Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-11-19
For the SpY
Dedication of tIse Catholic Church iu
vi


Messrs Editors On Sunday, the Goth day cf
October, the church edjfiee, recently erected in
this town, was dedirated according to the eere-
monial OF the Roman Catholic Church. The I'll.
lowing named clergy present Right Rev.
j. B. Fitzpatrick, Bishop, Boston Rev. +. j.
Benkinsop, President OF Holy Cross College,
Worcester; Rev. Z. F. Muledy, Project Of Stu
dies in same College, Worcester Rev. G. f.
Ha>knS, Pastor OF st. John Baptist Church,
Boston Rev. E. J. Sheridan, Pastor of the
church in UXbridge KEY Mass MiSsault Pastor
OF Webster Rev. Michael McCabe, pastor. Of
WoOnsocket x. l. The last two named were
present Only at the evening Session. The church
edfcs is plain, neat, and synmt ,fical structure
occupying one of the most ciigluie sites in the
place, and is calculated to seat some six hundred
persons. On this occasion the seats were all oc
cupeG, notwithstanding there was charged an ad
mission fee OF one dollar single ticket, is
tomary on similar occasions. The decorated al
tar and official robes of the clergy gave the scene
an imposing appearance. The exercises were in
troduced by announcement from the Bishop Of
the order OF the dedicatory service, followed By
brief explanation of its meaning. The cOugre-
CATION were then invited TO Join the clergy in
chanting the Mserere as the Bishop, attend
ed by the clergy, passed from the altar, through
the centre se and out around the exterior of the
church, aud returned to the altar continuing the
Chant during the time. After the sprinkling of
holy water, and the Invocation of the saints, (of
Nuulh LHtIG was IOlls CdlalOSuesJ anu oJueI GER
emoneS, which were not very Ineligible to
Protestant, accustomed only to the simpler forms
of Puritan worship, the venerable Dr. Muledy
assembled the elevated pulpit, and commenced
his discourse with the remark, " that he was adj
dressing Catholic audience, upon Catholic
subject, and that it required no apology from
him to do so in a Catholic manner" And truly
his was a Catholic discourse The House of
Cod which was the theme of his discourse, was
interpreted to mean the Roman Catholic, the only
true church. HI affirmed that the Catholic was
the only true church, and that this proposition
established by evidence drawn from two
sources
First Internal evidence, which is Divine il
Elimination from within And secondly exter-
nal evidence, which sacred, historical and
such evidence as is addressed to the intellect
Either of which, he remarked, conclusive.
The authority of the Church being thus estab-
lished by two.fold evidence, the act Of the be-
levers must also be twO-Old. He must assent to
the truth OF its doctrines, which was an internal
act, and possess the faith which is public
act H. proceeded to say that the ldolator, the
Mahomitan, the Hereto, and the Schismatlc,
are all Out of the Church. and out of the Church
there was no salvation. lie spoke OF the perse-
cutons OF the Church, and oiits trumphs. I'm
der this head Luther and Calvin noticed,
for the mischief they had done the Church But
the great enemy, and the one against which he
cOmbatted more at length and with greater zeal,
was the Theological books and popular religious
publications OF the day. Against them, he warn
ed his hearers as tending to lead them estray,
and as Obstructive of their best interest. And he
closed by exhorting his hearers to stand firmly
by the faith. His discourse a plain, clear
and able exposition ST the tenets of the Catholic
faith. He spoke like one having authority"
and in manner more dogmatic, that protest.
ant is accustomed to hear.
The exercises were accompanied with singing
from the choir, which on this occasion was led by
Mr.. Leach of Boston, fine spirited singer. ! he
morning services were concluded with the cele
bratcn of High Mass.
We were also present at the evening service
1t was quite brief On extempore sermon was
preached by the Rev. Nj. Haskns. He made an
appropriate allusion to the services of the day,
and reafirmed the doctrine OF the morning sevices,
that out OF the Church there was no salvation.
In graphic manner he exhor,ed his hearers to
take the old path, to shun all the new paths as
there was but one that I'D to Heaven, that
the old Catholic pBth that had been tIod for 80
many centuries. There one that led into
it, and only few out of it, and then to confusion
and darkness. The old path was readily known
and dstnguishabe from all others, by its an
cient land-marks, its moss grown monuments,
strewn as it was, with martyrs on either side,
through its entire course to Heaven.
There is one fact connected with this society,
that is worthy of notice. and that is that the large
congregation that mbles here, possessing
apparently those element of prosperity, has been
collected together within IA short period Of time,
under the Ministry of their present, talented pas
tor. The zeal, fidelity and perseverance of Mr..
Sheridan in collecting to- ether. these scattered,
dlscor da1t materials, into QUO society and in
providing for them commdious house OF worship
have, we must admit, whatever may say of the
Catholic Religion, furnished an example, worthy
to be followed, by Christians OF Other denomina-
tons.