The morning call., 1893-04-13
AT ST. JOSEPH'S.
Impressive Ceremonies of
Confirmation.
Over Eleven Hundred Young People
Are Consecrated by His Grace
Archbishop Riordan.

Yesterday was a special holiday at st.
Joseph's Church and the services were con-
Quoted on scale of magnilcenee seldom
witnessed in the Roman Catholic church,
except at Christmas and Easter. The oc-
casion was the first communion and con-
firmation of large number OF the young
parishioners.
In fact st. Joseph's parish feels especially
proud of yesterday. for it is claimed that
the largest number received first COM
munion and more were confirmed than ever
before in one day at any church in this city,
AT o'clock in the mcrning over 600
children received their first communion,
while over thirty adults also partook of the
blessed sacrament for the first time.
AT 10 o'clock the con tirmation mass be-.
gan. The entire body of the church was
filled with the applicants for confirmation.
The girls were robed in white with long
walls and white gloves. Many of them
wore white silk, surah or tulle and wreathes
of orange blossoms or natural flowers. The
boys wore white silk streameTs on the arm,
large pink rosette in the lapel and white
gloves.
There were fully 300 young people who
were confirmed. equally divided as 10 sex.
Twelve ladies and fourteen men were also
confirmed
The church was beautifully decorated.
Hundreds Of lights were ablaze on the altar
and Gala lilies were abundant The altar
was thronged. Twenty five acolytes robed
railing. Archbishop Riordan and seven
priests were within the Enclosure before the
altar.
Father McCue was eelebrant, Father
Smith deacon and Father Dillon sub-deacon.
Vcar-General PrenderGast, Father Kirby
and Father Scanlan were also at the altar.
The choir, under the direction of the
organlst, j. O'Sulliyan. was re-enforced by
large chorus, and sang Mercadante's third
mass. At the offertOrY was the "Sit NOmen
Domini," for four voices, by Cagliero. The
sopranos were Miss Crawford and Miss
Nellie Giusti; altos, Mrs. Thomas Gibson
and Miss Anna Danke; tenor, Arthur Mess
mer; basso, J. c. Hughes.
Before confirmation the Archbishop de-
livered forcible sermon to the immense
congregation. Archbishop Riordan donned
his confirmation robe of yellow satin, his
white miter, and carrying his golden crook
in his right hand proceeded TO confirm.
Fathers Kirby and Smith waited on him.
The sponsors for the boys were L.. Colder
and ID. Fitzgerald. and Miss A. st. Clair
and Miss NJ Bolger acted in the same ca
pacity for the girls.
Despite the large number who were con-
frmed there was not the least confusion.
The boys were thoroughly trained by the
Brothers Of Mary, under the head of
Brother Albert principal of ST. JOseph's
school. Brothers Lewis and Anthony
Holy Family trained the girls.
In the center aisle row of boys stood
against the pews on each side. while two by
two the first applicants proceeded to the
altar between the files. They all knelt at
the altar rail until the entire division was
onfrmed. At given signal the body rose,
then bended the knee and facing about re-
turned to their seats as regular as a calls
thenic exercise.
The marching of tho girls to the altar pre-
sented strikingly beautiful spectacle Tie
files were arranged the same as the boys.
The tactics were the same after con firma-
tion also, and the happy maidens returned
to their seats with their hands folded verti-
cally, while their eyes. looking upward
impressed the spectators how pure and holy
they felt.
The ladies were the last 10 he confirmed.
Among them was a middle-aged lady in
the deepest black. who seemed tc cast q
shadow over the pure white of the maids.
One of the men who were confirmed was
baptized yesterday morning. received COM
munon half hour later and the principal
indulgence later on.
Before the close of the services Archbishop
Riordan spoke impressiyely to his newly
made soldiers.