New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-31
INTERESTING CEREMONIES IN hlGIERS
The New Catholic Church
Laying of the Corner Stone

The ground on which the new Catholic
Church in Algiers. ''The Church OF the Holy
Name of Mary" is to be erected, was conse-
Grated, and the corner stone OF the edrSce
laid, on Sunday afternoon. A large portion
of the residents on the right oank are
Catholics but there is also an influential
Happily, the most cordial, friendly feel
ing exists among them all; mutual good
offices are interchanged, and an interest
taken in each others welfare. Thus, at the
fair gotten up last winter for the benefit
of the Methodist congregation, several
Catholic and Protestant Episcopal ladies
assisted, and when the Catholic church was
raising the means to procure the tine new
organ it now possesses, not rev PROTESTANT
names appeared on the subscription list.
Hence, it may be supposed that the cere-
monies last Sunday afternoon were OF per-
vading interest to the people OF Alglers.
Four O'Clock in The afternoon was the time
appointed for laying the corner stone and
consecrating the ground. About an hour
previously the Benevolent Catholic Chris
tian Association" assembled before the old
parsonage house On the front street OF the
town where the Church of st. Bartholomew
formerly stood. Here they were Joined by
the members of Brooklyn Fire Company,
No. 2, in holiday uniform, and by other fire
men, Shortly afterward appeared the chill
dren of the Catholic Sunday Schools and
other young persons belonging to the Church
numbering over two hundred. These, with
hardly an exception, were dressed in pure
white, and numbers were arrayed IN the
garb and adornments of their first commun-
ion.
At four o'clock the procession was formed
and on it's Way to the scene OF the consecra-
tione 1t was headed by a number OF acolytes
bearing the crucihX and other sacred en-
blems; then came the sunday schools and
youth, followed by members of the congre-
CATION. The Firemen's organization fol-
lowed, and then came the Catholic Benevo-
lent Christian Association, accompanied by
full band of music. The reverend clergy
of the Catholic church brought up the rear
Of the long cortege. These were the Right
Reverend Bishop Perche; Rev. Mr.: Gou-
venot, the Bishops secretary; Rev. Father
jeremiah Moynihan, his brother, Rev.
Father Cornelius Moynihan. Rector Of St.
Peters Church in the Third District. Rev.
Father Kane, orator of the day, Rev. Father
Murphy, Rev. Father Denis, of Algiers, and
his assistant, Rev. Father Gatheim, these
two latter being the clergy-of the church
about to be erected. The Fathers jeremiah
and Cornelius Moynihan wore splendid
capes as special attendants Of the Bishop
Of the resident clergy. When the process.
sion, marshaled by J. D. Lorio, Esq, of AL
giers, made its way through the dense
crowd that thronged the vicinity, and occu-
pied the proper position on the ground, an
eloquent address, suitable to the occasion,
was delivered by the Rev. Father Kane, &C.
cupying three quarters of an hour.
The reverend gentleman said, in effect:
Although many occasions OF a different
nj ub pytpOElvplV inter.
ested and excited the public mind, yet no
merely secular occasion could arise which
ought to produce the absorbing interest OF
an occasion like the present one. For they
were about to inaugurate the erection OF
one more temple, dedicated to the worship
Of the living God, one more bulwark against
the evil and demoralizing tendencies of the
age. That it is to the Church, and
to the Church alone, that sinful man
can look for refuge from the vice
and immortality that, unless prevented,
would surely sap the very foundations OF
society. When all merely human devices
had failed, when the seminary Of learning,
the rostrum, the press. had proved misera-
bly, in vain, the Church stood, founded on
rcck," to rescue humanity from the con-
sequences of human folly; to assign immor-
tai souls to the immortality of the blessed
blessed through the sutferings and atone
ment of the Saviour of men. The very
boasted improvement in human devices
was conclusive showing of their futlllty
for the regeneration OF mankind.
But the Church, emanating in full pertec.
ton from the hands of her Divine Founder,
needed nothing to be added. The teaching 8
of the Saviour and his apostles had descend
ed through all subsequent generations IN
unimpaired beauty; not one jot or title
added or taken away. However unwilllngly,
however slowly, mankind at large will yet be
brought to know that to the Church they
are to be indebted for temp )ral rege mel a.
ton and future happiness.
At the conclusion of Father Kane's elo-
uuent address the ceremonies of consecra-
ton proceeded. With the appropriate ritual
prescribed by the church, the cornerstone
was deposited in its destined position, after
which the Bishop, accompanied by the clergy
and supported by the two special attend
ants. the Rev. Fathers Moynihau, made the
circuit of the consecrated ground, dedi-
eating the same by the appropriate prayers
to the service Of Almighty God. The proper
religious services were also performed at the
spot, where in future the altar aud sane
tuary are to be erected.
at the conclusion of the dedicatory cir
cult, the Bishop and attendant clergy took
their stations on the platform, near the
corner; stone, when the ''keirie Elelson"
was reClted.
Bishop Perche concluded the interesting
ceremonies Of the occasion by short and
effective address in English. He expressed
his pleasure at seeing before him so large
an assemblage. andswas equally pleased to
notice how largely that assemblage consisted
of working men. He could boast OF be-
longing to that class himself, for his life
had been dedicated to labor in the service
of the Holy Church of God. The good
Bishop then expressed his pleasure at meet
ing number of his Protestant friends on
that occasion. and hoped that it would be
one of benefit to them as well as to the
members of the Catholic Church. At the
close of Bishop Perche's remarks. he pro.
nounced the Papal benediction: "Adjuto.
rum nostrum in Nomine Dominic qui taclt
coelum ct terram," etc.
The new Church of the Holy Name OF
Mary" will be at the corner Of Alx and
Verret streets Algiers. 1t will have front
of fifty-six feet on Verret street, by depth
of about one hundred and twenty five feet.
1t is intended also to erect more than one
schoo!-house on the adjacent ground. so
that the whole will emulate the ecclesiastic
and scholastic of the Catholic Church on
the left bank Of the river.
VALUABLE IMPROVED REAL ESTATE, JUDG-
MENT AND SUIT AT AUCTION BY THE SHERIFF.