The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-16
THE CATHOLIC PILGRIMAGE.

BALTIMORE, May 15.-The Catholic pill
grimage to White Marsh Hills, the location
| of the mother mission house of the Catholic
priests of Maryland and Church of the Sa-
cred Heart, in Prince Georges county, under
the auspicies of various Catholic beneficiary
societies of Washington City and Baltimore,
took place to-day.
Fully 5000 making the pilgrimage aud
waiting in the deYotions The mission
house and small chapel adjoining are situa-
ted among the hills, within about three miles
OF ColllngtOn Station, on the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad, and about equal distance
between Washington and Baltimore. The
gathering or pilgrimage to White Marsh
was to hold reunion of the Catholics of
Maryland, and, with proper religious cere-
monies, to commemorate the sacrifices and
devotion of the friends Of Catholcty IN the
United States; to interchange Catholic So
cial sentiments and testify their veneration
and respect for the first Catholic mission
aries of that place, where they were wont to
assemble i'll the early days of the Republic.
Shortly after 10 o'clock two special trains,
from Washington, each having nine coaches
filled with passengers arrived ut CollingtOn.
Among them were several societies with
bands of music, including the Marine Band
from the Navy Yard. They soon formed in
line, and took up their march to White
length. Many ladies' who were unable to
obtain conveyances, trudging on foot over
| the sand road in the hot sun.
The most conspicuous feature of the pro-
cessiOn was the cOlOred society Of the
Knights of st. Augustine, from Washington,
dressed in handsome black suits and purple
| regaIia, with long floating orange plumes in
| their hats. The march occupied about an
hour. At IL o'clock the special train of nine
cars from Baltimore arrived at Collington.
The line formed a like march as the pre-
ceding made at noon. Services commenced
with the celebration of High Mass by
Father Wiget in frort of the Mission
House, the immense congregation stand
ing in open air and devOutly joining in the
exercises.
When mass was concluded, Rev. Father
B. A. Mcguire, S. j. of st. Alosyius chnrch.
Washington, preached a sermon from the
balcony of the Mission House, from Mark
10th Chapter, verses 14th to Goth, in which
be alluded to pilgrimages of early Chris
tians and those o. "a later period, and quoted
from Chief Justice Story and Bancroft's his
tory to prove that religious federation was
first established in America by Catholic set
tiers in Maryland.
At 3 +. M. a procession was formed, the
various societies, headed by bands playing,
which marched down the hill to Rock Spring,
few hundred yards south of the mission
houses. The spring gushes from the hill
near its base. Immediately above the
gushing water q rude arch of coarse chOco-
late-colored sandstone, about II feet high,
is constructed, and about midway of the
structure, in an opening or recess, stands
small image Of the Virgin, with the infant
Jesus in her arms.
A few feet in advance of the spring large
arch Of evergreens, flanked on either side
by smaller arches, had been erected-each,
together with the stone structure, being
decorated with flowers. When the process
sion had gathered in the valley in front Of
the spring, short services, followed by
brief address from Father AGget, took
place, after which benedictiOn was an
nounced and the pilgrims wended their way
back to Collington.
Hundreds of them carried away small bot
ties Of water filed at the spring. Not the
least disorder occurred during the day, and
all seemed pleased with the pilgrimage to
the White Marsh. OF the number present
fully ene-third were colored persons, and one
third Of the entire assembly were families