The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-08-18
Imposing Ceremonies-COnsecr
OF Catholic Bishops in the Cathe-

ORAL ut Baltimore.
The Baltimore papers Of yesterday con.
tain full accounts Of the imposing cere-
monies Of the conservation of two new
Catholic bishops, Of Wilmington, Della
ware, and North Carolina. To the forme,
bishoprick the Rev. Thomas A.. Becker,
formerly of Richmond, $50 we'll known and
so very much esteemed here,) and to the
latter the Rev. DR.. James Gibbons, lately
one Of the Secretaries of the Most Reverend
Archbishop of Baltimore.
An immense crowd was attracted to the
cathedral on the occasion. The procession
from the Archbishop's mansion to the cathe-
dral numbered one hundred and fifty, con-
sisting Of priests, acolytes, seminarians,
&c. The Archbishop, with mitre and Gro
zier, and full archiepiscopnl vestments, and
attended by the Vicar-General, Very Rev.
DR.. H. B. Coskey, his chancellor, Rev. DR..
Thomas Foley and Rev. DR.. Francis Nc
Nierny, as deacons Of honor, closed the
procession.
AS the procession entered the church the
music of the grand organ, with orchestral
accompaniment, performed the conservation
march. The procession filed in, and those
who composed it took their positions about
the altar, which was profusely decorated
with flowers and lighted candles.
The Archbishop, who acted as consecra-
tor and celebrant of mass, occupied the
episcopal seat, attended by his deacons Of
honor, whilst the bishops elect each took po-
sition in the side altars--Bishop Gibbons
being attended by Right Rev. Bishop Lynch,
of Charleston, and Right Rev. Bishop Do
minee, of Pittsburg, and Bishop Becker by
Right Rev. Bishop Whelan, Of Wheeling,
Va, and Right Rev. Bishop McGill, of
Richmond. Va. Within the sanctuary were
the Right Rev. Bishops Bayley, of Newark,
N. j.; O'Hara, of Scranton, Pa; and Sha-
nahan, of Harrisburg, Pa.
The Archbishop, seated in o chair on the
topmost step OF the main altar, directed the
apostolic commission authorizing the con-
secration to be read, which was done by
Rev. DR.. Corkran, of Charleston, S, c. The
bishops elect, with sthe attendant bishops,
being then seated, the Archbishop, as con-
secrator, then proceeded with the usual
form of examination in Latin. The exami-
nation being closed, the prescribed oath was
administered, pledgipg the Bishops to ODE
dience to the Pope and fidelity to the Church
and the faithful administration of their
offices.
The Archbishop then proceeded to cele-
brate pontifcial high mass. At the Cos
pei" the bishops elect, with the attendant
bishops and priests, each at side altar,
we're invested with the pectoral cross,
the tunic dalmatic chasuble, and with white
sandals. The consecrator and assisting
bishops then knclt, resting forward on their
seats, wearing their mitres, whilst the
bishops elect laid prone on their faces on
the floor of the sanctuary. The Litany Of
the Saints was then sung, the responses Of
"Ora pro nobis" C' Pray for us ~ resound-
ing through the arches Of the grand old ca
thcdral.
The litanies being finished, the elect
knelt before the consecratOr and assistant
bishops, the Book of the Gospel open was
placed on the neck and shoulders Of the
elect, the hands of all the bishops being
laid simultaneously Oh their heads, each OF
them touching the head of the elect with
both hands, saying, at the same time,
{" Receive thou the holy Ghost" Bands OF
linen were then bound around the heads of
the elect bishops, and the consecrator, put
| ting on his mitre, and taking off his ring
and gloves, Amounted the heads of each
with holy oil or chrism, making the sign OF
the cross on the crown, which was tonsured
or shayen.
| The bishops elect then each had white
cloth on his neck to support his hands, and
| Joining them side to side, knelt before the
| Archbishop, who anointed the palms with
chrism in the figure of cross, and after
wards their entire surface, saying: May
those hands be anointed with consecrated
oil and the chrism Of sanctification as
Samuel anointed David, King and Prophet,
SO may they be anointed and consecrated.' -
The Rev. DR.. Foley then preached an in
teresting sermon from 18th John, 4th to 18th
verse Abide in me, and in you," &c.
At the close of the sermon the mass was
resumed, blended with the conservation
ceremonies. The mitres or hats, the Gro
ziers or staffs of office, and the episcopal
rings, were then separately blessed with
great formality by the consecrator, and
! handed to the newly-consecrated, the con-
secrator saying to each
"Receive the staff of the pastoral Office,
that in the correction of vice thou mayst
temper justice with mercy, holding judg-
ment without wrath; mayst soothe the
minds of the hearers by cherishing virtue
and mayst not neglect the strictness of dis
cipline through love for tranquility.
Take this ring as token of fidelity !; SO
that, being adorned with inviolate faith
thou mayst, without stain, guard the spouse
of God-to wit, His holy Church.
In the course of the proceedings the
book of gospels was given to the bishops
elect, and the kiss Of peace was received
by them from the archbishop and assistant
bishops. After other ceremonies, st the
conclusion of mass the new bishops, witt
their emblems of office, gave the blessing tt
the congregation, and retired. The cere-
mony closed with the TIE Deum, finely rem
dered by the choir.
THEATR1CAL.-Edwin Booth commences
an engagement at the National Theatre, Gin
| on Saptam HOY