The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-15
ST. MARY'S SEMI-CENTENNIAL
SERMONS BY REV. FATHER REILLY AND v8RY

SERMONS BY REV. FATHER REILLY AND VERY
REV. FATHER PRESTON.
ST. Narys Roman Catholic church In Grand is,
after st. Peters and ST. Patrck's, the oldest Roman
Catholic church organ IMITATION in the city Of New York.
Yesterday morning, assisted by Fathers Henry P.
Baxter A. ceebrant r. J. Rigney deacon, AMI John
A. Gleason subdeacon, Father O'Rcilly held semi
centennial service and the evening the Very Rev.
Father T. @. Preston delivered an appropriate dis
course In the morning, aftcr the mass OF which the
music BY Mercadante. rendered by Berger, as
organist, and excellent volunteer choir Rev.
Father Edward J. Reilly preached sermon in
with the gospel which read sixteenth chap
Of 81 John beginning with the nth Before
he had risen to the SPEAKERS desk the attention Of
tho worshppers was calod--and naturaly-to the
decorations OF tho altar, which wero in admirable
keeping with tho occasion On the apex OF
tho atarpicce, GROWING all else, there
crimson Cross laid in bed Of white flowers tastcfuly
interspersed with evergreen. On the right and Left
Immediately below the ether, additional beds Of
flowers and evergreens, in which were placed the
figures 1926" and '1876n Below figure OF Jesus
was hanging cross, which other mono
gramatc exhibitions OF "ls26 and .sls76n Still fur.
thor down, at tho feet Of the figure of Christ was
another and the name of .Mary" IN red resting
on flowers as IN bed
when mass had been celebrated and tho special
decorations had been viewed and understood rather
Reilly began his discourse with the declaration that
sermon which had been preached nty years ago that
day in St Marys, then In Sheriff street. had been
printed for the benefit Of those who might incline
read it, and could be had the door, He did not In
tend to aude extensively to the scmicentcnnia
sion OF thor meeting but felt 1t TO be his duty make
some reference TO H. Fifty years ago Father Welsh,
ana perhaps o. exactly the same hour, was
preaching the dedicatory discourse in the
former edihce in Sheriff street. Long ago us
that seemed to be- he had no doubt that II that par
ticular service he had larger audience pre-
ont IN the church at the time he Father Reilly was
referring 10 the event. for at that time the attendants
while now they largely children and youths In
the church edifce in which he speaking there was
during the earlier service, sufficient number Of chill
drcn and young people present TO MI one half Of tho
space and the same was true OF the days OF the week
just passed. That experience, he thought presented
very ia idea OF the new stage in church AFFAIRS upon
which the church had entered. Then there lew
children to bring to the church. Nearly all who came
strangers here Now however there wcro not only the
fully grown Catholics, but = still numerous
body Of their children, the latter attend
elders 1t remained be seen, he thought,
whether the rising fathcrs and mothers of today
would continue the Tor their children which had
been shown by their parents IN the recent past Re-
turning again directly 10 the scmi
cason he spoke Of the parish having been organized
for nifty years and OF his being the seventh pastor who
had been placed over the chu Oh within that time. All
OF his predecessors hnd he sure been remarkably
efficient In the performance Of their duties; much
so. iaet that he felt that no the least them
ALL Aud yet, Notwithstanding that the church stood
one IN which there had been trouble nor had
there, rs no believed, been cause for It,
cnANGKLEss AMID CHANGES.
Passing, then, to consideration Of the Catholic
Church service, he spoke OF IL being precisely The
same as It was not only fifty years ago. but for 500
years and How II, he would ask, that
while II they looked about them they would Ind
change marking the existence of others? Go where
thoy might-North South, East or West--they would
find change In all save In the Catholic Church And
whyg Because the Catholic Church was founded by
Gods WILL under Gods osn law and therefore il did
harmony with itself from its beginning and would so
continue to the crd. Those who had been baptized
the Catholic Church Migrants wandering
about not knowing whence they came whittier they
gong; tor they found home in the Church and
we're there content to remain. They knew that they
they should have peace within their walls theirs
tho Church that terrible " its punish
mcnts, positive In its teachings and loving
all who were deserving OF love. II
was said that the Catholic Church talked
like God--as If II were God. Why shouldnt i'll Was Il
rot the voice Of God on earth And not the fact
that II grew stronger every day. spread out all over the
face oil the earth wherever nhabiss It proof Of
thiss Christ came. not to destroy, but build up,
aud such was the work OF the Church. In short the
Church understood it's mission the voice OF God, and
he thanked God that II did In conclusion he they
should thank God for the past and the present. Tho
future was no business OF his or theirs
When he had closed collection taken up for the
schools OF the Church, which afforded opportunity
fer saying that nfy years ago subscriptions
the erection Of churches, while now they we're for
schoolsL