Morning journal and courier., 1884-11-10
THE PLENARx COUNCIL OPENED.

An Event of Great Interest to the
 Catholics of America.
 BALTIMORE, Md. Nov 9.-It is doubtful if in the history of the Roman Catholic church in America there have ever been religious ceremonies so grand and impressive as those attending the opening of the third plenary council at the Cathedral in this city to-day. Certainly not since 1866, when the last ple- nary council was held in the same edifce The ceremonies consisted of solemn proces sion of the clergy, pontifcal high mass and the formal opening of the council. The streets in the vicinity of the Cathedral long before the hour appointed for the procession were densely crowded with people of all de nominations. Ten thousand would be a fair estimate of the number. At 10 a. m the Most Reverend Archbishops, Right Reverend Bishops, Right Reverend Mitred Abbots, Right Reverend and Very Reverend Mo nsig- nori, Very Reverend Administrators nd Procurators met in the archiepis copial resi- denee on North Charles street. The other members of the council, the visiting clergy and seminarians of St. Sulpice met at St. Alphonsds hall. At 10:30 the procession left St. Alphonsus hall and proceeded to the 1 archiepiscopal residence to receive the Most Reverend and Right Reverend prelates. The procession, numbering in all about one thousand, then left that point and moved 1 towards the cathedral by way of Charles street, Mulberry and Cathedral streets in the following order: Cross bearer carrying the processfonal cross Seminarians of st. Sulpice.
 Regular clergy.
 Secular clergy. ChanterS.
 Theoiogians of the council
 Officials of the council E Superiors of religious orders.
 Rectors of theological seminaries.
 Very Rev. and Rt. Rev. Mansignori4-
 RI. Rev. Mitred Abbots.
 Rt. Rev. Bishops.
 | Most Rev. Archbisnops
 Archiepiseopal cross bearer between two aco-
 Assistant priest of the Most Rer.sAp Apostolic Dele
 Most Rev. Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Gib- bons of Baltimore between his deacons of honor.
 Insignia bearers of the Most Rev Apostolic Dele gate.
 During the procession the hymns "Veni Creator Spiritusn and "Ave Maris Stella' were sung by the clergy. The Most Rev. Apostolic Delegate on reaching the altar sang the prayer to the Holy Ghost and to the Blessed Virgin. Pontifcal high mass was then celebrated by Archbishop Kenrick of St. Louis, the Most Rev. Apostolic Delegate occupying the throne at the gospel side of the sanctuary. At the end of the mass Arch bishop Ryan of Philadelphia ascended the pulpit and preached the opening sermon, his subject being fThe Church in Her Councils. 3 In his treatment of the subject Archbishop Ryan maintained his great reputation as a church orator and 1ogician and throughout the entire sermon he was listened to with deep interest and evident admiration. The ceremonies proper to the opening session then began and were as follows:
 Antiphon and psalms by the choir
 Prayer by the Apostolic Delegate,
 Ltany of the Saints by the choir.
 Gospel by the deacon.
 Formal opening of the council.
 Reading of preliminary decrees, which regard the rules to be observed in the council
 Roll of members called.
 Profession of faith made byall the members of the council.
 Papal Benediction by the Apostolic Delegate.
 It was after o'clock when the services were completed. The procession then re- turned to the archiepiscopal ssidence.
 This evening at 7:30 solemn vespers were sung and Bishop Shanahan, of Harrisburg, preached sermon on the ''Unity of the Church." During the three weeks of the council public services will be held on each Thursday and Sunday. The council is con- posed of two hundred and ffty-six members, including archbishops, bishops, theologians, etc. The public will not be admitted to any of the business sessions of the council, so that all the proceedings will be as sealed book until after their transmission to Rome the Pope. Then then decrees will be pro each member of the council.