Seattle University - Aegis Yearbook (Seattle, WA)

Page 13 text:

13 S E A T T L E C () L L E G E A N N U A L (UtAitggB Surat {hrirot LAST January we welcomed in our midst the Rev. Theodore M. Ryan, recently ordained to the priesthood in Montreal by Archbishop Bruchesi of that city. Seattle College felt happy in the first of her graduates that has been chosen for so great a dignity. Born in Seattle twenty-five years ago. Father Ryan received hisearly training at the Sacred Heart School. He entered the high school and college course at Seattle College, which awarded him his bachelor degree in 1909. He is well remembered by the old students for his activity in all college enterprises. He was chosen president of the College Orchestra for several terms, became a leading member of the Dramatic Society, and by his ability on the diamond was instrumental in' giving his Alma Mater one of the strongest amateur baseball teams. The year following his graduation he accompanied Bishop Edward O'Dea to the Eucharistic Congress, held in Montreal. At the close of the congress, attended by Catholic prelates from all over the world, the young man began his course of philosophy, in Montreal. Later he attended the Grand Seminary in that city, where he began his theological studies. He completed his course in Rome and returned to Montreal to receive his consecration from the hands of Archbishop Bruchesi. And so his Alma Mater has the joy and the honor of seeing for the first time one of her alumni raised to the priesthood. On January 8th, Father Ryan celebrated Mass in the College Chapel, at which the faculty and the students assisted in a body. Rev. Father Rector preached the sermon. He said in part: “Very remarkable in the pages of the Old Testament is the care, precision and, as it were, the forethought with which God ordained in regard to His priests. T heir selection is made by Him alone; their manner of life, m e a n s of support, preparation for the sacred ceremonies are clearly laid down and may not be contravened bur under penalty of death. ‘Take unto thee Aaron, thy brother, with his sons, from among the children of Israel, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. And thou shalt make a holy vesture for Aaron, thy brother, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s vestments, in which he being consecrated may minister to me.’ At the bidding of God, Aaron and his sons are anointed, consecrated unto Him forever, chosen by Him from among RKY. TIIKODOKK M. RYAN. 09

Page 12 text:

12 T II K P A L K S T I{ A eve of March 11th, under the auspices of the Fourth Year High. That it was an original idea, all readily grant, for the class had no precedent to follow so far, at least, as college tradition can carry us. To say it was a success would he to underestimate it. Suffice it to say that whatever could be desired on such an occasion, even were they attempting to satisfy the whims of the most fastidious, would not have been found wanting. Nor did their generosity confine itself to classmates only. Formal invitations were sent to the faculty and former professors. From all came words of the highest praise for the spirit of union and loyalty that piompted them in setting the example. Let us also hope that a precedent so deserving of the highest commendation may be imitated by the other classes, thus forming in their college life a bond of si nee rest friendship with one another and their Alma Mater, that may only increase as years go on. Finally, the editor wishes to thank all those who have assisted the staff in the preparation of the Annual. We have to thank our friends who have kindly helped by their words of encouragement to keep up the undertaking. Thanks arc also due to the three upper classes, whose contributions have made it possible to bring out this number. We regret that we are unable to print this year the promised articles by some of the other classes. Let us hope that they will come in time for the next issue. John- F. Dougherty, 15.

Page 14 text:

14 T II E P A L E S T It A the people, but now no longer of the people. ‘Number not the tribe of Levi, neither shalt thou put down the sum of them with the children of Israel. But appoint them over the tabernacle of the testimony, and all the vestments thereof, and whatsoever pertaineth to the ceremonies. . . They shall have no part nor inheritance with the rest of Israel, because they shall eat the sacrifices of the Lord and His oblations and they shall receive nothing else of the possession of their brethren, for the Lord Himself is their inheritance.’ “Now, if such the dignity of the priestly call in the Old Law, which was but a shadow and figure of the New, if God Himself dictated their ritual and offering, demanding that priest and victim be pure and undefiled, if this, I say, in a priesthood in which He found no pleasure and of whose hands He refused to receive a gift, what think you must be the awful dignity of the priest of the New Law who is to offer up the clean oblation which renders the name of God great among the Gentiles? Well might St. Paul cry out in tones of warning: 'Let no man take this honor to himself but he that is called by God as Aaron was.’ “To realize the dignity of this vocation let us call to mind the manner of its foundation, the awful mysteries it is instituted to perform and the special place between fallen man and his offended Creator which the priest is destined to take. When Christ, our Lord, saw the time was ripe to select from among His faithful followers those who were to continue His sacred priesthood. He spent the previous night in prayer, alone upon the mountain. On the morrow He assembled all His disciples together and from among them chose twelve whom He called Apostles. Twelve chosen out of millions! Nor does He confer the priesthood on them immediately, but after three years of personal training, in the most solemn manner and at the most critical time of His life—the night before He died. After having fulfilled for the ’last time the sacred rites of the Jewish religion He vests them with His own almighty power and commands them to offer up His very body and blood for the application and perpetuation of the world’s redemption: ‘Do this in commemoration of Me.’ Do what? What He has just done and what He will do tomorrow when His torn and bleeding body shall hang upon the Cross for the world’s redemption. ‘‘The priest, according to the doctors of the Church, is another Christ, offering up the sacrifice of propitiation on behalf of the world and standing more powerfully than Moses did between an offended God and His wayward people. It is one of the mysterious dispensations of divine providence that this sublime office is committed not to angels but to men, for as Christ deigned to redeem mankind in the nature of a man, so He ordained that His priests should be men, not angels. He became man that we might have a high priest capable of compassion on our infirmities, tempted in all things as we arc. but without sin. So He selects men as His priests that surrounded as they are with weakness, they may have compassion on erring and sinful souls though they themselves are to follow closely in His divine footsteps. “This wonderful dignity has been bestowed upon one of ourselves, one who a few years ago sat in the same benches as you do now, studied the same lessons, participated in the same games,—a student of Seattle College, as you yourselves, a boy of prayer, of study and of play. His face, known personally by some, has become familiar to every one of us from the many pictures around the college, his name is found in every record of college activity. On the day of graduation the world lay smiling before him, full of hopes and worldly prospects, a rapidly growing city giving fair promises to the aspiring youth bade him welcome: the voice of God whispered in his heart: ‘Come, follow me,’ and happily he obeyed that call.