An Interesting Ceremony.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3869, 24 May 1881, Page 2

An Interesting Ceremony.

There was an unusually large number of worshippers at St. Franci* Church, Shortland, on Sunday evening last, as, in addition to the usual Vespers and Benediction, an interesting ceremony wa9 announced' to take plsce, viz., the reception of some young ladies as aspirants into the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin, or in other words, becoming Children of Mary. The aspirants, seventeen in number, becomingly attired in white, with long veils, marched from the convent to the church door and proceeded up the aisle and took their places before the sanctuary railing before devotions commenced. Vespers were then proceeded with, the choir beiug strengthened for the occasion, and after tbe chanting of the " Regina Coeli," "Te Splendoribus," and other hymns, the Rev. Father O'Reilly ascended the altar steps, and preached a very instructive sermon, particularly so to non-Catholics, on the Blessed Virgin. The Rev. preacher, in prefacing his remarks, said the church dedicated; the present month to the Virgin Mother, and that in all the churches devotions were held in her honour every evening. He then went to show that the Almighty had singled out from all eternity the Blessed Virgin to be the mother of His Divine Son, who was to redeem the world lost through the disobedience of our first parents, and quoted the passages in Holy Writ " I will place enmities against thee (Saian) and the woman ; against thy seed and her seed, and she shall crush thy head," upon which the church has founded the dogma of her Immaculate Conception, believed in by all devout Catholics for ages, though only defined at a consistory held on the Bth December, 1854 lie then explained that beautiful prayer the " Hail, Mary!" composed by the angel Gabriel, and Saint Elizabeth, the latter part being added by the Church at tbe Council of Ephesus early in the fifth century which gave a crushing blow to the heresy of the wicked Vestorius. The preacher then addressed his discourse specially to his youthful hearers, imploring them to place themselves under the protection of the Virgin Mother and strive to imitate her virtues, humility and purity of heart; and then they would receive those graces which would enable them to overcome the temptations placed in their way through life by the enemies of their eternal salvation. After satisfactory answers were returned to the questions put by the Revd. Father as to I the responsibilities they were about to undertake, the act of consecration whs then read by onej>f tbe aspirants in a clear ;tone of voice, after which the director proceeded lib invest each of them with the green ribbon and medal of the Order, i The "Av<b Maria Still* " and the," Magnificat," (the latter, a very florid composition) were then sung by the choir •rith telling effect. The most noticeable feature in thtf singing was the faultless -fcndering of~an * Aye Maria," by Mrs, Lawless, 1 -before the Priest retired to prepare, for ..the most solemn .portion of the service, the Benediction. Next in order came the Litany, the " O Salutaris " (arranged for three voices by Miss Mcllhone), sqm by Mrs Lawless, Miss Brown, and^-Mr Haydon, and Rossi's "Tantum Ergo," sung by Mrs Lawless and Mr Graham, was most melodiously and effectively given. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament followed, which was given with becoming solemnity by the rev. pastor. It is but scant justice to those excellent ladies, the Sisters of Mercy, to state that they deserve well of the whole community for the attention and care they bestow on those placed under their care, last Sunday evening's ceremony affording a striking example. If any proofs were j needed, the youthful organist, Miss Annie Mcllhone, who played all the accompaniments, and the " Marche aux Flambeaux" as the congregation was leaving the sacred edifice, could furnish them, inasmuch as during the time she has been in charge of the choir she has shown her ability to cope with the works of some of the most eminent composers, which tells well for the ladies of the Convent, at whose hands she has received her education.—[Communicated.]