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Show ! YULETIDE EVENTS AT OGDEN. i i CGDEN CITY. A. Word of Sympathy for Our Beloved Be-loved Pastor. (Special Correspondence.) i To the members of St. Joseph's congregation con-gregation there was a minor strain to the giad Adeste of Christmas morning, morn-ing, and a sadness In their hearts, for each one perceived that the earnest, honest face of their beloved pastor .wore a sorrowful, yet resigned, expression, expres-sion, and the cause affected all, for Father Cushnahan is bound to each meniber. large or small, influential or lowly, of St. Joseph's congregation, by i ties extending beyond mere words. Saturday mornimr. lust ns Father I Cushnahan had concluded the offering j of the divine sacrifice, he received word i i that his cousin nnd lifelong friend. Rev. j Hugh Lagan of San Francisco, had been called to celebrate- the glad fes- tival in heaven. One short month ago he had offered mass at. St. Joseph's, and while in his usual spirits, he was I evidently broken in health, and to I friends he intimated that, he felt the end approaching. For him it was truly the death of n devoted son, and he must, in that trying hour, have felt j God's arm tightening closer around him and drawing him sweetly home. .Last April he went to Irfland, and those who saw him then, robust, bright and dauntless, were shocked on his return to recognize in the aged, worn figure the same genial soul they had met a few months before. A severe cold, contracted during the voyage, resulted re-sulted very seriously and necessitated an. operation, from the effects of which he died on the evening of Dec. 23 at the Lane hospital in San Francisco. Father Lagan's ministrations were often of a most trying nature, but he shirked -no- labor, lending his 'talents and persuasive ability to the conversion conver-sion of the fallen and reprobate, having hav-ing served as chaplain at the San Quen-tin Quen-tin penitentiary for years, and succeeded succeed-ed in winning back to God many erring sheep of the fold. As an educator, he was even more noted, taking special interest in school work and the advancement of the same, the methods and systems employed in different countries were all known to him, and he selected what was good in each for the nromotion of Catholie edn- I cation. A zealous pastor, he is mourned by a devoted congregation. The funeral took place Monday morning at 9 o'clock from Sacred Heart church, San Francisco, Fran-cisco, and at the same hour a mass was celebrated at St. Joseph's for the repose of Father Lagan's soul. To our dear pastor. Father Cushnahan, Cushna-han, we offer our most heartfelt sympathy. sym-pathy. Sorrows have been his portion of late, coming to him especially on great feasts, but his deep faith and honest hon-est soul enable him to withdraw the veil and look beyond to that eternal reunion with his loved ones which will inevitably be the reward of his resignation resig-nation and nobility of soul. Could the shrouded priest, friend, relative and co-laborer co-laborer send a message from his silent grave on the far Pacific slope, it would undoubtedly be on; of hope, love and tender confidence to the dear ones left behind, and we echo it thus to you, our kind father: Sorrows are blessings if we but so take them. Partings, the billows that waft us to rest; They are God's treasures, if so we receive re-ceive them. Since He. and He only, knows just what is best. I St. Joseph's Church. The Christmas ceremonies were of an unusually . solemn s character. The traditional evergreen festooned the sanctuary and the tender message of the angels' song graced the church. The floral decorations were beautifully and tastefully arranged, and fill bespoke be-spoke the peace and joy of Christmas-tide. Christmas-tide. At the 6 o'clock mass the little boys of St. Joseph's school , furnished the music. Clear and earnest rang out their young voices and every 'note was truly a heartfelt gift to the Divine Babe of Bethlehem. At the 8 o'clock mas? the girls' choir rendered the dear old Christmas- hymns, and tenderly sweet were the- childlike tones a meet offering offer-ing to the God of Love, born for us in Bethlehem. At the 8 o'clock mass the girls' choir rendered the .dear old Christmas hymns, and tenderly sweet were the childlike tones a meet offering offer-ing to the. God of Love, born for us in I the lonely stable. A most edifying ' spectacle at this mass was that of the Catholic Knights receiving holy com- i munion in a body, the order and exte- rior decorum bespeaking most eloquent- i ly the condition of . their souls. j At the high mass, celebrated at 10:30, J the choir composed exclusively of mem- ' bcrs of the parish displayed unusual talent and showed their devotion by their faithful rendering of Leonard's mass. Each member is to be highly . commended for the earnest preparatory prepara-tory work as well aa for the gratifying gratify-ing results. The usual Christmas greeting of Father Cushnahan emphasized empha-sized the peace and good will that filled all hearts. , Sacred Heart Academy Notes. At the close of the semi-annual examinations, ex-aminations, Thursday, Dec. 22, the aveiages attained by the pupils were read; after their distribution a little programme was rendered. Though informal in-formal in design, it might well have been produced in public, as each number num-ber was cieditab'.y rendered. After a piano duet by the Misses Coltman and Tarter, Mists Donaghy read "A Parting Thought, which was followed by the appearance of little Miss Myra Kane, who, in two wen i chosen selections, displayed her youthful youth-ful talent and provoked not a little laughter by detailing in one recitation, the confused state of some brains at examination time. Miss Clarisse Hibbard showed rare talent in a smoothly executed mandolin solo, while Miss Coltman, always a favorite, iang a very tender little- s,ong of Christmas joys, receiving as Udual a hearty encore which would not be satisfied by the most graceful of bows. but demanded another strain. Two essays, "Mary in Poetry," by Miss O'Connell, and "Mary in Art," by Miss Frost, were beautiful tributes to the Queen of all that is inspiring in picture or poesy. Miss Dolly Maloney displayed varied talents by performing with marked skill a difficult violin solo, and then affording af-fording much amusement by reciting "The Girl Who Telephones." To well merited applause she responded with a unique little encore, "The Confession." The Juniors concluded the programme with a dainty, well executed little chorus proclaiming "The Merry Christmas Christ-mas Tide." No entertainment would be complete at Sacred Heart academy without Father Cushnahan's word of approval. This he gave Thursday in his own dear, paternal way. wishing the true Christmas Christ-mas joy to all. So the Sacred Heart academy girls departed to enjoy to the full a w'ell earned vacation and to return re-turn with renewed energy, promptly Jan. 8, 1905. Sacred Heart Academy, Ogden, Utah. A Parting Thought. We assemble here today for the last time this year. Before the next reunion, we shall have written the figures nineteen hundred hun-dred and five upon our tablets, and bade good-bye to the dear old year, the year so fraught with tender memories, hopes fulfilled, joys untold ana alas! vain regrets. For while we twine the holly and the ivy round the Christmas hearths, we realize that in our souls there is much of the myrtle and the rue. It is the law of life that we should feel regret, and while there is bitterness bitter-ness in the thought, there is also much to cheer and stimulate us to renewed efforts. Since the path of success is marked by failures we may believe that another an-other mile stone has been passed, and we stand at the turn of the road, wiser for the journey just completed. As we cast a backward glance we see through the mists of December twilight bright blossoms that the spring-tide beauty knew, but Time has culled them for his own banquet. But while we yet linger together, let sentiments of good will fill our hearts, and the peace that the first Christmas brought the waiting shepherds shall surely be ours. For the little failings of the past, thoughtlessness towards devoted teach- I ere, want of kindness towards com-I com-I panions, we would ' fain atone, but I alas! the deeds are ;pa?t. and we can I only beg by the kind indulgence of j those who have never failed us We trust our faults will be buried in the old year's grave- and that the I heartfelt, Happy Christmas, we wish you, dear, dear Father and each of our devoteM teachers, may he an assurancd of our gratitude and deep respect. As we stand upon the threshold of Nineteen Hundred and Five, what doubts, what fears, what forebodings, w hat hopes! "Will the New Year bring What the Old Year gave?" "The old. old years -They knew and they know All our hopes and our fears. I We. walked by their side, and we told j them each grief. And they kissed off our tears, while I they whisperad relief: And the "tories of hearts that may not be revealed. In the hearts of the dead years are I . buried and sealed. I Let the New Year smile I When the Old Year dies; ! In how short awhile Shall the smiles be sighs? Yea! Stranger Year, thou hast many a charm. And thy face is fair and thy greeting warm. But, dearer than thou in his shroud of snows-1- Is the furrowed face of the Year that goes." |