Catholic Mission.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4420, 5 March 1883, Page 2

Catholic Mission.

:;%sl^mis;Bion advertised in our column's, to^be? given by Father Lenionant de Che9iiaiß: commenced yesterday in St. Francis'Ohiirah at 11 o'clock mass, and will be continued during the wetfk His opening discourse was a very able 6n,e,; and went to prove that no matter what crimes or abominations persona or com munities are guilty of, if they repent and return to the Lord their God their offences.. will b.ieef6 Irgiten."':th"6m". i"'"""-'He" instanced~the ' case of Adam and Eve, who, although not directly confessing their guilt, wanted to ..shift, t|fS. blf m.c,—the, for.merw.on -the; ? partner the Almighty provided him with, and-the latter on the serpent—were mer*; citully dealt with, and received the pro i mise of a Redeemer. --The' city .^of |Pfittevah j wa£ another case^ ml point, * the: abominations of its inhabitants being soi great that the-Almighty; threatened wilh | an; oath- to\de|troy .\t\ within forty days; if" they* did\ not" turn from their] evil ; ways,, and •( do penance. He even' sent Hia prophet Jonas to exhort j the people of that proud"city to refrain: from their evil ways so as to avert the' w,rath of God, and on giving a promise of { amendment were spared from the terrible fite/that" befel'the wicked cities of the Plains. The King Manasses was another instance of the mercy of God; lie,; after killing the prophet Isaiah and; imbuing his hands in the blood of the' best and holiesj: men of his country, was! afterwards talcenV prisonervi and carried captive to Babylon, and „thr.usj:,Jnto~a, loathsome dungeon./but on repenting of his 1 crimes, the Almighty had cpmimssion on him, and miraculo'ufely'restffieCliim to his j kingdom. : > IN umberless : instances could be cited of great sinners who on doing penance were restored to a life of grace, and died in the odour of sancity, so that ho one need despair even if their sins were as red ;as scarlet, the mercy of God can make them as •white as snow. . There was an unusually large attendance at Vespers,' the chief attraction undoubtedly being the elequent missionary, and ably did he sustain his reputation. He spoke for over an hour and a half, and the concensus of opinion is that it was one of-the most brilliant sermons that ever was listened to within the walls of that sacred edifice. The subject chosen by him was "Confession," and ,he adduced proofs from Scripture, the writings of the early Fathers, and other sources, that this pious practice was observed by the faithfuL from the earliest ages of Christianity down to the present time. So eloquent was the preacher at times that' numbers of "the conetcegation. could hardly restrain their feelings when some objections raised by non-Catholics to this dogma were explained or satisfactorily disposed of byhim. We have no doubt but it would be a rare ; treat to those who understand it to hear him preach in his native tongue. There is an excuse for such a volatile and lively race- as the French when: they are carried away by their feelings in listening to that renowned preacher Pere Monsabrein the church of Notre Dame, Paris, whose pulpit he occupies, being as lie is one of the greatest champions, of Christianity of the present day. France has given some great men to the church, notably, Massillon, liosseut, Fe*oe"lon, and others all famous pulpit orators. We understand that it is the intention of Father Lemenant Dcs Chesnais to deliver a lecluro on some scientific subject in the Academy of Music on next Monday evening in aid of a local charity.. ;