The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-07

risburg and McQuaid, of Rochester,
tinelli celebrated pontifcal mass and
Bishop McQuaid preached the sermon.
iris evening Bishop Hoban ponti-
Icated at vespers and Mr.. C.naty OF
the Washington university, preached
the sermon.
The present parish Of St. Leo the
Great, at Ashley, was formerly a part
Of the parish of st. Marys, Wilkes.
Barre. The first meeting to consider the
question of fornling a new parish was
called by the Rev. Dennis O'Haran,
rector of st. Mary's church, and was
held in the school house on the after
noon of Nov. 13. 1887. A week later
Right Rev. William O'Hara, bishop of
Scranton, visited Ashley with the
Revs. O'Haran and Hoban to view
the lots on Hartford and Manhattan
streets, for which a contract had been
made, and on Nov. 20 the Rev. M. J..
Hoban, to whom was committed the
charge Of the new parish, went to
Wilkes Barre to reside with Father
OHaran until house should be pre-
pared for him in Ashley.
On December 4, the second Sunday in
Advent, Father O'Haran and the new
pastor drove to Ashley. After having
blessed the vestments and prepared an
altar in the hall of the school house, a
low mass was said by the pastor. Af-
ter communion Father O'Haran
preached on the gospel of the day and
closed by introducing the new pastor
to the congregation.
On December the Rev. M ], Hoban
went to reside in Ashley, occupying a
house on the corner of Ashley and
Ross streets. One of the rooms was
arranged for a chapel and here morn
ing mass was said and the sacraments
administered until the temporary
church on Hartford street was built.
On Sundays mass was said in the
school house until February 2, 1858,
when the temporary church on Hart
ford street was occupied for the first
time.
Plans for a brick church '60x130 feet
were drawn by Mr.. Fred Amsden, of
Scranton. The contract for building
was awarded to Mr.. William O'Malley,
of Wilkes-Barre. The cornerstone was
laid on June l, 1890, by Bishop O'Hara,
assisted by many priests and surround
ed by four or five thousand people,
many societies having come from
Wilkes Barre, Pittston, Nanticoke, etc.
The basement having been made ready
for occupation mass was said there
for the first time on January 1, 1891,
and it was blessed by Bishop O'Hara,
on February /.
The debt on the church being COM
paratively small, the congregation de-
cided to build a rectory on Manhattan
street adjoining the church. Plans hav-
ing been drawn by Mr.. Isaac Will
Hams, of Scranton, the contract for
building was awarded to Michael
Lynch, of Wilkes-B Barre, in 1892. On
January rs, 1898, the rector moved into
the new house,
The debt on both church and house
having been gradually paid off, the con-
gregation decided to complete the main
auditorium of the church and began
the work in 1896. A large bell, 2,2OC
pounds, was procured from the Nc
Shane Bell foundry and was blessed by
the pastor (who had meanwhile been
consecrated coadjutor bishop of the
diocese Of Scranton) on St. Leo's day,
April II.
The marble altar was donated by the
rector in memory of his father.
After many disappointments the first
mass was said In the new church on
March Z, the first Sunday in Lent, 1897.