Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-19
COLUMBIA'S CATHOLICS.
CHURCH DEDICATION SUNDAY.
interesting Ceremonies at ~. Joseph's-Rieh-
mond represented by Numerous Excursion.
fs's-Adcresses by Bishop keane.


churcli at Columbia. on the Richmond and
Allegheny railroad. distant fifty-four miles
| IRON this city, was dedicated 10 the worship
| Of GOD.
| Richmond Catholics, feeling deep inter-
est IN The matter, organized an excursion,
| ana on That morning the following Catholic
| societies. under the command OF Chief-Ma
| sbal John Murphy. marched down to the
Richmond and Allegheny depot, aecompl-
MED by large number OF friends. and en-
barked on a train OF eleven coaches for
Columbia: McGill Lyceum, A. J. Caya-
naugh, president: Catholic Beneficial So
ciety, John n. Higgins, president: st.
Mary Social Union, J. B. Winter, presi-
dent; st. Benedictus Beneficial Society.
Louis Brumer, president; st. Joseph'S
Beneficial Society, W. FeItbaus. president;
Knights of 81. Joseph. j. VI. Ryal, presi.
dent; Branch 143, G. X. A., J. A. AherD, |
| president; Branch 1872, &. SK. A., James
Hayes, president; ST. Peters T. A. Il. So
ciety, Thomas Byrne, president.
| Without accident the train reached Co
| lumta. and as il eased up TO the depot the
bell in the new church rang out cheerful
| welcome and a call 30 the church.
| Columbia Is one OF the old towns that
Knew wealth and prosperity in the DAYS Ci
the James River and Kanawha canal. Signs
OF ancient greatness are yet visible. but are
fast fading before the march Of the greater
| prosperity Of modern days.
Sunday people on foot. cayaIcades OF
horcmen, and long lines Of vehicles OF all
kinds, from the ancient family carriage
down 20 the dude cart Of the present, pour
cd in. and joining the throng Of excursion.
lists that were climbing the hill crowned by
the church, swelled 1t until IT numbered
| NIL
gathered in front of the church, the Catho-
he societies nearest the building.
THE OPENING SERVICES.
In few minutes Right Rev. BishopJ. j.
| kCane, OF the Diocese Of Richmond, ap-
peared. clad In purple caSSock and white
! lace surpiec. AS he passed through the
! crowd near the front entrance he made his
presence known hy saying, MAKE way.
! dear children, make way" and the crowd
respectfully fell back, leaving the Bishop
! standing on the steps, on level with the
| heads Of the crowd IN the street. Heads
were uncovered and bowed while the
Bishop offered PRAYER. at the close OF
which the 1lGth Psalm was read, COM
meucing " Praise the Lord all We nations"
Bishop keane then addressed the crowd.
/ thanking them for the sympathy OF their
I
VorIauce and Sacrcdncss Of the occasion.
! He said it was a cheering sight To the
Catholics OF Columbia 10 see 20 many good
! people interested in their welfare. lie said
that about forty years ago 4 good Catholic
couple came 10 Columbia and settled. They
served the Lord in their home, raised
! their children in the faith Of their fathers.
| and had lived 10 see one Of their sons
! priest. who had raised church here in sight
/ Of their home. II was no new religion that
was being founded. the tencts OF which had
TO be explained and discussed. but the old
| religion oi the saviour Jesus Christ. He
! explained the significance Of the cross
which aIpcarod on the top Of the Steeplc.
aud in impressive terms made plain to all
many features Of his Church and its mode
| of worship.
THE DEDICATION.
At the conclusion Of the Bishops re-
marks the choir Of Il. Peters cathedral, oi
! this city, led by Mr. NJ. y. Leonard, organ
! ist, sang the Ie Dfual. or hymn Oi praise
Holy God. We Praise Thy Name" Thc
| Bishop then briefly explained to the assem-
| blage the ceremonies incident TO the dedl-
cation, after which he returned 10 the 81
cnsty, tie choir meanwhile singing the
| hymn. Come, Holy Ghost" \ cross
| bearer. aeoytes with lighted candies, altar
| boys, Xaycrian brothers, priests. and the
Bishop in full golden ycStmentS, next
formed into a procession. which moved
from the sacristy 10 the front Of the church
and thence making q circuit VI the cdiire,
! during which the Bishop performed the act
/ OF dedication by sprinkling the outer walls
with holy water, the priests and the
gentlemen Of the choir meanwhile chant
ing alternately verses oi the NiScrere
The procession then entered the church
and the dedicatofy ceremonies were
concluded by chanting the Iitany Of
the Saints. after which tlie Bishop and
priest, retired to the ,acristy. tie former to
dye,t himself Of cope, nitro, and croIjer
and the latter 10 assume the ves,ments FOR
the celebration OF
SOLEMN BIGH MASS.
In a icw moments the Clergy recltcre!
the sanctuary. and the mass was begun ut
the foot Of the altar. The cclehrant WAS
Rev. &. j. Judge. ~ 81. Charlie, College,
near Eiicou City, Md; while the duties
Of deacon and >ub-dracon were rcspcc.
tiye,y performed by Rev. +. X. Dyer. ID.
d., Of st. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore. and
Rev. II. NJ. Chapuis, OF St Charles College.
Brother Michael. Of =. Peters Cathedral
boys school. acted a., master oi cereno-
mes. The mGss progressed solemnly 10 the
end Of the GOSPEL. and Il Wa, especially no.
iiceable that the nOn-Cath0licS, Of whom
there were quite number in The cOngrc-
cation, pad the closest attention 10 the ser
yiccs and observed The utmost dccOIUm.
BISHOP EEANE'S SERMON.
After the deacon had chanied the Gospel
and the choir had sung the lcBi creator
Syir;fifS. the Bishop asccndcd the altar
Steps, and. facing the congregation, dcliy-
cred 30 able sermon upon the history OF
the Church. 10 which be said the present
dedication added 4 new page. His text
wa. from the first chapter OF s. John:
" In the beginning was the Word. ard the
Word was with God, and the Word was
Cod" The discourse embraced review
Of the growth oi the Catholic Church from
the beginning up to the present day, and T..
his remarks were undoubtedly. as they
were intended to be. highly interesting and
instructive. particularly 80 10 those who
had never before listened 10 a Catholic SER !
mon.
The mass war then resumed and pro- !
ceedcd with 10 the end. when the ccre- |
monies were concluded by TIE Bishops !
benediction and the recitation Of the d't |
geluS.
The AFTERNOON SERVICES.
In the afternoon every foot OF available |
SPACE in the little church was occupied. |
mainly by non. n.Catholcs, while on the cut /
side and az the windows there were many /
others. The services began al 4 O'Clock.
They consisted first Of the singing Of the |
Eespefs psalms. hymn 10 the Blessed Nir-
GIN and the MlGnitcdi This was fol-
lowed BY another eloquent discourse by
Bishop Keane, explanatory OF the seven
sacraments OF the Church-to-wit., the 81
craments Of Baptism, Pennnce. COntrml-
ton, Holy Eucharist, Holy Orders, MatrI-
mOny, and Extreme UnctiOn. He con-
cuded with a few feeling remarks TO the
four candidates for cOnfirmatiOn-twO
young misses and two youths-in which he
eXhorted them to remember in their future
lives the solemn sacrament they were about
10 receive, and expressed the earnest hope
that they would never deyiate from the paths
OF duty and right The Bishop then admin
istered the sacrament TO them. and the ser
vices were brought to close by the benc-
diction OF the Blessed Sacrament.
TIE MUSIC.
The choir Of II. Peters Cathedral fur
nished the music for all oi the days cere-
monies, and II the openly expressed 0piO'
ion OF many who heard them is 10 be taken
as the criterion. they acquitted them'elye,
most handsomely. They certainly ahored
earnestly and fully deserved the thanks anu
acknowledgements heartily rendered Dy the