Seattle University - Aegis Yearbook (Seattle, WA)

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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.

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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

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s K A T T L K COL L K G K A N X UAI. 15 “Under its gentle but effective influence he leaves family and friends and country that, like Samuel of old, lie may give himself to the Lord all the days of his life. After long years of devoted study, strict discipline and earnest prayer he returns to us again but now no longer the same. He left as one of ourselves, he returns as the ambassador of the Most High. It is no wonder that this is a memorable day with us, no wonder that the papers have spoken widely of his return, no wonder that we are gathered here today as he stands at the altar for the first time in our midst to offer up the sacrifice of the New Law. “There is a wonderful and great difference between the homecoming of the young priest and the homecoming of the young men who, in the pursuit of their calling, have had to undergo a long and difficult training. The young lawyer or doctor or soldier comes back and is gladly welcomed, takes his place quite naturally in the circle of his kinsfolk and acquaintance. The priest returns but he is never again the same to his companions of yesterday, to the father who guided him, to the dear mother who fondly caressed him. Joy there is, joy mixed with tears of gratitude and a sense of reverential fear; and instead of a parental blessing it is the child that blesses and it is they who kiss his consecrated hands. Nor is this change to be found only in his friends and acquaintances, more deeply seated it is in the young priest himself. He is now the Lord’s anointed; he now sees with other eyes, he now hears with other ears, his interests and ambitions are not lessened, rather they have become more intense, but in a different sphere. He is no longer his own, his interests arc those of his Master and he seeks the things that arc above. Success is business, outward display, a great reputation among his fellow men have been cast aside; his, to heal the afflicted and suffering heart, his, to say to the sin-laden soul: ‘Go, sin no more.’ Others may shed their cares and sorrows, here a generous, sympathetic receptacle for them all. “Even over this day of gladness, with a great city’s first fruits standing before the altar of God, there hangs a cloud, and we ask ourselves: 'What has this great city done for God?’ Her children have gone out with success into the arena of political life, of business and professional enterprise. She counts many among them eminent in every walk of life, but before the throne of our Maker, in the presence of Him who hath given us an abundant and prosperous country she stands clad iii rags, with hands outstretched towards heaven begging the Almighty to send us from friendly European nations and from the East an alms of which we stand much in need— zealous priests to guide our steps to our true and lasting home. Verily, the words of our Lord are as expressive of the state of affairs in this our day as they were in His own: ‘The harvest is great, the laborers few.’ “Shall it remain so? It is for you, and those who come after you to answer the question, not in word but in work. It is for you, blessed by the care of good parents with a Catholic education, to answer the call of God, if He deign to whisper to your hearts: ‘Come, follow Me.’ It is in your power to honor your city not only before the world at large but before the court of Heaven itself. The example of Seattle’s first priest is here today before you, may you prove yourselves his worthy successors. In the afternoon a reception was tendered to the newly-ordained priest in the Assembly Hall with the following program: Trumpet and Drum—March - College Orchestra Address of Welcome John Dougherty, ’15 The Trial Scene (From the Mi reliant of f'enice) Cast: Duke of Venice Ray Ouelette