The San Francisco call., 1895-10-07
ROSARY SUNDAY OBSERVED.
St. DominiC'S Church All Yes
terday Thronged With
Worshipers.
THE BLESSING OF THE ROSES
Procession Around the BIock-High
Mass and Sermon by Father
O'Neii.

Rosary Sunday was observed in this
Steiner street. 1t is feast, instituted by
Pope Plus V, abont the sixteenth century.
in solemn thanksgiving for all the vic
tories obtained over the enemies of the
church in answer to the prayer of the
rosary, and it is observed on the first Sun
day in October each year.
The morning service occupied three
hours. 1t began at 10 o'clock with the
distribution of blessed roses to the whole
congregation, that numbered little over
1000. Hundreds of persons were compelled
to stand in the alsles, as the seating ca
pacity of the church was inadequate.
The roses were contributed by different
members of the congregation, who sent
them to the church to be blessed by the
provincial father, the Rev. Pious Murphy.
AT 10:30 o'clock solemn high mass was
begun, and the Rev. Father T. L. O'Neil
y. p, delivered sermon on the rosary.
His discourse was brief, and consisted
manly in mention of the services of the
Virgin Mary and her valuable teachings,
as embodied in the mysteries of the rosary.
In the course of his remarks he said that
some sinners had been brought back to the
church, mot by learning, not by science,
no, not even by sanctity, but by the lnfiu-
ence of the Blessed Virgin - that the way
in which men must go to the Lord is the
way in which he came to them through
the medium of the Blessed Virgin and the
rosary.
The rosary, he said, was the concentra-
tion of all the presentation ofmen of Jesus
Christ. The teaching of the Blessed Lady
was not only true. but capable of being
practiced. The rosary presented the pith
and marrow of all prayer.
He closed by saying, eve are here to
pray for the faithful and by the wish of
the sovereign pontiff.
The Rev. T. L. ONeil is the editor of the
Rosary Magazine published monthly in
New York City. He was formerly pro-
fessor in the Catholic University at Wash
ington and is man of International rep
utation in the Catholic world.
High mass was celebrated by the Rev.
Father Harrington, assisted by Father
Dyson as deacon and Father Martin as
sub-deacon.
During the services the following music
was rendered:
Mass in major by J. n Kalliwoda; "Credo,"
Beethoven's in c; "Ave Maria" q. Fause) tenor
solo by W. ]. OBrien; "Veni Creator, CWag-
ner), contralto solo by Miss Daisy NJ. Cressy;
80 Salutaris" (Stradelli), tenor solo by G. o.
Jones.
Vocalists-Sopranos, Miss H. B. Pierce, Miss
NJ Lawlor, Miss G. Gleason: contraItos, Miss
NJ. Shannon Miss Brawley, Miss K Coyle, Miss
D. NJ. Cressy; tenor, G. o. Jones; bessos, D. l.
Sheerini, j. W. Shannon. Instrunentalists-
0rganist, Miss d. Desmond; first violins, Theo-
dore Blake, G. Carson; second violin, Professor
+. Thomas; viola, A. W. Jones; cello, DR.. A. w.
Prentiss.
Immediately after mass the procession
began to issue from the vestry and to
march slowly down the main aisle that
had been vacated for it to pass.
The procession was in FIVE divisions, un-
der the direction of ]. G. Bateman as grand
marshal.
In the first division, under J.B. Nc
Intyre, were one hundred little girls
all in white and wearing white wells.
There was regular procession from little
tots years old to girls II or 13.
The second division under Daniel
Sheerin and the third under Edward
Kenny were manly composed of about
sixty maidens and young women.
The fourth division under David Corn
foot was made up of about seventy little
boys and some young women.
In the fifth division under the marshal
ship of Thomas O'Neil were about 100
matrons in black.
In addition TO these most characteristic
features of the divisions of the procession
there were many young men and old men
in less noticeable numbers. Over 500 per-
sons, nearly all of them Rosarians, were in
the whole procession.
Preceded by Cross-bearer Thomas J.
O'Neil, who was escorted by two candle
bearers, the procession moved slowly down
the main aisle two abreast, the little ones
with clasped hands held reverently in
front, and the older ones devoutly telling
their beads.
AT intervals through the procession were
carried painted banners symbolic of the
fifteen mysteries of the rosary. The
chanters for the different divisions in
order We're: A. G. McKerron, Thomas
Panzlnl, Patrick ORourke, f. ]. Weyland.
At the end OF the procession there was a
small statue of the Blessed Virgin on
floral standard lighted by twelve tapers
and borne on the shoulders of four men.
Behind this statue walked seven priests in
black gowns.
Passing out of the church and followed
by the immense congregation, the process
sion marched round the block from
Steiner street to Pine, to Bush and back to
Steiner and re-entered the church.
Those who took part in the regular pro-
cession wore upon their breasts a small
cord, upon which was a picture of the
Virgin Mary and the words Queen of the
Most Holy Rosary, Pray for U.s."
All day people were coming and going
to the church. Many of them observed
the custom of lighting candles before the
altar, ceremony in which the light of the
candle is symbolic of the ardent devotion
of the giyer and his prayers and petitions
when he is absent.
In the evening, commencing at half-past
Z, there was another procession and SER
mon similar to that of the morning
accompanied by the benediction of the
blessed sacrament.