The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-29
OLD ST. MARY'S.s
It's Decadence Since The Opening
of the New Church.
Shall 1t Remain Open or Be Closed Forever
Archbishop Riordan Leaves the De-
eision to the People.

Archbishop Riordan paid his first official
visit yesterday TO st. Mary's Church, on
California street, since it was stripped of
the glories of cathedralhood, and at the two
principal morning services addressed the
remnants OF the old con gregatin.
In its diminished splendors. lack of sup
port and dwindling attendance his Grace
found much to comment upon and the cas-
ual visitor much to regret. With the disap-
pearance of the p0mp and ceremony of the
Epsc0pate TO the new edifce on Van Ness
avenue, followed by the removal of the
pew-hOlders to that splendid sanctuary. the
old church, venerable from its associations,
has been neglected by the great mass of
Catholics. But fragment of its previous
large congregation now remains to it, and
even this is cut into to a great extent by the
presence of the Spanish and French churches
W thin the parish lines and the attendance
at the services there of the foreign-speaking
population residing in the district.
When the Archbishop assembled the pull
pit at the last mass he read the epistIe and
gospel of the day, the sixth Sunday after
PentecnSt. Then, laying down his msSal
and gancing around at the half empty pews
before him, he said it gave him great pleas
ure to meet this congregation In tie old
church so dear to the memory of the people
OF this city, He had promised himself that
pleasure ever since the opening Of the new
cathedral. but he had been very busy since
the advent of the new pastor and this was
his first opportunity to come before them.
NO REVENUE.
With that explanation his Grace told the
congregation that he intended to speak to
them frankly and freely upon what must be
done TO enable the pastor TO keep the church
N hon IaIt fnr hA maui
cathedral" he said, ''iL was question with
us whether it would be possible to keep
open the cid one. There are 50 few Cath0-
lies in the district We feared it would be too
much OF burden upon them, but, after Con-
sideratiOn, we deemed il advisable to give it
trial, and it was therefore provided with
pastor and an assistant pastor
Nv hen the pew holders who had previously
sustained it went to the new church, how
ever, they left the old church without rev.
enue TO support 1t. The pews have been
practically IDLE since. ara We feel that some
system will have TO be devised whereby the
people who come here Sunday after Sunday
and yet rent no pew shall be obliged to con-
tribute to the support OF the church. Pew
rents have already been very materially re-
duced so as 10 come within the means Of ALL
aud it is earnestly urged that those who are
able to do so shall rent them n whole or IN
part or even in single seats"
The Archbishop then placed the peOule's
responsibility IN the matter clearly before
them, urged that all should consider the
matter personal one, and that none should
shirk their obligation But $1,000 a year is
needed to keep the building open, he sad
and if all fulfill the duty they owe to re-
ligIOn, society aud morality it viii not prove
burdensome To any.
AN ALTERNATIVE.
II success does not follow this appeal
there is another alternative that lie has adj
YiSed the pastor to adOpt-one that is very
general elsewhere, but is not the Gust ON
here-the making of a charge for the use of
peWS at all the services II is but Just that
those who avail themselves of the church
privileges should pay for the accOmmoda-
ton, and If they are not disposed TO do so
by the year or quarter the church has no
objection to permitting them to do so from
Sunday to Sunday. 1t is really the same
thing in the end, but he would prefer not
to introduce the plan here If 1t can possibly
be avoided.
Should the method fail to secure revenue
sufficient to keep the church open, the
Archbishop warned the congregation that
there was no other alternative left that the
venerable building should have TO be closed.
and closed forever. He hoped such a con-
tingenCy would never arise aud that the
word Of God would continue to be taught
and preached within its sacred walls as
heretofore.
In closing his remarks the Archbishop
said that the EngiSh-spcaking children Of
the district must attend the chidren's mass
and Sunday school III this church only, and
not the services OF the French, German or
Spanish churches, where they cannot under
stand the instructions. In future ne would
refuse TO confirm any children of the parish
who aid not obey this rule