Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-06-26
CALVARY CEMETERY.
Blessed This Afternoon with Imposing
Ceremonies by Rt Rev Bishop Tierney.

Ceremonies by Rt Rev Bishop Tierney.
The blessing of the portion of Calvar.
cemetery which has been put in shape TO
burial purposes, took place this afternoon
in presence of a large number of peopl'
who gathered to witness the performance
of this ancient Catholic rite. It is only or
occasions like this that the church is seer
at her best and when the ceremonies, at
tending her rites are ministered with theil
full significance. The ceremony was per
formed by the Right Rev Bishop Tierney
assisted by the clergy of the city and many
from out of town. The blessing of GENE
teries is one of the most impressive in the
church. From the earliest ages of the
church cemeteries where are laid the re-
mains of those who have been faithful tc
the end of their lives and died in COM
munion with the church have been blessed
by the bishop or by priest sent by the
bishop to perform the ceremony.
In conformity with the custom which
prevails on these occasions a large cross
was erected yesterday in the center of the
cemetery. It must be wooden cross.
like the one on which our Lord was cruel
fed, for the original Calvary was GENE.
terry, the mountain tops being covered
with the bones and ashes of those who had
been crucified for the faith before the adj
vent of the Prince of Peace, and on that
mountain side was made the grave where
in they laid the body of the crucifed son
of God. Beneath the cross was placed a
trident holding three wax candles signify
ing that the place is about to be blessed in
the name of the three persons of the
trinity, the fire and the light of the can
dies symbolizing the fire of the Holy
Ghost coming on the apostles, and the
light of faith once burning in the hearts
and souls of the dead.
When everything was in readiness tie
bishop, accompanied by the attending
clereymen, approached the cross. robed
with the amice, alb, stole, girdle and cape,
all in white. telling of the brightness and
splendor of the dead bodies when they
shall rise at the last day. All proceeded
in procession with the book, holy water.
thurible and incense boat to the foot of
the cross. Then the candles were lighted,
the bishop offering prayers, the
clergy making the responses, all
standing. Then all knelt the bishop re-
citing q part of the litany, the clergy and
the people answering. The bishop then
rose and prayed aloud THAT thou wouldst
deign to purify and bless this cemetery"
He then made the sign of the cross, and
knelt again continuing the litany. When
the litany was concluded all rose, and the
bishop again sprinkled the cross three
times with holy water. The bishop then
proceeded around the cemetery sprink-
ling it with holy water, and reciting appro-
pirate psalms from holy scripture, followed
by the clery and the people who joined in
the responses. Having returned to the cross
the ceremony was continued. One candle
placed on the top of the large cross signi-
fed our Lord, the light of the world, and
the light of the truth he gave in his death
The two others. one on each arm of the
cross, teach of the lot of those who die,
some saved, some lost, the candle on the
right those saved, the candle on the left
those lost. Tie bishop again sprinkled
the cross three times with holy water sig
nifying the washing of the souls of the
dead three times in the waters of baptism,
now tell of the washing of those souls by
the prayers of the church. He then in
censed the cross three times, to tell of the
body and blood of the Lord once in the
souls of the dead, telling. again of the
prayers of the living ascending up like
incense before the throne of God, asking
for grace and mercy for the..sdeparted joy
and rest for the dead.
The Rev J. II. ODonnell of Watertown
delivered the following sermon, which was
THE place whereon you stand is holy
ground" 1t is this day formally set apart
by the venerated head of the diocese as
the final resting place of your honored
dead. He has petitloned The Father of
Mercies that this cemetery may be blessed
and sanctified and consecrated, that the
bodies that now here repose after life's
journey may in the great day of judgment
be united to their happy souls and with
them share in the unspeakable joys of life
eternal. The prayers of holy church, pro-
nounced by their consecrated representa-
tive, have sanctified these lands, so that in
very truly they are. henceforth, not mans
estate, but Gods blessed acre. With ex-
quisite sense has the poet sung:
II like that ancient Saxon phrase which
calls
The burial ground Gods acre 1t is just:
1t consecrates each grave within its walls,
And bl eathes n benson DER the sleeping
dust.
Gods acre. Yes, that blessed name i'm
parts ga ,Hf
Comfort to those, who in the grave have
sown
The seed that they have garnered in their
hearts,
Their bread of life, alas no more their
own.
Into its burrows shall we all be cast
In the sure faith, that we shall rise again
At the great harvest, when the archangel's
blast
Shall winnow, like a fan, the chaff and
grain.
Then shall the good stand in immortal
bloom.
la the fair gardens of that second birth;
And each bright blossom mingle its per-
fume
With that of flowers which never bloomed
on earth.
With thy rude ploughshare, death, turn up
the Sod
And spread the farrow from the seed we
SOW:
This is the field and acre of our God.
This is the place where human harvests
grow.
Those blessed lands tell of filial aftec-
ton, of parental obligation, of fraternal
love, of the golden ties of respect, rever-
ence and friendship stronger than death,
and more enduring than marble or bronze,
They are eloquent of faith unwavering, of
hope immortal. of charity divine, of rea-
sonable, intelligent assent of the will.
With voices of greater power than is
vouchsafed to us they proclaim in tones
unmistakable, the consoling and sublime
doctrine of the communion of saints.
''the compliment and crown of the
relations fraternaI charity q
doctrine that banishes the ter
ror of the dread passage from time to
eternity and reconciles us to the loss of dear
and loved ones. Within this sacred en-
closure, will lie the remains of those who
were regenerated by the saving waters of
baptism and whose souls bear the indel-
ible character of Gods children and
heirs to his heavenly kingdom.
While the sight of the grassy
mound. or the marble shaft re-
calls but too wildly sad memories:
while they remind us that beneath our
feet are the ashes of those who in life
were our joy. our pride, our consolation,
our hope. yet are we strengthened and
consoled by the blissful thought that the
dark tomb is not the end of all, but that
the soul. mans immortal part, that which
vivifed its easement of clay, has scared
beyond the confines of earth, and is, in
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