Sermons of the Rev. Francis A. Baker, Priest of the Congregation of St. Paul: With a Memoir of His LifeBaker, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius)
Religion
Sermons of the Rev. Francis A. Baker, Priest of the Congregation of St. Paul: With a Memoir of His Life
Baker, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius)
Baker, Francis A. (Francis Aloysius), 1820-1865; Catholic Church -- Sermons; Sermons, American -- 19th century
of the sanctuary rested on tasteful pedestals, which supported
four lofty Corinthian columns and their pilasters. These pure
white, fluted, and tapering columns, with their rich capitals
and entablature, the altar, tabernacle, and almost life-size
crucifix, the high-raised marble font and its pendent baptismal
robe of snowy lace--all these, contrasted with the dark and
lofty missionary cross, and the crucifixion winding scarf hung
athwart it, became of an almost white and dazzling beauty, amid
the innumerable lights, silver and gilded candelabra, and vases
of a countless variety of natural flowers. It is a pleasing
thought, that much of the plate alluded to was lent for the
occasion by kind-hearted Protestants of the neighborhood, in
whose estimation this mission has exalted the Catholic Church
to a surprising degree. At the same time it may be said, that
few or no places in the country are more remarkable than
Belleville, N. J., for kind cordiality on the part of the
Protestant community toward the Catholic. But the last scene,
like a beautiful vision, is now over. The missionaries have
given their blessing to the crowd, among whom is a Protestant
young lady, who comes also to seek it before the carriage shall
have borne them away. One convert was baptized on the morning
of their departure. Another will be in a day or two hence. More
are in reserve for this sacred rite. Upward of eleven hundred
and thirty Catholics have received the Holy Eucharist; many of
them old men, and many youths, who, but for the influence of
the mission, would not have approached the sacraments for
years--perhaps never. Young, wavering Catholics, already more
than half lost to the faith, have been reclaimed and fortified.
A. rich legacy of Catholic truth has been left to vanquish
falsehood and error, which, in Belleville and its neighborhood,
must cower for many a day before the memory of the Missionaries
of St. Paul the Apostle." [Footnote 7]
[Footnote 7: New York _Tablet_.]
{185}
On the 20th of March, 1859, a mission was opened in St. Patrick's
Church, Quebec, by the special invitation of the Administrator of
the diocese. It would be easy to fill pages with reminiscences of
this mission, given in a city so replete with interest of every
kind, and full of pleasant recollections. The mission was a very
large one; as we had seven thousand two hundred and fifty
communions, and fifty converts received into the Church. It was
peculiarly satisfactory, also, from the circumstance that the
church was large enough to contain all the people who desired to
get in, though it was densely crowded, and that the most abundant
facilities were furnished to all who wished to come to
confession--there being nineteen confessors, of whom fifteen were
clergymen of the diocese.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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