The Jersey City news., 1891-09-14
ST. JOSEPH'S SCHOOL.
Laying the Corner Stone
of the New Building.
BISHOP WIGGER'S BLESSING.
Rev. Father Kelly Says the Method
lists Have Joined the Catholics
in Demanding Religious
Education.
BISHOP WIGGER'S BLESSING.


There are new Catholic schools spring.
in5 up at intervals in all parts Of the
country, and 1t is evident that the Catho-
lie pastors are doing their utmost to
carry out the wishes Of Bishop Wigger,
and the last Plenary Council by erecting
parochial schools. Yesterday the corner
stone Of another handsome educational
institution in this city was laid with i'm
pressive ceremonies. The structure is an
adjunct to the parochial school Of st.
Joseph's. on the Heights, and will be
known as Peacock Hall.
Long ago the priests of the parish felt
the necessity for more school accommo-
tions, but it was only recently thaG they
decided to erect another edif1ce. The
building is about hslf completed, and
yesterday afternoon at four o'clock was
the time set for the cornerstone laying.
Shortly after three O'Clock Bishop Wig
ger arrived at the parsonage Sew
eral priests from different churches in
the city had preceded him. Among them
were the Rev. Father Corr, ,'of st. Brid-
gets; Father Cassidy, OF st. Peters;
Fathor Kelly, of ST. Mary's. and Father
received by Mgr. Seton and Fathers
Smith and McHale.
At half-past three o'clock procession
was formed in the church. 1t was headed
by several war veterans, who carried the
national colors. Then came the Infantile
Society of st. Joseph, st. Joseph's Choir
and the Children of Mary. The procession
moved toward the new building, the
Bishop and visiting clergYmen following.
The choir chanted hymns aud the scene
was highly impressive. The sidewalks in
the vicinity were crowded.
PROBLEMS OF THE CENTURIES.
Arriving at the building the different
societies were seated, and after a hymn
the Bishop sprinkled the building. Then
the corner stone was put in position.
Some documents of the church were
placed IL the receptacle, and the stone
was laid, the Bishop making the sign of
the cross at each corner with a trowel.
The choir chanted another hymn, and
then the Rev. Father Kelly spoke. Among
other things he said:-
SIN every century there is some problem
which, by It's magnitude and the atten-
tion paid to 1t, becomes the problem of
that century. We have problem to
solve in this century. 1t is a problem on
which innumerable newspaper editorials
have been written; learned men have
made it theme for discussion, AMI pam
phlet after pamphlet has been printed
on the subject. The problem of which l
speak is education.
"The Catholic Church maintains that
there can be no proper education unless
religion becomes part OF the daily stud
| les, and to that end the last Pleuary Coun-
Gil which met in Baltimore realized the
necessity Of properly educating the chill
dren of the Catholic Church. One of the
most important rules adopted at the ses-
-. .1rtI& IL 1x,xIx L.
which makes it compulsory for every
| Catholic parish to have par
ochial shooI. No matter how
poor the parish, how humble
looking the church edifice. the
school was an absolute necessity. This
rule of the Plenary Council was brought
about by the observance of the manner in
which the young are educated in the pub
| lie schools. IL was observed that there
was tendency among the coming gener
alton to materialism.
OTHER DENOMINATIONS CONCERNED.
.'The Cathoiic Church is not the only
| denomination that has noticed this drift
to materialism. At recent Methodist
convention the subject was brought up
and ably discussed. In Wisconsin there
are more Lutheran schools than any
other"
Father Kelly then went on to say that
the Catholics were liberty loving people
ana ne pointed 10 one Oh IHe American
flags that adorned the platform.
But" he continued, II MAINTAIN that
education is one of the means by which
religion is acquired, and that religion
should not be divorced from education,
and the Catholic Church takes upon itself
the responsibility OF solving the problem
by uniting religion and educa-
tion. Our schools will be so con-
Quoted as to be pervaded
with q religious atmospere. Religion
will be In our object lessons. and re-
| lipious subjects will at all times be intro
duced in the studies. We have 270O0
scholars attending our parochial schools
| in the Diocese of Newark now, and the
number of schools and scholars are daily
increasing"
The speaker concluded his remarks by
saying that in the impending social
struggle which Is drawing nearer and
nearer, the Catholic Church would stand
like bulwark and stay the maddening
throng as she had done in the past ages,
The Catholic Church saw the beginning,
and she would see the end.
After Father Kelly's address the pro-
cession marched to the church and the
ceremonies were at m end. Peacock
Hall will be fine building 1t will be of
brick, two stories IN height. On the
ground floor will be ten class rooms
which will be in charge of six sisters and
four lay teachers. The other floor will be
fitted up as parish hall IN which will be
given church entertainments and fairs.