The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-12-27
St. AIphonsus' Parish.

In this parish we have living comment
airy on the old Islander of monkish idleness.
While the monks of the ages Of Faith pre-
served literature, perfected science, embel-
lished art, and reclaimed deserts to the do
main of agriculture, their revilers of more
modern days have called them drones and
idlers. This elegant perversion of history
has become so classical in English litera-
ture, that we can scarcely doubt It's oeing
taught in our public schools.
We Recommend trip into st. Alphonsus'
parish to those whose prejudices have
taught them t0>receive as gospel the stere-
otyped falsehoods Of writer's who were not
as innocent as are their readers.
ITS BUILDINGS.
When the Redemptorist Order took charge
of this parish, a few years ago, they occu-
pied an old frame building upon the site OF
their present residence, and made use Of q
tent to entertain few friends who visited
them on 4th of July. The shanty and the
tent have lorg since disappeared, and six
or seven magnificent brick buildings occu-
plying their site and contiguous grounds have
converted the then poverty stricken region
into the most city-like locality in New Or
leans.
On one side of Constance street stand
that noble school edifice, the upper portion
of which is known as st. Alphonsus' Hall,
and the still more splendid church under
the name of the same Saint. Across the
street two spacious school buildings, the
residence of the clergy, and the German
Church of St. Mary occupy nearly the
the whole block, with large front on Jo-
sephine street. Farther along Constance,
between Josephine and jackson streets, a
very handsome new brick structure towers
loftily over the surrounding buildings, ded-
icated, also, to purposes of education
Across jackson street stands the elegant
| little Chapel of Notre Dame, known as the
French Church, in charge of the same order
while back of St. Alphonsus' Church, and
fronting on Magazine, the st. Elizabeth's
Asylum may acknowledge its existence a
due, in great part, to the same abundant
energy which has vivifed the(fest OF the
neighborhood. -,
ITS RESOURCES.
Whence themeans came for all this con-
ssructie1 and improvement, is mystery
Pie parish, though populous at present, il
not to be compared with many Protestant
congregations in point of wealth. 1t would
require a good architect to estimate the i'm
mense outlay that has been necessary tx
effect what has been done there within &c
short a time. Not only the extent, but the
completeness and elegance of the work ac
complished attract attention. The interior
of st. Alphonsus' Church, with it's magnifi
cent new altar, it's carved altar rail, ant
handsome marble steps in front of the sarc
tuary, its attractive paintings and tasteful
gliding attracts the instant admiration of tn
most fastidious. We have heard the deci
ded opinion expressed by a connoisseur il
such matters, that this church stands unri
vailed in the United States as finished spe
cimen of ecclesiastical architecture.
EDUCATION.
The Redemptorists have six schools-tw
English, two German, and two French
} one of each being for boys, and the othe
, for girls. In these schools are educate
twenty three hundred children, about ont
, fifth of the number in the public schools {
the whole city. Of course, it is impossible
that the Rev. Fathers should instruct tn
t multitude personally, but by their caref'
: selection Of teachers and supervision Of d.
Y tails, the same end of moral and intellectu
n development is attained. Any visitor
: their public exhibitions will be satisfied NJ
only that the progress of the pupils in aritl
: metic, grammar, and other branches
J. knowledge is fully as great as at other ii
J. situations, but that they have learned sti
: more thoroughly to respect religion al
: honor their parents. The two most impo
= tant sciences are love and obedience.
't SOCIETIES.
70 Space forbids US from giving more than