The Catholic World, Vol. 26, October, 1877, to March, 1878Various
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 26, October, 1877, to March, 1878
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
The Wesleyans and Presbyterians have large followings. There are also
some Moravian stations. After a certain term of years the Moravian
missionary is judged worthy to be rewarded with connubial bliss, and a
spouse is selected by the authorities in Europe and sent out to him. The
Jews are numerous and opulent, a great part of the commerce of the
country being in their hands. But they are said to be very indifferent
as to their religion, Jewish ladies often marrying people of other
religions and ending by professing none at all.
It is pleasant to turn from these conflicting sects to consider the
Catholic Church. Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, contains forty
thousand people, and of these seven thousand are Catholics. The Jamaica
mission is in the hands of the Jesuits. They do not number more than
half a score, and are consequently hardly worked. They have a convenient
house, popularly called the “French College,” though there is only one
French priest there. Attached to it is a small college for the education
of Catholic youths, but several Protestants are permitted to benefit by
the instruction there given. In the little chapel at the back of the
house the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Among the priests is a
venerable man whose tall, ascetic figure commands universal respect. He
was formerly a Protestant clergyman, a fellow of his college at Oxford,
and one of that remarkable band of men who founded the Oxford or
Tractarian party. His quiet, instructive sermons are of a very high
order, simple, admirably expressed, and pregnant with matter. Equally
beloved is a white-headed French priest who has labored in Kingston for
thirty years, and who endeared himself to all by his indefatigable
devotion to the sick and dying during a terrible epidemic of yellow
fever which raged there some years ago. He is well acquainted with, and
sympathizes in, the joys and sorrows of all the congregation, and, in
spite of a strong French accent which renders his conversation nearly
unintelligible to a stranger, all seem to understand him perfectly.
There are several younger priests who conduct the college, and one
devotes his energies especially to work amongst the Cubans. There is
also an excellent lay brother, a convert from Protestantism, who
presides over a school for the children of poor Catholics. The church,
dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a plain brick structure, like all the
churches and chapels in Kingston, but it is distinguished from the
others by crosses on the gable ends. There are two side altars in
addition to the high altar. The latter is handsomely adorned, and above
it is a rose-window of stained glass. There is a good attendance at the
daily Masses, which are said from five to half-past six, the
congregation consisting mainly of black or colored people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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