Sarnia Observer: February 6th 1880
Of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy on Sunday Last – Large Congregation- Sketch of the Sermon Delivered by His Lordship, Rt.- Rev. Bishop Walsh and of Father Kilroy’s Lecture
On Sunday last the new Roman Catholic church of this town – a full description of which we gave in our issue of last week – was dedicated by His Lordship, Rt. – Rev. Bishop Walsh, of London, assisted by several leading Catholic divines of the Diocese. The church was beautifully decorated with red, white and blue bunting, which was improved by the addition of evergreens. At both morning and evening services the spacious edifice was crowded; and although extra seating was provided, large numbers were compelled to stand. All portions of the county of Lambton were represented; prominent catholics from the adjoining townships, as well as from Point Edward, Petrolia, Mooretown, corunna, Froomefield, Port Huron, &c., being observable amongst the congregation, besides a large number of persons from the other denominations.
The dedication ceremony commenced at about 11 o’clock, His Lordship and the attending clergy walking in procession, reciting the prayers and psalms as set forth in the Roman ritual. The outside of the building was first blessed, the congregation meantime retaining their seats, after which the interior was blessed. At the conclusion of the dedication ceremony the High Mass – Coram Episcopo – was commenced. Very rev. Dean Murphy of Dublin, Ont., being celebrant; Rev. Father VanLauwe, of Port huron, deacon; and Rev. Father Feron, of the Cathedral, sub-deacon; Rev. Father Ouellette acting as master of ceremonies.
After the gospel of the Mass. His Lordship preached a sermon from the second chapter of the Prophet Aggeus. After some introductory observations he proceeded to remark how natural it was for Catholics to subscribe – even from their smallest earning – to the erection of temples for the glory of God, knowing that in doing so their purpose was spiritual and eternal. If men toiled so hard for worldly wealth and to secure an earthly home, why should they not do that which would aid them in securing an eternal home in [heaven]? It was natural that men should cling fondly to the church of their youth, and should feel a desire to consecrate some place in which to glorify God and pray for mercy and the forgiveness of sins. After referring to the stately grandeur and sublime magnificence of Solomon’s Temple, His Lordship went on to say that the consideration which made the poorest Catholic church in the county infinitely superior to the greatest temple of antiquity was that they believed the Desired of nations filled their temples with His holy and mysterious presence; because they believed the Son of God was really present, and was truly offered up as a sacrifice to God under the appearance of bread and wine. His Lordship then proceeded to deal with the doctrine of sacrifice, and travelled over the history of mankind from the fall of Adam to show that it has never fallen into disuse, and was always the great central act of worship of Almighty God. It sprang from the need which has been always felt of acknowledging the supreme dominion of God, and their total dependence on Him, and not only His dominion and their dependence, but also the forfeiture of their lives to divine justice by the commission of sin. Wherever men were found the great act by which they worshipped Good was the sacrificial act. Abel and Cain and the patriarchs offered sacrifice; Melchisedek offered a sacrifice of bread and wine, and lest the doctrine of sacrifice should be lost, lest it should be swept away with the course of time, Almighty God selected from His people a special family which he raised to the dignity of the priesthood. In every age and clime God was worshipped by the central act which they called sacrifice; and though the Jewish system was incomplete, yet it was the shadow of which the Christian dispensation was the counterpart. There were two kinds of sacrifices in the old law – the bloody sacrifice of Aaron and the bloodless or bread and wine sacrifice of Melchisedek. The sacrifice of Aaron was completed and fulfilled by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. There was the reality, the substance that gave meaning to the sacrifice that was shadowed by the priesthood of Aaron. But where was there in the new dispensation a sacrifice answering in reality to the sacrifice of Aaron? It had no reality since the death of our redeemer, which fulfilled the bloody sacrifice of the old dispensation. [Not] so with the sacrifice of Melchisedek. In the 109th psalm there were some remarkable words addressed the Son of God by his Eternal Father: – “The Lord hath sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest [forever] according to the order of Melchisedek.” But how is Christ to become a priest according to this order? This great mystery took place at the Last Supper. It was the solemn evening on which the Son of God was parting with His beloved disciples. He was about to die and to leave a legacy to His disciples and their followers [forever]. He was about to make His last will, and spoke as one not about to deceive. He must be clear and concise and direct. Taking bread into His hands He blessed and broke, and offering it to His disciples, said, “Take ye and eat: this is my body, which shall be offered for you.” He does not say this in the figure of my body. Taking also a chalice of wine He gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of this, for this is my Blood of the New Testament which shall be shed for you.” He does not say it is the figure of His blood. Thus was instituted what they called the sacrifice of the mass, the clean oblation of the new law, which was perpetually applied to the souls of men and by the words, “Do this in commemoration of me,” he becomes a priest [forever] according to the order of Melchisedek, because after instituting the unbloody sacrifice of bread and wine, he commanded its continuance for all time. His Lordship went on to cite passages from St. Paul to show that the great apostle has never in his mind the idea of a Christian sacrifice as a great public act of worship. He also quoted from the accredited Father of the Church to the same effect, and went on to say that in the Appian Way at Rome the remains of a church were discovered by an Irish monk, the very memory of which has been forgotten, and which has been covered with the wrecks and ruins of centuries, and there upon its walls, long before the era of reform, were found frescoes of priests dressed as they were to-day, offering up the sacrifice of the mass. When the persecution of the Christians ended, they immediately commenced to build magnificent temples for the celebration of that same sacrifice of the mass which they has offered in the catacombs, and it was the belief in this sacrifice that raised the foundations and built the structure which were dotted over Europe, and which seemed by their lightness and beauty not to press upon the ground on which they rested. It was this belief that inspired the music of the church, that made the canvas breathe and live, and transformed the block of stone into living life, for these things were done to adorn the Lord’s house in which the counterpart, the reality of the shadowy sacrifice in Melchisedek was to be offered [forever].
At the evening service the church was again crowded to its utmost. After Vespers Revd. Dr. Kilroy of Stratford, delivered a lecture on the progress of the Catholic Church in Europe and America during the last 100 years. He said that ninety years ago Russia, france, Austria, Spain and Portugal were at war with the Catholic Church. Pius [VI] died a prisoner in infidel France, and as the Cardinals had been scattered in all directions the enemies of the papacy were sure there would never be another Pope. Never before had Peter’s bark careened so near the water’s edge. Yet she rode the storm in safety, and 1800 saw “Cheramouti” (?) Pius [VII], in Rome, through the instrumentality of England and Russia, two anti-Catholic powers. He next pictured the trials and final triumph of Pius[VII], and closed by stating that the Catholic Church came through her many conflicts, purified and invigorated, whilst all else had changed. Regarding England, he stated that one hundred years ago it was as much as a priest’s life was worth to appear on the streets of London wearing a Roman collar, and that when Bishop Milner fist assembled his priests (about thirty years ago) to consult for the welfare of the church, he had to gather them in a common tap-room, and put pipes in the windows ad pewter beer mugs on the tables to shield themselves from the mob, so that those entering or passing by would think those present had gathered for a jollification. How changed was all since then. England has now two Cardinals and a very large staff of well-educated and thoroughly devoted clergymen, with monasteries and nunneries springing up throughout England Scotland and Wales, as if by the stroke of an enchanter’s wand. The Catholic church gathered weekly into her fold large numbered of the noblest and most highly educated in the land and there was hardly a noble family in England, ireland and Scotland that has not given one or more of its members to the Catholic Church within the last 25 years. A hundred years ago in the neighboring states the Catholics stood in the ratio of 1 to 110, with only thirty or forty priests and bishops. Now the Catholic population was one to viz, vix., about 7,000,000, governed by 12 archbishop, 33 bishops and [6,000] priests. Even here in our own favored Canada forty years ago there was but one bishops between Sarnia and Quebec. Now in Ontario alone there was an [archbishop], four suffragan Bishops and 216 priests attending 323 churches. He predicted that as the Church has already triumphed over the most adverse influences which the ages gone could possibly bring against her, she would continue to triumph over every new combination in the ages to come.
During the day nearly 2,000 people must have been in attendance. The total sum of about $700 was collected, which is to be applied towards the building fund of the new church
Story was written from scratch by Katie Braet, our coop student in 2016.