uctive. After blessing, strengthening, and encouraging us through
life with her sacraments; after fortifying our souls for the last great
struggle, she follows us beyond the grave with her blessings, her
prayers, and her sacrifices. "Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord," she
prays; "and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in
peace."

There are various other prayers and blessings used by the Church on
special occasions. In fact, the Church blesses everything she uses. This
blessing of the priest is not such an absurd thing as some imagine it to
be; it is rather a most reasonable practice. It is simply a prayer said
by the priest, asking God to send His blessing upon the person or thing
indicated. People of all denominations say grace before meals, asking
God to bless the food they are about to use. This is precisely what the
priest does when blessing anything. He uses different forms of prayer
ordained by the Church to implore God's blessing upon the water,
candles, and other things before using them. This blessing of churches,
water, candles, and other things has its foundation on Scripture. We
read in the Old Testament of the solemn blessing of the Temple of
Solomon. St. Paul tells us that "every creature is sanctified by the
word of God and prayer." Churches, water, candles, bells, books,
persons, and other things blessed by the Church are creatures. Therefore
we are following St. Paul in blessing them, for every creature is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

We do not claim that those articles that are blessed have any efficacy
in themselves; but we hope and pray that God in His infinite goodness
and mercy may render those blessed articles beneficial to those using
them, may protect them and lead them to _His blessed abode above, where
all is peace and light and love._

XIII. The Celebration of Feasts

"Seven days shalt thou celebrate feasts to the Lord thy God, in the
place which the Lord shalt choose" (_Deut_. xvi. 15).

"If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and
the publican" (_Matt._ xviii. 17).

FROM these texts we learn that besides the Sunday God wishes certain
other days to be observed religiously, and that the Church has the power
of designating these days.

As the State sets aside certain national holidays in commemoration of
its founder or of the Declaration of Independence, so the Church sets
aside these holidays in honor of Jesus Christ, the