The morning call., 1893-07-10

History of St. Francis de Sales.
About seven and half years ago. or. to
be exact. on the 9th day of February. 1886,
Rev. Father Thomas McSweeny received
his appointment from the Archbishop rs
rector of a new parish in Oakland under
the titular name of St. Francis de Sales.
Up 10 that time there had been only three
parishes in Oakland, viz: the pioneer
church OF Rev. Father King on Seventh
and Jefferson streets. Father McNally's
church in West Oakland and the Sacred
Heart Church OF Rev. Father Serbia in
Temescal. Oakland was growing largely
in the direction of Twenty-frst street, and
the Catholics there had either to come
down to Seventh street or go out to Forti-
eth street to hear mass. So portions were
judiciously clipped from each of the three
existing parishes and Rev. Father Thomas
Ambrose McSweeny was installed as
rector of the new parish, bounded by
Fourteenth street, Twenty-eighth street
and the bay. with large congregation but
no church or school buildings MIR. Hani-
fin had just completed the Hanitin Block
on Nineteeth street and San Pablo avenue.
and the studding- pOsts were all In In the
second story for the subdivision OF rooms.
passages and Railways.
A lease was secured from him for
year, an organ bought. temporary altar
erected, and the unfinished hall converted
into church within fourteen days. A
number OF pews from all old, dismantled
church in San Francisco were bought for
song, and on Sunday, the 21st Of February,
1886, the first mass was sung IN the build
ing A week later meeting was held un-
der the auspices of the Archbishop, and
contributions invited from all the Catholics
in Oakland. On the strength of these
ground was bought at the intersection of
Hobart and Grove streets, the latter street
not vet having been opened, and $4,000
having been promised, between S14. 900
and $4,000 was invested in land. A tenn
porary church and schools we're erected,
and later on superb clergy house was
added, at cost of about $4,000. Mass
February. 1887. the Archbishop being pres
ent. The first choir consisted of
Miss May Yose, the niece of Mrs.
Canning; Mr.. Griffin, Miss Matthews.
and ID. w. c. Nesfield, organist.
The same choir. with several additions,
sang the first mass in the new buildings.
which will be used exclusively as school
and hall for meetings and entertain
ments. The architect was Mr.. Walsh,
who built a similar church on the same
plan at Eighteenth and Guerrero streets in
this city. Fairs were hello every year for
the benefit OF the church funds. and the
popularity of Father McSweeny helped
largely to swell their results. More land
was purchased on Hobart street until
for the new church solemnly dedicated
yesterday. Then it was found necessary
to move the clergy-house on TO the new lot
secured, and the foundation of the
new church was laid. as fully described in
The CALL at the time.
The mysterious gift of $4,000 was the
nucleus Of the endowment of the new
S25, 900 and $4,000 brought the sum total
up To the amount necessary to com plete
the building. The other muniflcent gifts
of organ, stations of the cross, painting,
sanctuary furniture. windows, bell. etc.
given in detail elsewhere, LETT a perfectly
equipped chance nave and transept.
with no debt to meet, and nothing
to be desired The last fair was
held in the roughly unfinished church In
October last. 1t netted some $4,000 and
the money was used to pay off mortgage
on the temporary church and real estate
connected with it. This is the last fair
Htat will ever be held in st. Francis de
Sales Church. the Archbishop and Father
McSweeny both being Of the opinion that
such methods of raising money should only
be resorted to in cases OF necessity and
when other means for obtaining funds are
unavailable 1t will be seen therefore that
in the short space OF seven years and a
half that Father McSweeny has succeeded
in erecting church buildings and clergy.
house and has acquired real estate for the
archdiocese, the total value Of which is
not less than S225.O0O. The girls schools
are served by the sisters from the Convent
of the Holy Names on Webster street and
Lake Merritt. The Christian Brothers
conduct the boys department. There is
no more beautifully arranged church prop
erty this side Of the Rocky Mountains and
the completion OF the Work yesterday
crowns an enterprise which, commencing
at nothing. has given to Oakland church
more beautiful and more completely
adorned than many Of the cathedrals OF
the Old World.
Father McSweeBev was for many years
senior assistant of Father Kings parish.
being transferred there from st. Mary's
Cathedral by the late Archbishop Ale
many. During his term OF service In San
Francisco he was all through the smallpox
epidemic, visiting the hospital daily and
caring for the sick. hearing their COMES
sions and an ointng their bodies for death.
He is still young man. having been born
in Waterford, Ireland. about forty years
ago. Like his superior. Archbishop Rior-
dan. he has given his youth and his early
manhood, with all its vigor, to the church
and the cathedral on Van Ness avenue and
the church on Hobart street and Sau Pabl o
avenue, Will be undying monuments to the
energy and indomitable perseverance Of
both ecclesiastics in time to come.
The VeSper Service.
The solemn dedicatory services OF the
new Church of st. Francis de Sales were
appropriately concluded last night by the
celebration of pontifcal vespers. Father
McSweeney was the celebrant, and he was
assisted by Fathers Kirby and Byrnes.
The same choir and orchestra that rem
dered the music for the morning services
were present.
The vespers began at 1880 o'clock In the
presence of an immense concourse. Peo-
pie were standing In the aisles, and as the
exercises proceeded large numbers were
turned away. The numbers sung by the
choir were Rosewig's vespers. Stearns'
magnifcat rigas, "Tantum Ergo" and
''Veni Creator"
Father Montgomery Of. San Francisco
preached the serm on. He spoke for over
an hour on the subject OF the church's in
fuence on everyday life. He said there
was dual life in every man-that OF the
body and the soul. These two existences
were separate, and yet interacting. The
principles of the Ten Commandments have
always existed. They teach that the