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Show WHEN O'CONNELL RECEIVED COMMUNION. The piety of the great leader of the Irish people Daniel O'Connell. was one of the most striking phases of his many sided character. The Very Rev. Canon O'Rourke. P. P.. in his book. "The History His-tory of the Irish Famine." says of the Liberator that he was fervently devoted to the holy practices of the Catholic Church; and the same author gives this picture of O'Connell when approaching the Holy Table: "It was a sight not to be forgotten to see him attend Mass and receive Holy Communion in Clarendon street. When he was at home, his habit was to walk from Merrion Square to that, his favorite chapel, to 8 o'clock Alass. On these occasions he usually wore a very ample cloak, the collar of which concealed con-cealed the lower half of his face. Thus enveloped, he entered the sanctuary with an expression of recollection so profound that it might have been a Trappist who had entered. So it was during the hour he remained; he seemed perfectly unconscious'" of any human creature being in the place, except the priest at the altar before him. He seldom sel-dom used a prayer-book, and his eyes were never once raised during the whole time. Buried in his great cloak, he moved noiselessly out. as he had entereda en-tereda bright example a very- model to the whole congregation." |