The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-19
In HONOR OF ST. LUCY
Corner Stone of the New
Church on Grove Street
to Be Laid on Sunday.
BISHOP wIGGER WILL oFFlcIATE
Grand Parade of Irish Rifles and
Catholic societies-Description
of the Church.
BISHOP WIGGER WILL OFFlCIATE

wieger. DID, Bishop of Newark. Will
lay the corner stone of the new 81.
Lucy's r. C. Church. to be erected on
the northwest corner of Grove and FIJI
teenth streets. This important event IN
the history of the young and growing
parish will be signalized with imposing
ceremonies attended by distinguished
clergy and laity from every part OF the
State.
LAS eleven years have now elapsed"
said Rev. Father John j. Boylan, the
able head of the parish, in writing ABOUT
= the epoch in the church's life. since
the permanent formation of ST. Lucy's
parish. it may be interesting to recall
some Of the chief facts of its history
In 1867 ST. Michaels parish then COW
cred the whole district to Hoboken line
and Monsignor De Concilio. its rector.
in order to give greater facility for edu-
cation erected the present church as a
school house. During its more than
thirty years of existence it has under
gone many changes For several years
1t was used as a public school with an
annual rental of one hundred dollars.
The city providing larger accommoda-
tions the building was turned to church
purposes, and after complete alteration
and renovation were made Monsignor
decided for the greater convenience of
the people to make. it a chapel of ease"
under the title of st. Lucy's Church,
and as such it was for years attended
from st. Michaeis.
1t was difficult. however, to attend
the two churches, and in consequence
St Lucy's was offered 10 the Rt. Rev.
Bishop as a formation of new parish.
In 1884 Father Hammer was made the
first permanent rector with parish linn
it's from Fourteenth street to Hoboken-
{ The church property left to him was
the present frame building and the
ground and a lot where the present rec
tory now stands, with a debt of $4,000
The rectory. the frame school building
now the club house, and the purchase of
the land. where the present school
house is erected, manifest the earnest
ness and zeal of Father Karnmer He
was succeeded by Rev. c. P. Gillen, who
1abored here with untiring energy. With
the maxim educate the children first
and through them get the parents he
turned all his efforts to the erection of
the handsome school house that bespeaks
in silent tones his love for education.
SFNhe school complete his next work was
-tfla purchase of ground and the building
of a new church. Having laid the foun
dation he was called to a new scene of
labor in Paterson, and was succeeded by
Rev j. J. Boylan, the present rector.
BY a fortunate coincidence their plans
of the new church agree. However,
Father Boylan feeling the absolute need
of church has decided to go ahead,
and instructed Messrs. jeremiah and
William ORourke of Newark, architects
to prepare the plans The following
sketch a nj Or
DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH.
The new church is Romanesque in style
with soupcon of Italian Renaissance
about it, and is of an extremely graceful
and artistic character. 1t will be 120 feet
long by 20 feet wide. fronting on Grove
street with side on Fifteenth street. The
building form the foundation up to the
water table will be built of Belleville
Ashlar. stone; From thence up to the
brick" trimmed with pink terra Gotta
and brown, stone. over the. corbels and
arches of the mullioned windows.
The steeple will be 160 feet in height
and, like the body of the main structure,
will be of yellow brick, trimmed with
stone and terra Gotta The roof will, of
course, be slated and a neat border will
run along the ridge. All this work is en-
trusted to Michael Keq1eher and Martin
INFERIOR FINISHING.
There will be sitting accommodation in
be Of oak and all the woodwork will be
of that kind AS yet the altar will only
he ,p plain al =, but IT.. as time rolls on and money
interior as beautiful as art can make it.
In the meantime. however. the walls and
manner. So; too, will it be with the
windows. Plain glass Will be used until
generous worshippers will donate stained
glass to take their place.
The organ loft at one end will also
contain the choir and this will be the only
gallery in the church.
will fl1 Irao arfr ho
main door, on Grove street, another on
Fifteenth street and private entrance
from the rectory. As the church sits back
about fifteen feet from the street building
line there will be plenty of room for ex-
ternal decoration. which will be begun
after the actual work on the church is
finished.
1t is expected that the entire struc-
ture viii be rooted in by October next
and ready to be opened for public worship
by February or March, 1896.
ENERGETIC FATHER. yBoYLAN.
the gary aeTe & ST o pFaae st Lacys is tho to
Rev. John ]. Boylan, who can think of
little else but the grand building slowly
rising outside the windows of the rec
tory. He is thoroughly enthusiastic about
it. and if energy and zeal can make his
parish fiourishing,- its success and
sey City December q. 1857 He received
his early education in ST. Peters Pa
rochial School. Jersey City; He was the
Father Kelly inspired with the idea. of
the priestly vocation. He made the first
year of his preparatory studies in Tullow
Monastery, County Carlow, ireland, and
on his return home entered st. Charles
College. Ellicott City. Nd.
In 1873 he entered Seton Hall, where he
was graduated in $780, Spending four
years in Seton Hall Seminary he was or
dained priest by the Rt. Rev. w. M.
Wigger, June Z. 1884 st. Michael's, the
next door parish. was his only place as
curate. where he. labored for eight years.
of ST. Leo's, Irvington, and on March 27,
1895. advanced to rector of st. Lucy's,
Jersey City.
The corner stone of the new church,
as before stated. will be laid with solemn
pomp by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Wigger.
The preacher on the occasion will be the
Rev John j. Tighe, rector of st. Paul. S
Greenville. and known throughout the
State for his eloquence and ability. Over
thirty priests have accepted the invita-
tion TO attend the ceremony, as also men
of Prominence in this and other cities
The feature of the day will be a parade
of the Hibernians, B. of A.. from Union.
Essex and Hudson counties and of New
Volunteers. st. Patrick's Alliance, the
HOLY Name Societies of Jersey City, Wee
bawken and Hoboken. the c. B. L. of
this city and Newark. the Lyceums and
Catholic Clubs
The line of march, starting from Grove
and Fifteenth street sharp at one O'Clock
p M. will be south on Grove to Grand,
4 east on Grand to Washington Square,
rnrth on Washington street to Mont
in merry street, east on Montgomery street
to Jersey City ferry, meeting on the way