The herald., 1893-07-10
THE new CHURCH AT WHITTIER
The Catholics Dedicate Their
Place OF Worship.
\ Large Attendance of Ecclesiastical
Dignftaries.
TheIwprespve eCeremonies--Rsv. Father
Fitzgcpald's Sermon on the
Strength Of the Church.
The Choir. N ~ .

~~ssSA~oy VSo q lcyoob ooJ ~ " ~-es
tier, the occasion being the celebration
Of the dedication Of the new Catholic
church at that beautiful little village. A
special train Of nine cars carried fully
1000 participsnts'in the festivities. COM
posed'of members OF the clergy OF this
city and different civic and religious go
cieties. st. Joseph's Verein and the A..
o, II. orders were out in full force and
regalia, headed by brass band.
On the arrival Of the train at Whit
tier, q detachment Of The state school
military company acted as Escort and
heading the procession, marched to the
church, followed by the Catholic
Knights OF America, W.. H. Wheeler,
president; A. O. H., @. HickHon, presi-
don't; L. @. B, S., w. III. Wheeler, pres
ident, and St. Joseph @. B. s., M. Rieg-
ger, president.
The new place OF worship is situated
on College street, in the town OF Whit
tier. and is located about half a
mile from the state school. 1t has q
pleasant site, and has been erected
mainly for the benefit Of the Catholic
boys and girls of the school. It will
seat comfortably about 400 people and is
finished in excellent taste. 1t has cost
upwards of $4,000. which together with
the priests residence has been pur-
chased and constructed through the in
defatigable zeal OF Rev. Father Mouten-
arelli, who will henceforward oficiate as
parish priest.
The ceremonies opened with the bless
ing of the church by Bishop Mora.
Solemn high mass was celebrated by
Rev. Father Montenarelh, assisted by
Rev. Father Lynn, Deacon snd Rev.
Cote, sub.deaCon, his lordship presids
The sermon was delivered by Rev.
Father Fitzgerald, who spoke on the
Indefectibility Of the Church, taking as
his text "In the days ofthose Kingdoms
the God Of heaven will set up. q
kingdom that shall never be destroyed" !"
The father explained the occasion
that called forth this prophesy of
Daniel, showing how the three king
doms that followed Nebuchadnezor went
to ruin; and as the Roman empire dis
appeared the kingdom of Christ grew
forth to stand forever. The mighty
stone that mashed the statue grew into
a.mountain and filled tire whole earth.
Before Daniel, Ezekiel spoke in the
37th chapter of the union of Israel and
Judea that was to be ruled over by his
servant, David, henceforth and for
ever. And when Jeaus Christ did come
and established His kingdom on earth in
Q manner that left no doubt about His
divinity, the incarnate God Himself in
the plainest manner possible declared its
indefectibility. In the 10th chapter of
st. Matthew, speaking to Peter after he
had made full confession in the divin-
ity OF Christ, jesus said, 'Thou art
Peter, and upon this rock / will build
my church. and the gates of hell shall
not prsvail against it. - .se- ks-las
How wonderful and how singular il
the spectacle which presents itself to us
when contemplating the continuance Of
the holy eee," said the speaker. ''It is
that rock placed by an almighty hand in
the midst of the ocean OF time that it
might sustain the edifice of His church.
The fragments Of human institutions are
scattered around-kingdoms, empires,
republics and nations have arisen, grown
old, been scattered, decayed and forgot
ten, and yet this rock with it's edifice re-
mains. The monuments Of the mighty
are sought after in vain, whilst the seat
upon which Jesus Christ placed the
poor Galilean fisherman continues
unmoved and conspicuous, 30 that
you might as soon pluck the sun from
the armament as this see from the
earth. During Is centuriea how many
mighty billows have swelled and threat.
ened to overthrow it? Howling they
rose and seemed to overtop It,; they
were broken upon its front, they swept
the impurities from its sides, the divid-
ed mass of waters foamed round its
base, murmured as it passed along, and
was soon unpoticeable in the distance.
The Arion, the HISTORIAN. the Enty-
chian, the Montanist, the Noratisn, the
Donatist, the Ieonoclast and hundreds
of others have shared this fate; but
others have succeeded. and when they,
too, shall have run their course, others
will follow, whilst the inmates of the
edi6ce may look abroad like the favored
few from the ark and feel conscious of
security in the midst of the mighty
deluge because the word Of heaven is
the pledge of their safety"
e Father Fitzgerald spoke of the occa-
sion that called forth such a vast assem-
blage. He congratulated his lordship,
the bishop, upon the advancement Of
the church in his diocese, and said that
less than month ago he had had the
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