The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1886-12-02
ST. BONIFACE CHURCH.

As announced last week the new 81
Boniface Catholic church of this city wa
solemnly consecrated to the service o
God on Thanksgiving Day. The impos
| ing ceremony of conservation was per
formed in person by his Grace Mos
Rev. NJ. Heiss, Archbishop of Milwau-
kee, assisted by about Is clergymen who
had been invited by the pastor of the
church to attend. The immediate assist
ants of his grace were Rev. Charles
Fessler, President of Pho Mono College,
and Rev. Edward Pitt of Meme. The
master of ceremonies was Rev. NJ. Birk-
heiser of Racine, and under his efficient
direction the ceremonies were smoothly
and impressively performed.
The morning opened finely and at s
O'Clock the ceremony of blessing the
exterior walls of the church began. A
procession was formed by the Archbishop
and attendant clergy, and the circuit of
the church was made. On the first cir
cult the foundation was blessed, on the
second the main walls and on the final
round the upper walls and roof of the
edItlce. At each circuit e3mittance to
the church was demanded and by the
deacon In charge inside was refused till
at the last circuit the Archbishop made
an imperative demand to be admitted in
the name of the Lord whom he repre-
scented and on the demand he and attend
ing priests were admitted. The blessing
OF the interior then took place with Ell the
rites prescribed by the ritual of the
Roman church, and all the ceremonies
were very impressive and full of meaning
to those versed in the ritual of the
Catholic church.
About 10 o'clock those having tickets,
were admitted to the gallery, and those
then present had the pleasure of witness
ing the closing ceremonies of the con-
secration proper. At 1870 the doors
were thrown open, the societies entering
by the side doors and occupying the side
aisles, and the main body of the people
filling the center of the large auditorium.
1t is estimated that over 1000 people
were present. High mass was then cele-
brated with Deacon and Sub-Deacon,
Rev. ". G. Miller of Waukesha being
the officiating priest. After the gospel,
Rev. ii. j. Albers of Racine preached a
very impressive sermon in German.
Rev. p. 81. Durnin of Racine then
delivered the English sermon. He drew
picture in beautiful and eloquent Ian
guage, of the relation of the church to
the life of the individual and showed
how, from the cradle to the grave, the
church cared for, and offered consolation
to her children. 1t was in the church
that the babe received the having waters
of baptism that made it a child of grace
alterward it was in the church that after
instruction the child now grown to rea-
sen received grace and strength by con-
tirmation to keep firm in the faith and
be soldier of the cross;-again within
its walls the priest of God blessed the
newly married couple, and again through
life, if her members CHANGED to fall, it
was within her walls that the sinner
found consolation and forgiveness; after
all when lifes ftful fever was over, it
was to the church the poor mortal body
was brought, and thence sent with bene-
diction to its hallowed resting place.
At the conclusion of the services the
Archbishop gave his blessing to all the
assembled people and the services then
concluded. ~