The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-09
THE NEW CATHEDRAL PROJECT.
Meeting OF Catholics Sunday Niaht-Isishop
Keane's Views Upon the Matter In Cues
tion-A Plan Agreed Upon and the Work
or Subscription Begun.

Sunday night at o'clock there was q
large gathering OF Catholics at Cathedral
Hall, assembled together In response to the
invitation Of Right Rev. Bishop Keane for
the purpose Of considering the subject OF
erecting new Cathedral building in this
city. The Bishop presided, and Mr.. An
drew Plzzini acted as secretary. Rev.
Fathers Van Deyyver, Hanley, Doherty,
and Baumgartner also occupied seats on
the stage.
Bishoo Keane called the meeting to order
and proceeded TO explain its object. He
opened with statement OF the events
which from the first idea OF simply clean
ing up tie old Cathedral gradually led to
the project Of building a new one. He
mentioned his interviews with architects
and builders, the result OF which was the
postponement Of definite arrangements
in regard to plans until his visit to
Europe in the coming spring should
have made him better acquainted with
cathedral architecture elsewhere and
suggested the ideas that would be most
suitable for home. Consultations. however,
with architects and with the committee OF
laymen with whom conferences have
been repeatedly held, had sufficiently de-
termlned the general idea OF the building
TO make partial description OF it possible.
He then proceeded TO describe the new
Cathedral as il stood before his mind'seye:
A granite crucifOrm structure IN Gothic
style of the loftness that suits the temple
Of God, and massive as symboliZing the
perpetuity OF the church; the front to be
an epitome OF the Gospel, having for its
main feature three colossal statues-the Di-
vine Lord i'm the centre, with arms extended
calling all to him, and st. Peter and st.
Paul at either side pointing Him out as
God and Saviour; large trefoll window
(thc symbol of the Trinity radiating from
around the Sayiollr's head, and the apex
of the front completed by triangular
white marble slab with the Hebrew letters
of Jehovah. Thus the Old and the New
Law, the Trinity, the Redemption, and the
Christian religion, are embodied in the
Cathedraps front. The interior carries out
the same idea of showing forth in every
detail the life OF our Lord and His religion.
On entering into 1t the eyes and
the mind are at once turned upwards
by the fact that the principal light
comes through large windows very high
above the floor, the lower windows being
trefoiled, for purposes OF ventilation
mostly. The large stained-glass windows
are to be memorials OF loved departed
ones, the large transcept windows at the
ends OF the arms Of the cross being memo
rials to Bishops Whelan and McGill. Three
windows light the sanctuary. In the centre
one is seen Christ in His glory; in the two
side ones Moses and Elias worshipping
Him, as on Mount Thabor. The interior
is meant TO be large unbroken eXpanse.
unobstructed by piers or pillars, the side
walls rising to majestic height, and the
arched ceiling about 100 feet high in the
centre. Massive half-pillars rise along the
walls, supporting the groined ribs OF the
ceiling. Between the pillars beneath the
great windows artistic inscriptions from
the Gospel and from the Epistes OF 1t.
Peter and ST. Paul tell OF our Lords di-
vnity, His incarnation, HIS humliations,
His suflerings, and His glory, concluding
with his loving assurance that He has gone
10 His Father to prepare place for us.
Thus every portion OF the building within
and without is meant to tell OF Gods love
and the beauty OF religion, all eliminating
in the altar, the inscription over which,
% / am the Bread OF Life" shows that the
Divine Saviour is our helper in the jour-
ney as well as our reward at its end.
After the description OF the building the
Bishop entered into practical working de-
tails. The estimated cost OF such build
ing, leaving to postority all that could be
left for them to finish, would be about
S150. 900. To meet This amount he stated
that the sale OF certain diocesan property
would Weld about $4,000: moneys sure
TO come in, from $4,000 to $1,000; cOllec-
tions outside OF Richmond, perhaps $4,000
year. On the basis OF four years to be
spent in collecting and building, these
sums would amount 10 about $4,000.
Add TO this about $4,000 OF debt,
which would be the largest burden
that the church revenue would justify
them in assuming, and there would still
remain $4,000 or $4,000 to be raised by
the people of Richmond. As 10 the prob
lem OF raising such 4 sum OF money, three
solutions were then stated and their rea-
sons pro and con thoroughly set forth.
The first solution would be to undertake
the work with the expectation OF com
pleting il within four years: the second
would he to open subscriptions that would
continue an indefinite time, till funds
enough were in hand to justify work; the
third solution would be to postpone the
whole undertaking indefinitely as beyond
the means OF the Catholic population OF
the diocese.
These questions were briefly discussed by
several gentlemen, each proposition having
its advocates. The one, however, looking
10 the erection OF a cathedral in four years,
the money necessary for il to be raised by
subscriptions payable in cash or install
ments. was the decided fayorite with the
meeting, and when the Bishop put the
question on each proposition separately the
other two were voted down, and the four
year scheme agreed upon.
The Bishop said that since the meeting
had so unanimously decided to go on with
the work he expected every one who had
voted for it to feel morally bound to con-
tribute something towards 1t.
This matter being settled, the work OF
taking down subscriptions was then begun,
and when concluded the secretary an
nounced that the Amount aggregated be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000.
The first subscribers were DR.. John Ma
hony and Mr.. Lawrence Lottier, ST., each
81 900. These were followed by Messrs.
A. NJ. Kelley, William Daii'ron, Nv. Ran
dolph, John Murphy, w. T.. Simons,
Michael Golden, Alexander Delaney, James
MsGraw, William Rankin. and Edward
Cummins, each $500. Mr.. Games Il. Fer
ritter subscribed 300; Mr. Nicholas Leon
ard, $500. Several gentlemen subscribed
32OO each, and others amounts varying
from S175 down to $50.
Before adjournment the Bishop an
nounced that there would be another
meatin., on next Sunday night. at which
the collections would be renewed, and he
hoped that many OF the Catholics OF Rich
mond who were not then present probabiy
kept away by the disagreeable weather.
would attend, and show by their acts that
they intend TO help the work in hand.
I'm the mean time subscriptions could be
made privately at the episcopal residence,
or 10 the secretary, Mr.. Andrew PizzIni.