Nine Thousand Confessions at Paulist Mission in Brooklyn, 1891

At the Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart in Clermont Avenue, near Park Avenue, of which the Rev. John Nash is pastor, was closed last Sunday night a mission which had been going on for two weeks and which had been attended by about nine thousand persons. For fathers of the order of Paulists, whose headquarters are the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, New York, conducted the mission, which one of them described to a reporter of the EAGLE as a systematic effort to save souls by preaching the word of God and administering the sacraments, especially those of confession and communion. A series of sermons and instructions was given by the missionaries to effect the purpose of the mission. In order to give everyone in the parish an opportunity to make the mission, as performing the necessary duties is popularly termed, the exercises were divided into two parts. Those of the first week were exclusively for the women of the parish and those of the second for the men. Nearly two-thirds of the people who did the mission attended mass as early as 5 o’clock every morning, except Sunday, during the week which was devoted to the exercises for them. The Rev. Alexander P. Doyle, an eloquent young priest, was director of the mission. He was assisted by Fathers Henry Wyman, Arthur M. Clark and Thomas E. Burke.

Practically there was no difference in the exercises of each week. The story of what was done during the first week tells how the whole mission was conducted. For nearly a month before the mission was opened the priests of the parish announced to the people every Sunday that it was to be begun on January 26. They dwelt on the importance of everyone attending the exercises and some of the parishioners who were thought to be lax in performing their religious duties that they did not attend mass on Sundays were visited at their homes and personally exhorted to make the mission. When the parishioners went to mass on Sunday morning, January 26 their attention was attracted by a large, plain cross, painted black, over the arms of which had been thrown a white cloth. This cross was fastened to the sanctuary rail on the right hand side of the altar. It could be plainly seen from all parts of the church. At each of the early masses that Sunday morning the order of exercises was announced and a short address on the benefit of the mission made. At the high mass at 11 o’clock a more extended discourse was delivered. In it were set forth the nature of the mission as an extraordinary means of grace and the necessity of punctual attendance, fervent prayer and the immediate abandonment of sin by willful sinners. The great object of this discourse was to inspire the people with enthusiasm to make the mission.
The idea in holding the exercises of the mission early in the morning and the evening was to accommodate the working people, whose day’s labor begins at 7 A.M. and closes at 6 P.M. and who form a large proportion of every Catholic congregation. Every morning at 4:30 the church was opened, lighted and heated. Toward 5 o’clock the streets in the vicinity of the church were thronged with people hurrying to mass. Promptly at 5 o’clock the mass was begun. The celebration of it consumed half an hour. Then the celebrant of the mass gave an instruction, which was strictly limited to half an hour, so people could leave the church for their homes at 6 o’clock. This gave them time to get their breakfast and be at work at 7 o’clock. This morning instruction was always of a practical nature and was on such subjects as contrition or sorrow for sins, examination of conscience, confession, firm purpose of amendment as a part of contrition, obligation of attendance at mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. The different vices of blasphemy, hatred, dishonesty and the like, prayer, devout life, etc. The purpose of the instruction was not to move the feelings, but to teach duty by argument, and it was so adopted as to reach the will by enlightening the intellect. Many people in the parish were prevented from attending the 5 o’clock service because of home duties or feebleness, and for them there was mass and instruction every morning at 9 o’clock.

Such large crowds attended the evening service that it was always found necessary to place seats in the aisles, and even then nearly a hundred had to stand in the back of the church. The evening services were conducted with more ritualistic pomp than those of the morning. A well trained choir rendered a programme of ecclesiastical music at intervals during the service. The Paulist fathers are strong advocates of congregational singing. In many churches throughout the United States in which they have given missions they have introduced it, and in their own church in New York it has been carried with great success for several years. The evening services began at 7:30, with a short instruction, usually explaining some point of Catholic doctrine. The delivery of this instruction generally occupied twenty minutes, and the object was to fill in the time until all the people who might have been detained at their work had assembled. Recitation of the rosary by the officiating priest and the people followed, and then the choir and congregation sang hymns. The sermon was then delivered. It lasted for from three-quarters of an hour to one hour and a quarter. These evening sermons were devoted to the explanation and enforcement of the truths of the Catholic religion. Some of them treated on the importance of salvation, mortal sin and its consequences, the death of the sinner, judgment at the hour of death, the general judgment, the danger of delaying repentance, and hell. The aim of the missionaries in preaching on such subjects was to produce a horror of sin and a fear of God’s justice if sin be persisted in. God’ willingness to forgive the sinner if he repents and is disposed to obey in the future, Christ’ sufferings and death in his behalf and his ability to repent by the aid of God’s grace, always to be had, were brought to the notice of the congregation. The missionaries also tried to impress on their hearers that all that is required of the sinner is a good will and a sincere determination, with the help of God’s grace, to lead a new life and keep the commandments. After the sermon every night came the benediction of the sacrament, which closed the exercises.

On the Tuesday after the beginning of the week’s exercises the missionaries commenced to hear confessions. By this time the sermons had prepared the people for this sacrament. The missionaries were reinforced by other priests of the church in hearing confession, the number of those desiring to ask forgiveness for their sins having been so large. After the opening of the confessionals the priests sat ready to hear all that came. During confession days these hours were devoted to that part of the mission: From 5 A.M. to 7 A.M., from 9 A.M. to 12 P.M., from 3 P.M. to 6 P.M., and in the evening as long as necessary. After confession the people received communion. Those who were heard early in the morning generally went to communion on the same day as they confessed, and others on the following day. By the time the confession were begun the people were full of fervor, and in order to carry them on to a firm purpose to lead a new life the tone of the sermons was somewhat changed. How to preserve God’s grace, avoiding the occasions of sin, the necessity of temperance, habits of prayer and the practice of a devout life were what they specially dwelt on.

Every one who went to confession received from the priest a leaflet containing short instructions as to how to lead a good life so as to preserve the fruits of the mission. The priests kept count of the leaflets they distributed, and they ascertained how many people went to confession. Over 4,000 women and 5,000 men received leaflets. This is what the leaflets said:

Put this in your prayer book and keep it as a remembrance of the mission of the Paulist fathers:
O my soul! Never forget these happy days when you were so sincerely converted to God. Never forget the promises you then made to God and your father confessor.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus! Burning with love for me, inflame my heart with love for Thee.
O Mary! Obtain for me the grace to persevere in my good resolutions.

The last words of advice given at the mission:

Be careful to say your morning and evening prayers: for prayer is the key to the treasures of heaven. “Ask and you shall receive,” says our Lord.
Often call to mind that it is appointed once for you to die—you know not when, nor where, nor how: only this, you know: that if you die in mortal sin you will be lost forever; if you die in the state of grace, you will be happy forever. “In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.”—Ecclas. vii.
Never neglect to hear mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. By uniting our hearts with all the faithful in offering up the great sacrifice of the mass; first, we offer an act of infinite adoration to God and, second, we bring down on ourselves the choicest blessings of heaven. A dark cloud hangs over the Catholic family that neglects mass.
Be careful about whet you read, for bad reading is poison to the soul. Provide yourself with Catholic books. Take a Catholic newspaper.
Remember that a man is known by his company. Keep away from the saloon. Beware of the familiar company of persons of the other sex. Remember what you promised at the mission and fly from the danger of sin, “for he that loveth the danger shall perish in it.”—Ecclas. Iii
When you are tempted by bad thoughts, say quickly, “Jesus and Mary, help me!” Then say the Hail Mary till you have banished the temptation. Remember that God sees you at every instant.
If you are so unhappy as to fall again into sin, be not discouraged: quickly beg pardon of God and seek the first opportunity to go to confession and start again in a new life. “He that shall persevere unto the end he shall be saved.” Matthew.x
Go to confession and communion once a month, if possible; at least never allow three months to pass without approaching these sacraments. By confession our souls are cleansed from sin and strengthened to resist temptation. By communion our souls are nourished by the sacred body and blood of Jesus Christ. “He that eateth me, the same shall also live by me.”—John, vi:58.
Consider how noble it is to make some sacrifice for the love of God. “If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”—Matthew, xvi:24.

The Paulist fathers are ardent temperance men, and often during the mission they said some very strong things about the vice of drunkenness. Toward the close of each week’s exercise a special sermon on temperance was preached. At the end of the sermon pledge cards were distributed among the people, who were told to carry them home with them. After considering the card each person was to sign it, if deemed proper. A signer of the card promised to abstain from intoxicating liquors either for life or for a stated time. The following night, after the sermons, the signed cards, which also contained the names and addresses of the signers, were collected. In order to allow those who received pledge cards opportunity for proper consideration of the matter, a day’s time was granted. Surprisingly large numbers signed these cards, which read as follows:

Total abstinence promise made at the mission by the Paulist fathers at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle: For the love of Jesus Christ and with the grace of God I promise to abstain from all intoxicating drinks.
Reasons for taking this promise—A’s reason—I do not make this promise for my own sake. There is no danger of my ever becoming a drunkard, but I feel a certain obligation in charity to do something for the good of others.
B’s reason—I do not want to be selfish. I should like to do something to elevate the tone of public morality. Intemperance is a great cause of crime.
C’s reason—I feel the necessity of giving good example. If I am a total abstainer I can save by the influence of my example many another from a drunkard’s grave.
D’s reason—I must do some penance for sin. It is a good penance to deny myself the use of intoxicating drinks in union with the sacred thirst our Lord suffered on the cross.
E’s reason—I do not need drink. I shall be in better health. I shall be able to do more work and with less fatigue, if I am a total abstainer, than I can if I am a constant drinker.
F’s reason—I have long been persuaded that when the demon of drink enters one’s home, the angel of peace departs: I prefer to live with the angel of peace than the demon of drink; hence I allow no drink to come into my house.
G’s reason—I took the pledge against alcohol when I was a boy. I am sure it has saved me from much danger. As I look back over the years I recall many of my acquaintances who were overtaken by poverty, death and bereavements, which never would have befallen them if they, too, had become total abstainers.
H’s reason—I have made up my mind that the money spent for drink has purchased for me nothing but misery and sin. I have something better to do with my money than bring on myself a curse.
I’s reason—I have no need of the pledge myself, but I want to make some reparation for the many sins of drunkenness committed throughout the world.
J’s reason—I know my own weakness. Once I was unmanned by drink. I have sworn that I will never be a slave again to the foul thing.

The closing of each week’s exercise was the most impressive feature of the mission. A special ceremony called the renewal of the baptismal vows then took place. Within the sanctuary a wooden structure was erected, and on it was placed a baptismal font with all the emblems of baptism. The sermon was on baptism, and there was a sort of summing up of all the good the mission had accomplished. At the close of the sermon the congregation was asked to renew their baptismal vows as a token of their gratitude and their determination to walk in the paths of virtue in the future. The whole assemblage arose and responded to the questions put by the priest, in which they renewed their faith in God and in all the articles of the Catholic faith. Holding up their right hands they solemnly promised to renounce Satan, his works and pomps and mortal sin. Papal benediction closed the mission.

During the mission a large number of Protestants were converted to Catholicism. Last Monday night Bishop Loughlin confirmed them in the church. Several hundred children also received confirmation. The missionary fathers were highly pleased with the success of the mission. They said last Sunday that the surprisingly large attendance of men was particularly gratifying.