THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1559, 21 September 1886, Page 3

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

A jubilee mission was commenced in the Temuka Roman Catholic Church last Sunday, and it will continue all the Aeek. The mission is being conducted by the Ret. Father Theopbilus Le Meuant Des Chesnaie, who will be assisted by the Revs. Father Fauvel, Foley, and Qoutenoire. At 10.30 a.m. on Sunday a solemn high mass w.is celebrated, at which there was an immense congregation. The rev. missionary preached a sermon explanatory of the mission. He said the time of jubilee was a time of penitence, mercy, and prayer. The Jews bad their jubilee every tenth year, during which all unnecessary work was suspended, slaves were set free, and debts remitted. The Christian jubilee was not unlike the Jewish jubilee. Missionaries were sent to all parts of the world to preach the gospel to the faithful, and the people were called upon to make reparation for their past sins, and to do penance. The rev. gentleman then gave a lucid explanation of what was meant by repentance, and said that a plenary indulgence would be gained by attending the present mission. An indulgence was not, and never was, as some held, permission to commit sins, neither was it forgiveness for past or future sins. Sins could only be forgiven by God. An indulgence meant the Shortening of the temporal punishment due to sin. For instance, if a sinner deserved to be punished for ten, twenty, or forty years, an indulgence meant the shortening of this punishment to so many weeks or days. This would be a week for making reparation for the past. To atone for neglecting to attend'Church ou Suuday, and for having broken the Sabbath, they must suspend all unnecessary work during the week. Shopkeepers or others who had work that must be attended to, could attend a part of the time, but must attend the religious exercises. Farmers must suspend all unnecessary work. Sunday work was a sin which cried to Heaven for vengeance, and to make reparation for what they bad been guilty of in this respect during their past life, the least they could do now was to give up one week to the work of God and the saving of their immortal souls. They would therefore have to attend Church at 9.80 a.m. each pawning, when there would be mass and a sermon. At 1.30 there would be a rosary and sermon, and at 3.30 night prayers and benediction. They would, therefore, have to remain in the church from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30, with the exception of time for taking lunch, and he Would advise such as lived at a distance bo bring their lunch with them, so as to obviate the necessity of going away. To make up for any sins of gluttony and drunkenness of which they may have been guilty they must fast and abstain on Monday and Tuesday, and to make reparation for sins of impurity they must all use their best efforts to bring to church those who were neglecting their duty, and by precept and example do all in their power to induce all erring souls to partake of the consolation of religion. The rev. gentleman explained most minutely all the minor things that required to be attended to so as to gain the full benefits of the mission. In the afternoon, at 4 o’clock, vespers and benediction were held, and the Rev. Father Le Menant Dea Chesnais preached a very eloquent sermon. He said there was one science pre-eminently above all

others—that was, the Science of the Saints, or Saint knowledge. That would be the science on which he would speak riming the week. He then preached a highly argumentative and eloquent sermuti on rhe duties of man to his Maker. Yesterday a 1! the services were well attended.