The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-01-14
A CHURCH DEDICATION
The Beautiful and Attractive St. IosGph's
Catholic Church In Petersburg Dedicated
WITH MOST IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES
Conducted Iy Father Ticrncy, OF Al
dc vyvcr Take Pnrt-Other Distin-
gnisled Divincs Present DeScrip.
tion of tho Interesting Services.


Petersburg, Va. jan. 13-(SpcciaD-
On the corner OF Washington ana Mar
kct streets, two OF the most prominent
thoroughfarcs of Petersburg. there
stands. with Its two lofty spires, the
beautiful nnd attractive st. Joseph'a
Catholic Church, handsome brick
cdiice. which has just been completed
nj Il cost of about S30,0u0. This church
was dedicated yesterday and the dedi-
cation marks u memorable epoch In the
history of tn Catholics of Peters
burg. Admission to the church was by
tickets, issued by Rev. j. II. O'Farreli,
the pastor. Among those to whom In
Vitntions were sent were pastors OF the
different Protestant churches In the
city. Only two ministers, however,
were noticed In the large congregation.
These were Rev. VIM. II. Platt. Il for
mcr rector of st. Paul's Episcopal
Church OF this place and Rev. S. Tny-
lor. Rabbi of the Synagogue. Mayor
Council ind other prominent city oili-
cials were In attendance, as were also
two or thsee members CT the Stnte
Legislature. The hour fixed for the
dcdlcntory exercises was 1880 O'Clock,
but long before that hour II large crowd
blockaded the sidewalk In front OF the
church waiting for the doors TO he op-
cned. The beautiful marble affairs were
v
Niver, Bishop Of the Richmond Diocese.
The church was next dedicated by the
same Bishop. The dedication was fol-
lowed by Solemn High Mass and the
ceremony was of very impressive
character. Those In the sanctuary dur
ing the mass were Itt. Rev. y. Van de
Nyver, Itt. Rev. j. J. Keane, president
of the Catholic University at Washing
ton; Cclcbrant OF Mass, Rev. IT j.
OFarrell, pustor of the church; Deacon
Rev. B. j. Kelley, Vicar-Gcneral Lof
Savannah; Sub-Dencon Very Rev II. j.
Cutler, OF Richmond: Assistants TO
Bishop Van de Vyver, Rey.4T. j! Will
son, OF Norfolk, and Rev. p. Donahou,
Of Richmond; Assistants to Bishop
Kcene, Rev. Father John. of the Order
Of Sacred Bcnedictines, and Rev. j. B.
|ORsiley, OF Richmond; Master of Cerc-
monies Rev. T.. NJ. Tearney, OF Falls
nitaries were all in their surDlice. There
were fifteen acolytes. During the cere-
monies the choir rendered In IL most
crcdtablc manner the following selec-
tons OF music: "Kyric,' Gloria In
Excelis," "Credo," 'Sanctus," "Agnus
DEP and 'Vcni Creator After the
rendition Of the last named selection
the dedicatory sermon was delivered
by Bishop keanc, who selected for his
text the first verse Of the first chapter
of st. John: In the beginning was
the Word. and the Word was with
God, and the Word was Cod
The Bishop spoke, in part. as follows:
"rhis sublime passage of Holy Scripture
gives MS the solemnity that has brought
us here to-day. This ia a happy day for
the Catholic people Of Petersburg and
the good pastor of Catholics. a day to
be remembered. Ten years ago, when
we began To tnlli of building q church
in Petersburg, 1t looked like n dream.
If ten years ago one of us had talked
of building such n church as this, we
would have thought he belonged to-
Moonland. and not here. Father O'Far-
rell was a man OF hope and he knew
what the result would be in dealing
with ordinary man. | congra tulate
you.
Every man who helped to build n
house like this is a civilized man. l re-
turn special thanks In the name of the
Bishop, to the good non-Catholcs of
this church. They have shown their
good sense. This church, built at the
end of the nineteenth century, with its
face to the twentieth century. is Il
church Of the people. 1t behoovcs us to
look forward to see what is to come
and what ought to come The future is
full OF darkness end dissensions, with
rumors OF war. THE wonder of the nine
tcepth century is To close I'm war, one
hundred years ago the nation would
have lcaped to war. War Is a sad thing
and the nation ought TO keep out Of
IL. The nation knows ii is wrong to 70
TO war; common sense tells us that
might does not make right. Some say
that the nation that can kill the most
In war is in the right. The people are
beginning to find out that this is absurd
Men VIII find some way by which right
will prevail. and not might. If we are
the children of God why are we disput-
ing aa we do and hating one another
as we DO. 1t is not right Where does
does wrong come from and how is it Ia
be romcdied? We have protest against
DroteSt.succeSsiona aGainst succession nd
the Union of Charity has been broken up
entirely. While even the hcathcns say
when we send missionaries among them
Go home and quiet the dissensiona
among your own people, Unity is n |
test of our Lords missions and a text |
of pure Christianity kingdom d- |
vidcd against itself cannot stand. ana !
n house divided against itself must |
fall Thank God the cry for reunion is |
hrirT heard throughout the land Men
made mistake when they started |
division of Christianity 3cO years ago. !
TO undo that wrong is the problem of |
the twentieth century. This reunion |
must not he accomplished I'm partiZnn |
spirit. We must deal honestly with this
problem. We must have union that
will be consistently true to God The re-
union of Christianity does not consist !
of amity and friendship. These things |
arc all desirable. but they are far from
being tho fountain from which all is to |
How. What we are aiming at is the