feet. His piety becomes disreputable when he begins to criticise. This piety should be only exemplary. Generally speaking, it is not his business to censure the vices of men, or to attempt to correct them, otherwise than by the mild and persuasive power of his example. A mirror has no voice to warn those who look into it, of the deformity of their countenance. But although it does not reproach them, it makes them sensible of their defects.

MARCH 31. On the Faults with which the World reproaches those who profess Piety.

1. These reproaches are not always unjust.

Because worldlings very seldom dare to decry piety, when they believe it to be solid, sincere, and true. When is it, therefore, that they speak of it with derision? When they see those who profess it, 1st, Love virtue through humour, instead of employing their virtue to overcome and correct this humour. 2d, Love retreat through motives of sloth and idleness; not to seek God, but to avoid the world, and release themselves from the performance of their duties. 3d, Carry their devotion even to superstition, without examining the limits of each. 4th, Unite with their devotion, singularities, affectations, caprice, and culpable inconsistencies. II. We ought to despise the reproaches of worldlings when they are unjust, and to profit by them when they are not.

If the world unjustly censures your piety, if it charges you only with imaginary defects, you ought to say with St. Paul-" I look upon all the judgments of men as nothing: God will be my judge." But if these reproaches be founded on real defects, you should no longer consider yourself a Christian, persecuted for justice sake," and you should think of nothing but how to reform the imperfection of your justice, which is the only object of its

censure.

APRIL 1.-On Human Respect.

I. It is an incomprehensible folly.

If you are going to practise virtue human respect will prevent you. "What will they say; what will they think of me in the world?" But what is this world whose opinions and conversation you dread so much? A collection of people whom one cannot know without despising, and whom one ought not to fear unless he is ignorant of what they really are. It is, nevertheless, to the frivolous and inconsiderate judgment of this multitude that you sacrifice the salvation of your soul, although you have in opposition to its vain remarks, your reason, your religion, your conscience, and your God.

II. When we wish to gratify our passions we defy human respect. If a person tells us that the report of our disorders astonishes, scandalizes, and disgusts even those who are generally unreasonable, we are not disturbed in the least. "What right have these people," we will say, "to criticise my conduct? Am I obliged to

give them an acccount of my actions? Do my character and rereputation depend on their remarks?" Thus it is that human respect makes the sinner fall into contradiction. It is thus that we are on one side weak and timid, where good is concerned, and on the other bold, entrepid, and even magnanimous in evil.

APRIL 2.-On the means of overcoming the Weakness of Human Respect. I. The first is to consider the example of Jesus Christ.

Even when the practice of Christian virtues costs us the most cruel humiliations and disgrace, has not Jesus Christ suffered much greater for our salvation? Are we not the disciples of an humble and almost annihilated God? Is he not our master and our model? and what would become of us if he had not humbled himself, “and made himself obedient even unto death?" And to what death? To the death of the cross, that is, to the very greatest excess of opprobrium and infamy.

II. The second is to consider the awful threats of Jesus Christ on this point.

He had the weakness of human respect in view, when he said, "If any one be ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He shall come in his glory." We now may perceive which of the two we ought to dread-the judgments of the world, or those of God. Is it my duty, you say, to condemn the world by my conduct, and to renounce its maxims and manner of living? Was it your business, the Sovereign judge will reply, to condemn the gospel by disobeying my laws? APRIL 3.-On the Crime of Human Respect.

I. It offends God in his greatness.

Because it makes us respect the creature more than the Creator. Because, placed as we are between God, who reveals to us his will, and man, who is opposed to it, it makes us rebels against God, in order not to displease man. What then becomes of that entire and absolute preference which we owe to our Sovereign Master? Is it not destroyed? and if it still remains in speculation and idea, there is not the least particular trace of it. How could it make a Christian dare to say to his God-" I would serve you, O Lord, if the world, which I am more anxious to please, were not an enemy to your service ?"

II. It offends God in his goodness.

Because these dispositions towards a more Christian and regular life, which we have not the courage to follow-these desires of giving ourselves to God, which are, however, ineffectual desires

these are the graces with which his goodness has favoured us, in order to draw us to himself; these are the Gifts of the Holy Ghost-the precious fruits of the redemption of Jesus Christ, which we destroy through human respect. Our salvation in the ordinary course of God's Providence, was interwoven with these

graces; but the fear of the vain judgments of the world destroys all their efficacy, Thus, human respect, which offends God in his greatness, makes us equally despise the advances of his inercy, and the riches of his goodness.

APRIL 4.-On the Sin of those who decry Piety.

I. This sin is the more grievous because it directly attacks the Divine Majesty.

What you behold a man determined to serve God, and you dare to withdraw him from his service! You act the part of a devil towards him! Your conversations and railleries have no other tendency than to destroy the worship of the Divinity, and make it disappear altogether! How, then, can you consider those conversations and railleries as trifling faults? Were those tyrants who formerly overturned his temples and his altars, more culpable than you? No; they were, doubtless, less culpable; because, 1st, They scarcely knew the God of Israel, whilst you have no such excuse. 2d, This God is far less jealous of that exterior worship which they wished to abolish, than of this interior worship which you destroy in the souls of others.

II. This sin is the more grievous because those who commit it derive no advantage from it.

When you shall have destroyed every sentiment of piety in this faithful soul what will it profit you? What fruit-what satisfaction can you derive from such an attempt? Will it make you more rich or more happy? Even, should I recount the various passions which domineer over you, I do not behold one that can receive the least advantage from this sin. You, therefore, commit a sin of pure malice-a sin which is more fatal because its consequences are often irreparable.

APRIL 5.-On Works of Piety which are performed through Human Respect. I. We may edify men through motives of duty.

We edify them through motives of duty when we practise those exterior works of piety which God commands or our state requires, without seeking the approbation of men, or dreading their censure. Now these works are truly referred to God. We desire to edify those who behold them, for the sole purpose of pleasing and glorifying Him; and it is this reference and intention which, properly speaking, sanctify our actions and render them meritorious. II. We may edify men through human respect.

When we perform exterior works of piety, that we may not depart from received usages or established customs; or to satisfy those proprieties which the world looks on as indispensible. It is no longer a desire of pleasing God that influences our actions; it is an unmeaning respect for the world to which we are under no obligations, and a pernicious forgetfulness of God, to whom we owe every thing.

LAITY'S DIRECTORY FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. March 30.-EASTER SUNDAY. The principal festival of the whole year. Mass as in the missal. The prayers in the canon, called the Communicantes, and Hanc igitur, before the consecration, are proper during the Octave.- White.

March 31.-EASTER MONDAY. Mass of this day.—While. April 1.-EASTER TUESDAY. Mass of this day.-White. April 2.-EASTER WEDNESDAY. Mass of this day. 2d Oration for the Church, or for the Pope. Creed.-White. April 3.-EASTER THURSDAY. Mass of this day. Oration, &c. as yesterday.-White.

April 4.-EASTER FRIDAY. Mass of this day. Oration, &c. as yesterday.-White.

April 5.-EASTER SATURDAY; or Saturday in Whites. Mass as in the missal.-White.

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CONFIRMATION IN DUBLIN.

His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Murray, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation, on Tuesday, 18th February, in St. Paul's C. Church, Arran-quay, Rev. Mr. Yore P. P.; on Tuesday, 25th February, in St. Nicholas, C. Church, Francis-street, Rev. Mr. Flanagan P. P.; on Tuesday, 4th March, in SS. Michael and John's, Lower Exchange-street, Rev. A. O'Connell P. P. Nearly 1000 children and adults were confirmed in each church, or 3000 persons in all.

PARISH DUTIES.--The Rules for establishing Religious Book Societies, and Christian Doctrine Confraternities in every parish, are most important; and deserve particular attention. The strict adoption of those regulations will do more to revive religion and piety in a few years, than has been done since the relaxation of the Penal Code. We must refer to this subject in our future numbers.

THE

No. 8.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY,

UNDER THE INSPECTION OF CATHOLIC DIVINES.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1834.

VOL. I.

ST. PETER'S CHAIR, AT ROME.

A SUPERB shrine of gilt bronze, supported by four gigantic figures of the same materials, representing four doctors of the church, closes the view of the nave of St. Peter's Church. This shrine is in the form of a throne, and contains a chair, which the Prince of the Apostles is supposed to have occupied, as bish.op of Rome. It is a tradition, founded upon authentic documents, that St. Peter was received into the house of the senator Pudens, and there laid the foundation of the Roman church. According to the custom of the Jews, and of all the early churches, a chair or throne would be occupied by him when teaching or assisting at the divine worship. It is in fact froin this circumstance that the