, Jesus C^hrist, while giving him the rank and crown of an Apostle, addressed him in those consoling words : " AVell done, good and faithful sc^rvant, l)ecause " thou hast been faithful over the flock entrusted to thy " rare, I will place tliet^ over many things, enter thou into " the joy of thy Lord. " How did Patrick obtain this happy reward, it now re- mains for us to examine. Far ofi' ill the AYestern 8eas lies an Isle of quiet and love- liness : " Innisfail : " The Island of Destiny. AV rapped in a shroud of vapours which rise from the l>osom of the waves, the ocean is, as it were, jealous of the Ixuiuty of its emerald gem and gaards it on all sides. But still darker and more slirouded by thi^ errors of Paganism are the minds and intelligences of the hapiv-ss inhabitants of the Island. The gulfs and abysses of briny waves which sur- round Erin are not so deep and dnnidful as the horrid abysses of sup^'rstition which the Devil has placed bet- Wi3en their immortal souls and their Creator ! . . St. Jerome, a <'onten porary historian, relates " that tlio '• inhabitants of those islands are still immersed in the er- " rars of })arbarity and paganism. On this most beautiful I wm ^v^ " lliai its ]o8S. y^n-ds, 8lie h'lvint of ^^'i' ibund iniicdiat- <'lioir ol' tho io(.t, % livo and reign niprera?. The soil is in- " fested with snakes and horrid serp^'nts ; those are the " a'ods of tht' Irish : Ihev are so barbarous that they even '' feast upon the Ilesh of their ennemies caught in battle ! " AVho shall eonie to their relief ? Who shall announee to those bv'uiii'hted souls the new Law ? That bright Sun of Justiee, who, three centuries before, had illumined .lu- dea and the countries of the East, shall he never shed his rays on the iar West ? Yes ! Sitting upon the Pontilical Chair, in the See of St. Peter, to whom Christ has given care of the whoh^ ilock, I^'ovidence has jdaced a good and holy man. The ]iame of Pope Celestine III, with the name of I'ope Pius IX, must for ever be held by the sons of Erin in most pious recollection. To CVdestiiie, after Grod, W(^ owe christ- ian civilization. He had ])reviously sent Palladius to teach the doctrine of C^hrist to the inhabitants of the Brit- ish Islands ; but it seems that Palladius was not the man destined to have the glory of the Apostleship. It was Patrick, and Patrick alone, who received from (rod the qualities of heart and siml which might enable him to pin-form the good work and cultivate that part of the Lord's vineyard. .... ■ " When I was sixteen years of age, he says in the Book " of his C^onfessions, 1 had not yet turiu^d my heart in earn- " est to the lovo of jn-ayer and devotion. " Ho was, at that time, captured by King NiaJ in one of his marauding expeditions in (faul, and sold by him as a slave to Milcho, who sent him to Unid his iiocks in the hills of Antrim, If in his early j'outh, tho young man had been remiss iji the practice of his religious duties, the haruships and — 8 — rrnolties ho had to ondure in liis now state of lif'o wei\^ the means that Cr.od, in his mercy, made use of to con- strain him to turn his thoug'hts h'^avonward. And now mav wo not fully admire the power and wisdom of God when he wants to })rini>' about his celestial plans for th^ conversion of souls ! How oft.Mi may wo not cry out with Hi. Paul: " depth of tli ' riches of the wisdom and of " the knowledg'o of Grjd! How incomprehensible are his judg-ments and how unsL'arch.ible his ways. (It am. XI, •'>•>.) How extraordinary th3 gra^o of Gr.)d's vocation and how dilierent in each circumstance ! Sometimes the Apostle or Prophet is (^illc^d suddenly and illuminated for his mission by a sudd mi light from above, as Saul on his way to Damascus; at otht'r times, God tikes more time, — he allows his chosen one to object and hide him- self for sometim\ as Jonas on his way to Nineveh, or Moses in the Desert of Horeb. Like the Lawgiver of the Hebrews, Patrick is lead by the spirit of God while tend- ing* his Hocks into the hills and fastnesses of the land which he must hereafter overrun as a spiritual conqu(n-or. The Lord appears out of a burning" bush to Moses and commands him to go and carry his Laws and AVill to the Kings of Egypt. In the same manner, the Angels of God, nay more, the Son of Man, Our Saviour himself, reveals to the humble slave of Milchohis future designs on him. As a proof, he restores him miraculously to his native land and to the tender embraces of his mother. Once more he is cast amongst the inhabitants of Innisfail, but only for sixty days ; and after his st^cond captivity, he turns his mind in earnest to th.; work set out for him from all eternity. Undoubtedly Patrick fully realized the importance of Wei\; l>f ]ifb of to con- And now om of God :>hnH for th^ Ty outwilh hlom and of hihh arc Jiis Mm. XI, :]-?.j ^'-ioii unci K'timcs tlie iiJuminatod as Saul on tiko8 inoro hiJe him- J^inoveh, or ?iver of the while tend- f the land conquoror. Mosos and ^Villtothe '^^ of God, K reroals IS on him. lis native or. Once siail, but i^'ity, he him from 'iauce of I — 9 — the Mission he was about to undertake, and his soul quailed at thoresponsibilit}' ; nature's claims were heard : the cruel character of the people he wanted to convert, th3 tender mother and venerated father whom he had to forsake, the long- life of future hardshij^s, must have for a moment made him falter ; but — " His word, who, on the Galilean Sea, ' ■- " lieft John from Zebedee, and changed his love, " Alone could have sustained him in that hour " 'Twas he who said : (=^)— ■ " He who loveth fiither and mother more than me is not " worthy of m.^ (St. Math. X, 37.) and bidding adieu to this fleeting world, he devoted himself generously to tread in the footsteps of his heavenly Master. A vision, which he relates in the Book of his Confes- sions, helped to confirm him in his decision : " I saw in a nocturnal vision, a man coming as if from Ireland, " whose name was Victoricius, with innumerable letters in his hand, one of which he gave me ; on reading the beginning of it, I found it contained these words : The voice of the Irish. And while reading, I thought I heard the voice of persons from near the wood of Foc- lut, which is near the western sea. And they cried out as if in one voice : We entreat thee, holy youth, to come amorif^st us ! And I was greatly affected, and could " read no longer, then I awoke. " "When he was thirty years of age, he went to place himself under the direction of St. Germain of Auxerre, who sent him to study at th;) florishing monastery of Q^) Cai'diiml W! .oman. — — 10 — . Lerins, near the Mediterranean Sea ; and after spending nine years in that sanctuary of piety and learning, he went to Rome to venerate the tomb of the Apostle vSt. Peter, and to receive from the Apostolic See the legitimate Mission towards the nations and " people that sat in *' darkness, to them that sat in the shadow of death. " (St. Math. IV, 16.) . . Patrick understood, as all other Missionaries, that out- side of the communion of Peter there can be no success in converting nations to God. Peter has the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and nothing can be loosed or un- bound, unless through his direction. Enriched with the Pontifical instructions, and fortified with the blessings and good wishes of his spiritual Father, Patrick returns through France towards his future field of labor. It was in France, in the diocese of Exereux in Normandy, that he received Episcopal Con- secration ; and ever since, the ties, which have bound those two countries, have remained unshaken, With what gratitude do we all turn to-day to glorious catholic France and offer her the tribute of our praise. France has alw^ays been a friend and a protector of Ireland. It' was a Frenchman — St. Patrick — who converted us, and it w^as on French soil that the Irish Catholics have always found a most hospitable reception. Three hundred years ago, when persecution racked Ireland and made a waste of its schools and monasteries, our priests found colleges and ser inaries and ixniversities on noble France's soil. May oiir prayt^rs for the preservation of that hospitable and generous nation l)e heard to-day ! In company of a few priests, St. Patrick sets sail from the coasts of Britany. Winds, be favorable and fill his J] I ~ 11 learni'ig-, he PostJe St. legitimate |that sat in of death. " vs, that out- Ho success keys of the sed or uu- nd fortified is spiritual >wards his B diocese of copal Con- ave bound ::eii, With us catholic e. France •eland. It ^d us, and ive always dred years le a waste d colleges nce's soil, biospitable sail from i fill his sails ! Waft in your most rapid flight that precious bark which comes to you, not laden with gold or precious stones from the far East, but the inestimable price of your redemption ! Behold, a conqueror com«s to subdue and captivate the G-em of the Sea, but not with treason or bloodshed, — like the future tyrants who shall cross the waves with rage and the sword, — the new visitors, whom you spie in this little bark, are the Messengers of the Lord ! Their sword is the word of the G-ospel ; their helmet is faith in the Lord : their riches, — the mysteries of a crucified Redeemer ! Patrick first landed on the banks of the Dee ; but the inhabitants were so adverse to his coming, that he set sail towards the north and approached the scene of his first sojourn in Ireland. ' AVith the wisdom ef an experienced general, Patrick ■ directs his steps towards the capital of the land, to attack error in its centre, at its very heart. He goes, with his companions, to Tara where the chiefs of the nation are assembled with the Druids to porform '^'^r^^in myst':'rions ceremonies in honor of their false gods. Althou^ it is forbidden by law to light a fire, Patrick lights a fire in honor of the true (lod, and attracts thereby the attention of the -assembly. Being brought into the presence of the kings and warriors, and having reeeived leave to expound his belief, he begins to explain the mysteries of the one supreme God, in three divine persons, who created the world and governs all things. But this doctrine is in- comprehensible to those rude idolaters, who are accust- omed to recognize and wc/ship as God all the inanimate and abject tKingS that surround th(^m. Stooping down towards the ground, Patrick finds a triumphant proof of what he preaches in that di^iicate little tiifold leaf w*hich — 12 — covers the hills and valleys of Erin. The victory is won, through the grace and mercy of Grod ; the people fall in worship before the one true Grod in three persons, they confess their belief and ask of Patrick further instruction. The life and death of the Kedeemer, his Passion and Cross, the seven Sacraments — which are instituted for the sanctification of our souls, — in a word, all the pure doc- trine of Christ, as given by Christ himself to his disciples and ever maintained intact by his holy Spouse — the Ca- tholic Church, " the ground and i^illar of faith, " — is given, by the holy Bishop, to the children of Ireland, and was received then and therj with a docility which has never been witnessed in any other land. '. Time will not allow me to dwell at any length on the particulars of the life of St. Patrick in Ireland. It lasted over thirty years, and, in the course of that time, he had the happiness of converting the different tribes from their errors and darkness, and led them to the pure light of christian doctrine. All the historians of his life declare that he visited every portion of the Island, from North to South, preach- ing " Christ and Him crucilied. " He erected a number of churches equal to the number of days in the year ; he ordained thousands of Priests and several Bishops ; estab- lished monasteries for cloistered nuns and holy religious ; so that Ireland, at his death and many centuries after, became the rival of Thebaid, — because the hymns and praises of the Lord were continually sung by holy reli- gious of both orders. By the dispensation of Grod, it be- came the Island of Saints and the sanctuary of Letters. From its hospitable and blessed shores, whole colonies of Ai)ostles went out to the forests of G-ermatiy, Switzer- ^ i 13 — fctoiy is won, ^^ople fall in )ersons, they [r instruction. Passion and [ituted for the le pure doc- his disciph^s he— the Ca- If faith, "—is of Ireland, cility which eng-th on the id. It lasted time, he had tribes from ne pure light t he ^asited mth, preach- ed a number he year ; he 'hops; estab- ly religious ; turies after, hymns and '■ holy reli- G-od, it be- of Letters. colonies of ^> Switzer- I I I i land a'ld d'jwii to thj plains of Northern lialy, to civilize in their turn the inha})itants of those countries. Even, in more modern tim'^s, Ireland has been the land of mission- aries, not only by its priests and bishops, but especially by the lii'e and purity of its people. Therefore, we are right and justilied in celfbrating " this day as a memorial " and triumphant day to the Lord in our generations, " with an everlasting observance. " '' ' " ' » The life and examples of St, Patrick haA'i* always been meditated by his children ; but above all, they have studied and practised his doetrines ! "What are those doc trines ? .'.•,■. The object of St. Patrtck's missioii on Irish soil was not to prearh doctrines whic-h come from tlii^ fancies of men, or novelties broughi>down from heaven by Angels. No ; he labored hard, " in season and out of season, " to implant the pure faith of Jesus Christ on Irish soil. To attain that happy result, he did not follow the plan of recent Grospellers who throw the Bible broadcast over th(5 land, leaving each one to ilnd in it a belief according to his taste. He taught them the sublime institution cf the Church, as established by Christ on the solid foundation of the Apostles. — havinir, for (Mirner stone, Peter who is the rock against which the gates of hell can never pre- vail. Following the examx)le of St. Paul, he compares the Church to the human body, in which, although therti are different parts, there is but one being. " For, as th(^ " body is one and hath many mt»mbers, and all the mem- " bers of the body, whereas they are many, yet are but " one body, so also is Christ, But now Crod hath set the " members, every one of them in the body as it hath " pleased him. Now you are the ]>ody of Christ and *' members of member. " — 14 — lit ■IIS M i : I- Thus in tho Churcli there must be difFerent functions and diiFerent degrees. In the army of the Lord of hosts, all cannot command, — some must obey — some must teach, — some must be taught, ^^t. Patrick established the divine hierarchy of inferior pric^sts, bishops and differ- ent religious ordors, all subject to the Bishop of Eome, The respect of Irishmen for their religious superiors, — for their priests, has caused the admiration of the whole world. For them, the Priest is " the salt of the earth. " But if the salt loose its sailor, wherewith shall it be " salted ; it is good for nothing but to be cast out and " trodden by men. " How can a people preserve its tra- ditions of glory and religion, if the priests thereof fall from their exalted position— if they cast away their crown of chastity and holy unction, to take up the deb- ased life of this world and the flesh ? How can the priest preach Jesus-Christ " and him crucified, and poor and naked if he load himself with the goods of this world ? St. Patrick came to Ireland poor, " possessing neither •' gold nor silver, nor mojiey in his purse. He had no " scrip for his journey, nor two coats, nor shoes ncr staff." " Freely he had received, freely he gaA'-e. " When the Irish princes brought him money, he gave it back to them or to the poor, whose constant friend he was : thus leaving an example which has been followed down to the present time. ' The priest is the best friend of Ireland, — he has proved it amply ! He is identiiied with his people ; he shares in his joys ; he partakes of his sorrows ; he has been the teacher of the children and the comforter of the poor as well as the companion and guide of the nobles and prin- ces of the Land. The Priest is " the ambarsador of Christ, " and well has he i)erformed his message ! In the Iris por giv nlv th fo ha 'it funrtioiis |ord of hosts, some must established i^s and differ- »!> of IJomo. iperiors,— for ' the whole [f* the earth, shall it be ^st out and 5erve its tra- thereof fall away their P the deb- n the priest poor and is World ? "g neither fie had no «iici-staif." ^hen the it back to was : thus down to ^as proved shares in heen the ! poor as and prin- •sador of ■ .' In the — 15 — Irish language, he bears a name which has no corres- ponding word in English, and means " sacred man, a giver of good things. " Therefore, our countrymen have always surrounded him with utmost respect. They knew that him whom tli(? prit'st blest, was blessed a hundred- fold, and they knew that his curse was a sentemie which had a dreadful consequence. " Whosoever, says the Sou of ' Man,heareth you, heareth me ; and he that dcspiseth " you, despiseth me. And he that despiseth me, despireth *• him that sent ma. (St, Luke, X, 16.) And he that des- " pis3th me, hath one that judgeth him. " (St. John, XII, 48,) / Never did the Irish nation despise nor cast away the representative of Christ. On the contrary, when perse- cution raged fiercest, then did the people <'ling fastest to their priest ; and well they might love and respect them, because he was that faithful servant who gaveth c^m the pure — unalloyed doctrine of salvation. It is a noted fact that the soil of Ireland and heretics are not congenial... To fulfil his duty of an Apostl?, St. Patrick presented to hi^ people, and held up to their gaze, the image of all that is most pure and exalV'd in rc^generated woman. In the Mother of Jesus-Christ, — in the holy Virgin of virgins, — the Irish have found im])ersonat(Ml and sum- med up all the virtues which can adorn a human heart. In the love and respect of Jesus for his Mother, they found the example of that unbounded love and confi- dence which they have always had for Mary. In her sweet name they have always placed th('ir trust. They have honored that name and honored their f^imilies l)y imparting it as the dearest inheritance to their daughters. hong ms«y that dcA-otion last ! — IG ' * ; 1 , 1 ; JcKUs-Christ is tho colcstial vineyard ox^ which his Fa- ther is tho liushaudmaii. IIo is tliat true vine whos(» Toot and Hioni are the support of the Clnirch. To bear fruit for eternity, all must abide in llim: " lie that " abideth in me, and I in him, the same; beareth much " fruit. If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast •' Ibrth, as a branch and wither, and they shall cast him " into lire, " (St. John, XV, 56.) Those to whom feft. : l^itrick brou2:ht the knowledge of supi^rnatural wisdom must have felt anxious above all to know what duties should be performed in order to belong to that celestial vinetree, whose fruit is immortal. • ". But 8t. Patrick taught his dear children that all vital- ity — all life must come down from heaven and be distri- buted to the uttermost parts of the earth through the instrumentality of the Bishops or overseers whom the " IIoly-Grhost has appointed to govern that Church which " Christ has purchased with his blood. " (Acts, XX, 28.) Christians must for ever remain in close communion of thoughts and practice of good works with the visible head of the Church. They must be firmly attached to the Vicar of Christ, — to him for whom Our Saviour " prayed " that his faith fail not : and who, being once converted, *' must confirm his brethren. " But that Apostle has established his See in Imperial Rome, in the city of Coesar, and there it hath taken root for ever. On this Chair, there shall always be a successor. Peter will forever give utterance of divine truths to the universal flock of which he is the supremo G-uide, by the mouth of his suc- cessors. Outside of Peter's bark, all must perish in the flood. None can enter into heaven without his leave, as he holds the keys of that celestial abode. To be sure of salvation, all christians must be in communion with piich Ill's Fa- vino whoso \h. To bear : " Ho that '•divth iniK^h i'lll bo cast «1I cast him > whom i!it. Jiral wisdom what duties lat colostial It all vital- ifl be distri- lirough the whom the Uirch wliicli ts, XX, 28.) immiion of the visible ched to the !• " prayed converted, apostle has y of Caesar, bis Chair, ill forever 1 flock of ofhissuc- sh in th(^ s leave, as 3 sure of don with --17 Rome.. But did St. Patrick teach his flock obedience, in spiritual things, to the Pojje ? . Allow me to relate a personal recollection. Last summer, in the month of June, I had the happi- ness of being present in that magnificent church w^hich the piety of the Irish has erected to St. Patrick in the city of Montreal. With many of my race who pressed round the pulpit, I was anxious to hear the first words of greeting of the saintly Bishop of Ardagh to his fellow countrymen in Canada, and to know the object of his mission amongst us. " I come, he said, on behalf of the *' Sovereign Pontiff, the supreme Pastor of souls, to visit " this distant part of his fold, and fill you with his " blessings. And I know that the Irish Catholics of all " the Canadian Dominion shall welcome me, because I " stand before them as the representative of that Roman " See which St. Patrick taught the Irish, from the " earliest times, to venerate. In the Book of Armagh, " we read the dictum of that holy Apostle who taught " his converts to be as faithful to Rome as to Christianity " itself: Sicut Christiani, ita et Romani sitis. In all " difficultiefe concerning faith, the Irish must have re- '* course to Armagh and then, beyond the Seas, to that " fountain Head from which the light of the G-ospel " hath come to them. " Have the children of St. Patrick clung faithfully to their spiritual Chief in Rome, — have they kept the commandment of their Patriarch ? The history of the nation, for fifteen hundred years, is there to answer. The Irish name is but another name foj Roman-Catholic. Whether in joy or in woe, — whether a strong nation, or trodden underfoot and in the chains of the ppi^rcssor, — whether at lioma or abroad, the — 19> genuine Irish liavo always and ovcrywherc; Leon avow- edly RomanK in l)eliei'! The Pope is their teacher, and th'iy glory in their submission to his commands. And allow me to (congratulate you, goods Catholics of Sher- brooke, who have mad(? a public and lilial demonstration oi" that love, this year, by setting aside idl public demon- stration of joy out of respjct for the memory of the late Pop^^PiusIX. ' Pius IX was always a friend of the Irish. He founded a College for them in Home. At the beginning of his reign, lie manifested a desire of having the loman Cam- pania settled by the faithful Irish who were compelled to abandon their dear land and cross the Atlantic to distant coimtries. Unfortunately this grand idea of the farseeing Pontiff and King was not relished by his subjects, and he was deprived of the best support of his temporal power. But the help of the Irish hearts and Irish arms was not comjjletely wanting, for, on Castlefidardo's l^lains, the Irish Brigade fought valiantly to check the torrent of invading barbarians from the North. The gra- titude of I'ius was worthy of his great heart. He selected a Bishop of Ireland and made him Cardinal. For the first time a son of Erin was clothed with the Romon Purple, — for the first time an Irishman took rank with the Princes of the Church. By that election, Pius IX expressed his conviction that an Irishman was worthy to be his successor, and consequently the Head of thQ Church, the Yicar and Representative of Christ on earth. ( ) incomparable gbry ! O never to be forgotten dis- tinction conferred upon the whole race ! "Who would not cherish the memory of so beneficient a Pontiff ? But the love of the lamented Pope for the Irish race was exhibited also bj- the creation of the first Cardinal in America — as J — 10 — ^ J here a^aiii I find a son of Erin exalted to that sublime dignity. Pius IX had a most favorable opinion of the intelligence and ex('(^llence of the Irish when he selected, as his liepresentative and Ambassador to this Dominion, a Bishop of Ireland, to whom he gave commission to go and visit in his name his children of this distant coun- try. Long may the memory of the glorious Pope be cherish- ed in the hearts of his grateful Irish children ! Their prayers in behalf of his soul shall cease only on that day when his picture shall be placed on the altar, side by side with those of Pope Celestiiie and St. Patrick ! " This is the day which the Lord hath made ; let us " be glad aud rejoice therein. " Obedient to the invitation of the Prophet and King, let us raise up our hearts and hands to Heaven — to Grod the author and giver of all celestial joys ; " For, if it be " good to hide the secret of a king, it is honorable to " reveal and confess the works of Grod. " (Tobias, XII, Y.) Let us therefore publish and exalt the great things done to us by the mercy of God — for having drawn us from the shadow of death to the most pure light of the Grospcl. " To the only Grod, Our Saviour, through Jesus-Christ, " our Lord, b3 glory and magnificence, empire and " power before all ages, and now and for all ages of ages. " Amen. " (St. Jude, I, 25.) But after God, glory and honor and thanksgiving to St. Patrick " w^ho hath ma- gnified the name of God " amongst our forefathers, " who " hath not spared his life, by reason of distress and tri- " bulation of our people, but hath prevented our ruin in " the presence of our God. " (.Tud" / , XIII, 25.) Honor to Patrick who, after the example of Jesus- -*. 20 -- Christ, was ready to lay down his life for his flock, ** and " give himself for us, to make us a people acceptable, a " pursuer of good works. " (Titus, II, 14.) May his blessings descend upon us to-day from that celestial abode, where, amidst " the cloud of witnesses " who enjoy the pure vision of God, he still takes an in- terest in us ! May that blessing descend upon each and every one of you who are here present in the t hurch to-day, — upon your families, — upon your undertakings ! May it comfort you through life and guard you in your passage from time to eternity. * Amen. / ^SW»«B»E»*»T~ . 'm "V