Las Vegas daily gazette., 1886-03-19
ST. JOSEPH'S DAY.
Elaborate Preparations for its OBJ
servance.
Pontificsl High Mass and Sermon by
Archbishop salpointe at the Cathe-
dral This Morning.

one OF the mos. important festivals
in the ceremonial of the Catholic
church, and preparations have been
made to observe 1t in our city with
unusual pomp and spIeudor. St.
Joseph, las is we'll known, was the hus-
band of the Blessed Virgin, and the
reputed father our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. He is the patron saint
of the Catholic church throughout
the world, and especially is he held
in veneration here in New Mexico.
His festival falls always upon he
10Th of March, and is celebrated in
all churches and chapels with splen-
dor proportionate to the financial
ability of the congregation. Two
circumstances contribute to make
the present observance in Las Vegas
one of especial interest, and to JUS
tify the preparations which have been
made to celebrate it with all dignity.
One is that the present is a year OF
Jubilee granted by the Pope TO Cath
olics all over the world. In ancient
times this year of Jubilee fell
upon every fiftieth year, and so was
celebrated but twice in century. In
recent times the Pope proclaims it
whenever In his judgment the spirit
ual welfare of the church will be ad-
vanced by his so doing. In an ency-
cical letter to bishops and archbish-
ops throughout the world, he desig-
mates the year, and lays down the
conditions upon compliance with
which sins may be forgiven, and those
who have been in the bondage of
transgression may be freed and re-
stored to the joys of pardon. The Sc
lection OF the present Pope, Leo XIII,
has fallen upon the year 1886. Con-
sequently all festivals of this year
are considered especially sacred, and
worthy of the highest consideration.
The second reason is that the
Catholic Association of Las Vegas is
under the particular patronage and
protection of st. Joseph and the I'M
acuIate Conception. Furthermore,
this is the first anniversary Of the or
ganization of this association. One
year ago today they organized with
forty-seyen members, and they now
number largely over one hundred.
For these reasons it behooved
the church in Las Vegas to give
to the present observance OF
st. Joseph's day all the eclat that
could be thrown around it. With
this view the exercises today have
been prepared. On the 10th of the
month. or nine days ago, the devotes
of st. Joseph, those who hold him in
reverence, began the Novena,
a preparatory season of prayer which
ended on last evening with the op-
and duty of confession.
This morning about s O'Clock the
of the Catholic Association |
will assemble at their hall, on the |
west side. at 9 O'Clock, in full uniform
and preceded by the New Mexican
band, they will march to the residence
of Father Coudert and escort to the
Cathedral his Eminence, Very Rev
erned Archbishop SaIpointe, who has
come to our city especially to grace
the occasion by conducting the servi- |
ces. A little before 10 o'clock the
Pontifical mass will be commenced.
The Archbishop himself will celebrate
it, assisted by Fathers Coudert and
all in high Pontifcal
The Archbishop will pro-
baby deliver the sermon. and every
effort will be made to bestow upon
The occasion the highest honors fthe
church. A most beautiful and rich
canopy has been erected over the
Arch episcopal throne. on the lett
hand side of the nave and close TO
The grand altar; while the altar of st.
Joseph. in the western recess to the
has been tastefully and
decorated. At the con-
clusion of the Mass the Bishop will |
pronounce his pastoral benediction |
upon the faithful. After the exer.
cises have come to close. the Catho-
lie Association will form at the door
of the church, march to the corner of
the cemetery, thence north square.
thence west two squares. thence south
a square, and thence east again to the
door of the church, which they will
enter before dispensing. The choir
havs selected for the occasion Mil
lard's s celebrated mass, and no doubt
will render it with all the effect they
are so we'll prepared to produce.
ATT o'clock this evening there will
be the usual Friday exercises, consist
ing of the Recitation of the Stations.
or the Way of the Cross, concluding
with the benediction of the Holy
Sacrament. These exercises will be
observed every Friday evening during
Lent. Also on every Wednesday even
ing, at 7 O'Clock, there will be SER