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Description: St. Aloysius Page 10
Newspaper published in: Washington, D. C., USA
Washington Herald June 24, 1907 St. Aloysius Page 10
HONOR ST. ALOYSIUS
Jesuit Fathers Celebrate Feast of Patron.
SERMON BY REV. T. G. SMYTH
Rev. Thomas Becker, an Alumnus of Gonzaga, Celebrates the Mass - Reception of New Members Into the St. John Berchman’s Society Takes the Place of Vesper Services.
Following their usual custom, the Jesuit fathers of St. Aloysius’ Church celebrated the feast of their patron, St. Aloysius of Gonzaga, with a solemn high mass yesterday morning. Earlier the altar boys had received holy communion in a body in honor of the “model of purity” whom they have been taught to emulate and look upon as an example of youthful piety.
The high Roman altar of the edifice presented an Easter Day appearance yesterday, with its bowers of late spring offerings and its myriad’s of candles. Notwithstanding the extreme heat, an immense congregation attended the services, all the pews being filled and a number of devout worshipers being compelled to stand in the rear. The choir, under the direction of Prof. Stephen J. KUBEL, rendered Emilio Pizzi’s “Mass to St. Aloysius,” while Gounod’s “Laudate” was sung by a quartet at the offertory.
Rev. Thomas Becker the Celebrant.
Rev. Thomas BECKER, an alumnus of Gonzaga and former professor of rhetoric at Fordham College, New York, was the celebrant of the mass, which was solemnized with a large number of local clergy seated within the sanctuary rail. Father BECKER will probably sail at an early date for the Philippines to assume charge of a mission in those islands, so that the mass said yesterday was probably his last in this city. Rev. Aloysius BROSNAN, S. J. of Georgetown University, was the subdeacon, and Rev. Eugene McDONNELL, of St. Aloysius’, the subdeacon. Members of the congregation acted as acolytes and altar boys, while Rev. Philip DEBOLD was the master of ceremonies.
The sermon was preached by Rev. Thomas G. SMYTH, assistant pastor of St. Stephen’s Church, who delivered a panegyric on the life of St. Aloysius from the same pulpit on a similar occasion two years ago. father SMYTH has been for many years a close student of the life and works of the patron of purity. He first related a brief history of the times in which St. Aloysius was born, dwelling on the difficulty that all Christians experienced in practicing their religion, and on the numerous inducements that were offered for a sacrifice of it.
Early Life Pictured.
The early life of the saint was then pictured, and a recital of the inspirations which led him to embrace the sterner rituals of the Catholic Church. On his life as a youth the preacher spoke with great knowledge, and gave incident after incident illustrating the strength of character and self-denial of the saint. In concluding, he placed St. Aloysius before the congregation as a model, and admonished them to strive mightily to live up to his ideals.
Instead of the usual vesper services, a solemn reception of new members into the St. John Berchman’s Society was held. After fifty applicants were received into the society with the usual ceremonies, while Rev. Augustus J. DUARTE, S. J., vice president of the College of St. Ignatius Loyola, in Baltimore, delivered the sermon.