Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-12
A PRELATE'S BURIAL.
The Mortal Remains of John
Tuigg Laid at Rest.
SUNLIGHT PLAYED ON HIM.
Bishop Mullen's Eloquent Tribute to
the Departed,
CARDINAL AND CLERGY PRESENT

The remains of the late Bishop Tuigg
were laid to rest yesterday in the Catholic
cemetery at Altoona. The ceremony drew
together the greatest funeral concourse ever
witnessed in Western Pennsylvania. In
ecclesiastical circles it was the most solemn
and impressive funeral service ever held in
the Pittsburg diocese.
1t was attended by one cardinal, one
archbishop, five bishops, about 100 priests
and the same number of nuns.
All Altoona wore the somber hue OF
black. Every business block, every public
building, tine city Offices stores, shops. ETC.,
were all draped in Grape. Work had been
suspended in most of the shops and the ma
jority of business houses and stores were
closed. The quietude of the city showed the
general regard in which the late bishop was
held by Catholic and Protestant alike.
The services in St. Johns Church were
scheduled for 10 o'clock. Two hours before
that time, there was a crowd of over 500
people jostling in front of the church wait
ing for the doors to be opened. When the
main entrance was opened there was a rush
for seats and the ushers were unable to con-
troll the vast crowd that thronged the build
ing. Seats had been reserved for the pail
bearers, clergy, etc., and many of these
were taken by the crowd eager to witness
the ceremonies.
THE CLERGY PRESENT.
At $50 O'Clock the clergy of the diocese
filed in and took the seats reserved for them
in front of the altar. Among them were:
The Rev. Fathers Sheedy McTighe, Werten-
bach. Of Braddock; McKeen. of Lat-obe
Hickey, of Braddock; McTighe, COrcOran1,
Devlin, Carroll, Guido, Coyne, NesOn,
Gallagher, Maladev, Willms Kenna. of Leisen-
ring; Brady. Of Freeport; Ward, Kaufman,
TObin, Fleednger, of Mansfield; Cosgrove,
Winters, of Scranton; Welsh. of Oakland;
KeDnoy, of Broadhead; Schram, Farren, of
Cambria City; Tenancy. of Johnstown; Kittell,
OCOnnell, of Bedford; Gutter, of Mansfield;
Ryan, Magher, of Ridgeway; McDevitt Of
Braddock; Dunn, Of Braddock; Briley, Smith,
of Ebensburg; Rosensteel of Ashville; Nc
Hugh, of Willmore; Bush. of Loretto: Boyle.
of Gallitzin; Nolen, of McKeesport; McCourt.
of Elizabeth; Lambing, Christopher ana many
others.
UPON THE CATAFALoUE.
The body of Bishop Tuigg was exposed to
view in the center of the church in front of
the main altar. 1t rested on a dark purple
catafalque on a raised platform, set on the
tops of the pewS. The late prelate was
dressed in his full canonicals, consisting of
the purple mitre, purple cap and shoes.
Around the body at the edge of the platform
were six immense candles. AT the head, on
both sides, were trees of lighted tapers. At
the lower end OF the platform were four i'm
mense floral offerings. They were a column,
wreath, pillow and crossA In the center of
the platform were two baskets of cut flowers.
offered by the school children. Two Of the
officers of the church acted as sentries around
the body.
The first peep inside the church gave one
q creeping sensation of death. Everything
was draped with funereal black. The affairs,
crucifxes, stations of the cross, choir gal
lery. etc, we're covered with the dark cloth.
Broad streamers of Grape hung from the
spires of the altars to the top of the sacristv.
The pulpit was looped with it. Graceful
festoons OF black cloth surmounted the fig
ures and images of the saints! The massive
candlesticks on the platform where the
body lay were also covered with the Grape.
Over the main altar and in the center of the
church hing pendant from the ceiling the
words "Rest in Peace" worked in immor-
telles. The letters were almost a foot in
height.
THE OFFICES OF TEE DEAD.
After taking their seats outside the altar
railing, the priests began the chanting of
their Office. When they entered the church
it was so dark and gloomy that the gas had
to be lighted. All morning it had been
dismal outside, with slight sprinkle of
rain descending. When the response to the
chant came from the throats of the five score
of priests, a food OF sunlight filed the
church. 1t struck the stained glass win
halo showing the many colors of the rain
bow around the body of the dead Bishop.
The light danced and played upon the win
dows and the sudden transformation from
gloom to sunshine had remarkable effect
upon the feelings of the persons in the
church. 1t was curious circumstance that
the sun continued to shine until alter the
ceremonies, when the rain again commenced
to fall
At 1920 the solemn procession of Bishops
appeared at the side entrance and marched
to the altar. The prelates were Rt. Rev.
Bishops Phelan, MeGovern, of Harrisburg;
Mullen, of Erie; Kane, of Wheeling;
O'Hara, of Scranton; Archbishop RYAN. OF
Philadelphia, and in the rear came Cardinal
Gibbons, walking with his customary digni-
fed bearing.
THE REQUIEM BEGUN.
y pom bdkl0g LDelf S6dIS lnSlQe the altar
rail, solemn pontifeal requiem was begun.
Bishop PhelaR was the celebrant. Very
Rev. Father Wall, of ST. Paul's Cathedral
was the arch deacon; Father Tobin, deacon:
Father Duffner was sub deacon;' Father
Canevin master of ceremonies, and Father
Kittell, of Tyrone, assisted. Bishop Mullen
preached the sermon. He said:
When l say that this is a sad and solemn oc-
casion say II from the bottom of nv heart /
say 1t because many are here to deplore the
loss of one whom we loved and esteemed for
almost half century. 1t is a solemn occasion
because we invoke the mercy of God on the
soul before US. The first words we
hnd in the gospel used for the Saint
Of this day are. watch because you know not
here how soon the Son of Man may Gomez
This is a solemn warning given by Jesus Christ
himself, and intended for all classes; the laity
well as the clergy.
Why should we watch? The reason is given
by God himself We know not the hour the |
living viii be judged by the dead. God comes
to-day for one, tomorrow He will come for |
another, in the end for us all sooner or later
II You fail to watch you will lose all a loss
never to be repaired. Watch, therefore, be-
cause you Know not the hour or minute your
Lord viii call you.
TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD.
OF my dead friend here, can saw he was |
continually on the watch and had himself on |
all occasions ready for his Master to come an |
Judge linn. From his boyhood to the last NOM |
ent of his earthly existence he was watching |
for the summons. he felt at an early period Of |
his career a call for the priesthood, He then /
pursued as tudy of the classics. Having acquired
this he looked for q college where he could |
complete his studies. He caught the spirit of |
his Maker. A spirit that is still alive. He felt
that his life was not destined for home work /
and desired to be sent where he could instill /
into people the teachings of Christ.
remember him at All Hallows College near
Dullin. where all the students expect to exercise
lhe functions of the ministry, not in their ma
tive land. but in foreign countries. While there
he met the first bishoD of PittshurO who woe