The sun., 1889-11-11
THE CATHOLIC CENTENNIAL.
,rposING OPENING OF THE CELEBRA-
TION At BALTIMORE

An IuAuense ThronE VVItnessss the Process.
siou-Two Cardinals In Scarlet Robes
and Hundreds or white Glad Clergy
wnIkInRTvo-aad.tWo- Fapnl Colors
and the Stars and Stripes IatsF1aInsleS-
Impressive Scene In the Great Cathedral
BALTIMORE, Nov. IO.-With all the pompan
csremony that usually attend its great Church
festivals. the American Catholic hierarchy to-
day inaugurated the celebration OF its CEN
tennIaL Months OF time and labor had been
o1pended to make this the crowning exhibition
al the Church's growth and prosperity, but
M to o'clock this morning It was greatly
feared that the clements would prevent the
open-air demonstration. By 8 o'clock, how
ever, nature again smiled. All signs Of rain
had disappeared. and the sun shone brightly
from clear blue sky. 1t was just such day
as one would have selected for an outing. and
the faithful sons Of the Church. who had as
sembled to witness the pageant. accepted the
sudden change as an omen portending its con-
t,nued success and prosperity.
Monsignor McCullen. who had arranged the
programme. was probably moro interested In
the success OF the demonstration than all
others, and was therefore correspondinRly
happy. He was among the FIRST to move about
in the archiepiscopal residence, and long be-
fore the procession was formed was fitting
about giving instructions to his brother pre-
lstes aud posting his subordinates. With his
customary exactness, he paid due attention to
the details, and when the hour arrived for the
great celebration to begin he felt assured that
his labors would he crowned with success. He
had earned the reputation Of being the great
est organizer and manager in the Catholic
Church. and In measure. owed his elevation
10 this fact, and 1t was therefore with pardona-
bic anxiety that he awaited the result OF his
work on this occasion.
To his great Joy everything passed of as he
had planned. Nothing occurred to mar the
programme from beginning to end. The
demonstration was pronounced success. and
ceremonies is tonight more than satisfied with
himself and the world at large.
Ten o'clock was the hour named for begin
ming the celebration, but at o'clock people
had already begun to collect about the cathe-
dral. and soon the squares bounding the
church and the Archbishop's residence was
thronged with men. women. and children.
From every section Of the city they came eager
to obtain glimpse OF the distinguished church,
men who were to take part In the procession.
Admission to the cathedral was obtained by
card only. so that not one-fiftieth part OF
those who had collected could even hope to
obtain more than passing look. Even hun
dreds OF strangers who had come from afar
were forced to content themselves with seeing
the procession. The cathedral was not sufii-
ciently roomy to accommodate others than the
distinguished guests. the pewholders and the
clergy. It will comfortably seat about 1,400
people. but in an emergency, by clever dis
tribution OF space. about 5000 can be accommo-
dated. So great was the demand for tickets.
hovoyne that khnca having the altar in
charge were unable to resist the pressure. and
about 5000 Of the desired pasteboards found
their way among the public.
Tho result was that many were unable to OBJ
tain admission. Those who came early Jared
best, and as these were as O rule residents.
the strangers suffered most. The space mapped
out for the clergy by the master Of ceremonies
could not be encroached upon. and as those Of
minor orders were provided with seats in the
aisles. only the pews were open to the public.
Those were quickly filed. and by 1880 o'clock
everything was ready for the celebration.
The tolling of the cathedral bell notified
those within and without that the procession
was about to start. and with the aid OF the po-
lice o path was opened from the residence to
the door Of the church.
The cross bearer. fanked on either side by
the Rev. Fathers Whelan and Reardon. the
the way. followed by the priests and semina-
rians. invested In cassocks and surplices.
There were fully 400 OF these In line. Then
came the Franciscan. Dominican. and Bene-
dictine frlars, wearing the yestments OF their
orders. The prelates and the chaplatns were
next in line. the MonsiRnor preced Ing the
Bishops and Archbishops, the latter OF whom
we're each accompanied by train bearers. The
sc sSScli. t. the % %Papai iegSte. Who walked immedi-
ately before the Cardinals attended by mon
signor and his secretary. DR.. Howlstt
bearer closed the procession; These distin-
9aa1e EgiShed ehurShmen TSIo attired In full pom
Wes1Sr he ha Gbiae esmine Cane indiea;ine 5s
rank as Primate OF the Catholic Church Of
America and the ruler Of the archdiocese In
train bearers attended each, and as they slowly
yalked through the dense thronR those OF the
eoa 9Tg f6e
P9pal fags, acted as escort.
Meanwhile the master OF ceremonies. at
awaited the head Of the procession at the
centre door of the cathedral At o given signal
@ 9i sSty 1s
Asger Hamenk. and the clergy slowly hled in.
As they entered the priests were paired of and
ranks and permitted the prelates to make their
way to the sanctuary. Here the master OF !
se G ~ sponies rs ASSIGNED the Archbshops, Bishops.
slightest delay. Room had been provided for |
each and every one. and within ten minutes |
after the head OF the limo had entered all the |
clergy were seated. The two Cardinals were |
among the last to take their places,
AZ they advanced into the sanctuary they |
mado genuhexion. and then bowling to each |
other walked up the few steps that led to their |
respective thrones. The scene as viewed at |
this time from the auditorium was one long to |
be remembered. The appearance OF the pre- |
lates was not so striking, as at the time OF the
Plenary Council. when all were attired in full
ponthcals, but the grouping OF the cOlors had |
evidently been designed by an eye for the
), The bishops were massed on either side Of
inc sanctuary In amphitheatrical order, ac-
cordiDg to their seniority from the top down.
10 their left and facing the auditorium, from
their thrones sat the two Cardinals, while the
Arehbishops were seated on either side OF the |
Altar. facing each other. Away TO the rear, on |
ths right was the seminary choir of forty
voices. who sang the Gregorian proper OF the
mass. and on the extreme left, attired In pure
white. We're the seminRrians. AS already said.
none OF the prelates excepting the Cardinals
End the celebrants OF the mass. was atttred in
Dontlficals. Church law and etiquette forbid |
visiting prelato appearing In the yestments
lenotinR his authority when the gathering ls
not strictly Of business character. as In the
pose OF the Plenary Council
). This celebration, though OF NATIONAL impor-
lance to the Church. Is still, stEictly speaking
local one. and as Cardinal Gibbons is the