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Show THANKSGIVING DAY AT ST. MARY'S. Mass was celebrated at S o'clock by Rev. Father Bulfamente, who delivered an excellent -and impressive im-pressive sermon. Rev. Father Kiely celebrated the 9 o'clock mass. The music was rendered by the Junior choir. The following sermon on the day, by Father Kiely, made a deep impression on the. congregation: "St. Paul's advice to his newly made converts always was to give thanks to God for the favors bestowed on them. All favors, spiritual and temporal, tem-poral, are his gifts. To hirrr-alone we owe all that we possess. Life, talents, beauty and that spiritual spiri-tual happiness that flows from a good and peaceable peace-able conscience are all the gifts of 'our Father who art in Heaven.' How very proper and appropriate ap-propriate is it not then to set apart one day each year as a day of general thanksgiving. This is surely in accordance with that Christian spirit which St. Paul so zealously and earnestly inculcated. incul-cated. The Catholic church carries it out daily before be-fore the altar. In the preface of the mass every priest say to his ' congregation : 'Sursum corda' ('Lift up your hearts'), and' the people answer: 'We have lifted up" our hearts to the Lord.' Next he says: 'Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,' and the answer comes: Tt is meet and just to da so.' This is the daily prayer of the Catholic church throughout the entire world. How faithfully does she carry out St. Paul's injunction by giving thanks at every moment of the day in some part of the world to God, who is the dispenser of all good things. "This daj', which is set apart by our country's ruler to give special thanks for the favors bestrowed by Providence during the past year, should not be spent in reveling or dissipation, but in thanking God. What have we to be thankful for? Life, peace, prosperity and happiness come first. Thank God for these blessings this morning. Do so with sentiments of profound humility, remembering that words of St. Paul: 'What have you that you did not receive, and if you received why-do you boast as if you received not.' "There are a great many things occurring daily for which tears of regret should Ik? shed, rather than thanks be given. The loss of the knowledge of God. aud of divine faith, which seem to be more than keeping pace with our country's growth, are matters to be deeply regretted. The disturbed state of society, mid the strained relations between capital capi-tal and labor, having their origin in Mammon worship, wor-ship, show loss of faith, hope and charity the throe great Christian virtues. Only enemies of God, society and man could be thankful for this. We are "assured of 'our country's prosperity, but prosperity and Christian virtues do not always go hand in hand. In thanking God for our prosperous condition, we should do it in an humble spirit, for often, as the Holy Ghost says: 'The Lord hath given, giv-en, and the Lord hath also taken away.' The papers tell daily of murders, suicides, robberies, breaking up of homes and disregard of marriage vows. Today To-day we should pray that these may cease. There aro hidden crimes, known only to God and the culprits. cul-prits. All these, in a day like this, when placed in the scales of divine justice, may overbalance the good for which wo offer our thanks to God. Again, it may be asked how many will today reverently rev-erently give thanks to God for the blessings of the past year? We glory in our country's power and greatness, which are measured by the bayonet more than by the peace offerings which Jesus established during his reign on earth. Why all this? The same answer comes back from all quarters. The loss of the knowledge of God and want of faiths-Statesmen faiths-Statesmen realize this, and would, if they could, restore re-store faith. Let us pray God today that that faith, which directs men's thoughts, words, deeds and actions ac-tions in the right course, may bfj revived in the hearts of all. It alone can solve the difficult problems prob-lems of the age, for it alone makes all men brothers broth-ers in. Jesus Christ, who has taught us to call God 'our Father.' In conclusion, I would remind you all not to forget the poor, whose hearth may be cold, whose winter clothing may be scant, and whose supply of food may be entirely gone. In reminding you of this, I would say, as Jesus did: 'Whatever you do for any of these, you do it for him, and for giving a ojip of cold water he promises to re-j re-j ward the giver.'" |