Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-11-14
The Plenary Council.

The third penary council of the Roman
Catholic church in the United States was
opened on Sunday last in the Cathedral at
Baltimore with impressive religious cere-
monies. From an early hour the streets in
the vicinity of the Cathedral were thronged
with spectators, and shortly after 10 o'clock
the seminarians, about 200 in number, and
the visiting and city priests and the theo.
lOgians oi the council who had met in St.
AlphOnsus hail, two squares away, to put
on their vestments, marched to the Arch
bishops house Tue prelates then issued
from the house, and the line of march was
taken 10 the Cathedral. In the procession
OF the preaes the monsignori came first
then the abbotS, ten in number, mostly
Banedictines, aud many wore long boards.
Next came the bishops, numbering over
ilitv, and wearing rich red and golden copes,
amlCe and plain gold niters. Next came
the twelve arChbshops, attired as the bishops,
and then Rev Edwd. McColgan, Y. G., as.
siStant priest TO the archbishop. Next came
the apostolic delegate with his deacons Of
honor, Reys Geo. w. Devine and A. A.
Curtis, on either ii le The apostolic dele.
gate, Archbishop Gibbons, wore AN amce,
alb, cincture, rel stole and red cope, beau.
tiuily figured in gold and silk. Ills inter
was OF white, "rnamented with gold, and
in his hand was his crDsier or pastoral staff
In the procession two large crosses were
horne. Behind each of the prrlaies was AN
aCU.ytr, who he'd up the train uf their
gowns kerpiny thcm ouI IF the dir, On
I'M. way 10 the church the rhnnters SANG
"Veni Creator Spiritns" and Ave Maria
Stella"
-Eurrriuo th4 cbnrch In. ur,r.ssi,n moved
mn fine u,,ld - uisla and Will. ne,rIv ali
the clcrpIm touk seats i'm I'M. trnnt news
the prrlairs entered the sanctuary and werr
ranged in rrsuL,r lines ON each siJn of the
altar The nf,o.tn!ic deliberate, tnok his enat
ON the throne. attended bv the dracnns or
honnr As sn,na. In. ,.i1ryvn,..,, ,yar, oil
i'm their nlaces the onnstnlic d,.l.,ota wan,
nm the altar stens and r.citnd n shnrt nr,ver
m Latin. Then Archbisbop Kenrick ,fSt
Louis BEGAN the celebration of nontiticol
high mass in the presence of the APOSTOLIC
DELEGATE. Looking down from the pallerv
the effect was that of some rich mosaic. some
grand historic picture. glowing with all the
tints Of the painter.
The music was rendered by two cboirs.
One composed of the official chanters of the
council assisted by forty seminarians from
st. Sulpce under The direction of Rev G.
Andre and Rev. W. T.. Bartlett. II was
stationed in the sanctuary. The other choir.
under the direction of Rev. Joseph Graf, in
the organ loft was composed of eighty
voices, the regular chorus of the two Cecil
ian choirs Of the Cathedral and st. James
church, with Il double solo auar:ette. The
music was Of the Cecilian and Palestrina
school, in strict harmony with the rules of
the Catholic liturgy The grand mass Opus
XII, by Rev Father Witt, was sung.
At the conclusion of the mass the pulpit
was brought forward and Archbishop RYAN,
of Philadelphia, delivered the sermon, &C.
Letting as his theme, "The church ia her
councils" based upon the words from
Matthew-2Sth chapter, 18th, 10Th and Doth
verses
After the sermon the ceremonies proper
TO the opening session of the council began.
Az antphOn and psalm were sung by the
choir, after which the apostolic delegate re.
cited prayer in Latin in front of the altar.
The Iitany Of the Saints was then chanted
under direction OF Rev. VIM. H. Bartlett, Of
Baltimore. After another short prayer by
Ia. apostolic delegate the Rev. ID. h. LYMAN
read from the scriptures and the choir sang