The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-22
ORDINATION
OF A PRIEST.
An Unusual Ceremony at st.
Mary's Cathedral.
a Youthful Cleric Invested With the Priestly
Functions of the Rites.
Brief Biography.

One OF the most beautiful ceremonies OF
the Catholic Church was perform ed yester-
day morning at ST. Marks Cathedral,
where Brother Bertrand, as he was known
in religion, was ordained to the priesthood
by Archbishop Riordan.
Though the ceremony took place at the
early hour of O'clock, the handsome edi6ce
was well filed with worshipers, among
whom were representatives from the
monastic orders, the converts, Christian
Brothers, together with the relations and
friends of the young cleric and members of
most OF the prominent Catholic families in
the parish.
When the hour arrived for the begin ming
OF the ceremony procession of altar-b0yS,
in handsome purple cassocks and white
lace Surplces, entered the sanctuary, closely
followed by the young aspirant for priestly
honors, number of attendant clergymen,
the two masters of ceremonies aud his
Grace the Archbishop, in full canonicals
Brother Bertrand's robes were those Of
deacon, minus the dalmatic, while in out
stretched arms he carried the prIestly vest
ment, or chaSuble, and a lighted waXen
taper.
HoMILY ADDRESSED.
After the opening verses and responses of
the Bishops mass the Archbishop assembled
the altar, and seating himself on a fald-
stool addressed homlly to the young dee-
con ON the dignity and responsibilities of
the high office to which he aspired and the
sOlemnity of the step he was aboutt to take.
At the conclusion Of the address Brother
Bertrand Frustrated himself upon the floor
of the sanctuary, while the Archbishop,
turning to the altar reeited the Lltany of
the Saints, at the close OF which one OF the
attendant priests, III loud voice, called the
deacon by name. Thereupon the poStuant
arose, went forward and knelJ at tine cele-
Drants feet; the Neni Creator was recited,
the Archbishop and attending clergy laid
their bands upon the pos tulauts head, and
afterward, with uplifted hands, invoked the
divine blessing upon him.
Ills hands were then bound and anointed
with the conSecrated oils; his deacon'S stole
was removed and placed upon him in the
priestly fashion, and the chasuble, which lie
carried into the sanctuary, was placed upon
him, the back being pinned up half way to
show that, though ordained, he was not yet
fully invested with the insignia of his
order.
PARTICIPATED IN THE MASS.
Descending to his former position at the
foot of the altar, the young priest partici-
pated in the celebration of the mass, which
the Archbishop then resumed, in an audible
voice. Two hosts were c0nSecrated one OF
which the newly ordained clergyman par
took of at the communion. His chasuble
was then unpinned, the mass was finished
the canonlcal privileges were conferred
upon him, and the ceremony was over.
turned to the altar rail and bestowed his
blessing by the imposition of hands upon
the heads of those who asked it His father
was the trsg one to kneel before MIN, then
his brothers, auntS, cousins and other rela-
tives, and, finally, the congregation at
large.
Father Bertrand is one of the six sons of
Cornelius Martin. the well-knOwn Inspector
OF Hacks, and nephew of the late John
Martin at one time President OF the Port
arf1a Ia j. a ~fVn Of lTs pif n
received his secular education here, hrst in
the Valencia street Grammar School, and
afterward III the Sacred Heart College. In
1888, feeling that he had a vocation Tor tie
religious life, lie applied for admission to
the Dominican order, and was sent to
Benca, where he passed twelyemOn.h as
a poStulant.
BECAME A SCHOLASTIC
In 1884 he became a novice, and year
later, after passing through the trials of
the probationary period. lie took the three
vows OF poverty, chastity and obedience,
and thereupon became scholastic of the
order His philosophical aud Theological
course then began, and was pursued with
such untiring zeal that he received all of the
minor orders and the Snb-diacOnate in June,
1889.
In May, 1890, he was ordained deacon,
and yesterday, though year under the
canonical age, he was, by special dispense
ton from Rome, endowed with the full
powers OIL INC pTlBSluOOu. he HAS JUST nj
tanned the age Of %, put looks many years
younger.
To-day Father Bertrand will celebrate
his first mass at the Dominican Church. on
Bush and Steiner streets. After that lie
may be located there for time, but he will
be entirely subject TO the will of his superb
ors and IS liable at any moment tn be sent
wherever the good of religion or the inter-
ests of his order require.
PRESENT AT THE CEREMONY.
Among the clergy and religious who at
tended the ceremony were the Masters of
Ceremonies. Rev. George Montgomery and
Rev. William p. Kirby Father Alphonsus
Riley, o. p, Father Augustine Nrtterville,
o. p. Rev. J. f. McGnty. Rev. p. X.
Lynch, Rev. L. J. Doran, Bro Their Anth ony,
Sisters Of the Holy Family and Sisters of
St. Dominick from Vallejo, San Rafael. st.
Vincents Orphanage and the converts of
this ely.
Except in cases of urgency, canon law
requires that ordinations shall take place
either ON an ember day or the first Of one of
the Apostles. AS yesterday was an ember
day, tire ceremony came within the rule and
was not affected by the special dispensation,
which merely had reference to the age OF
the applicant for holy orders.