The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-05
nFHlRK'S CATHEDRAL.
Bishop Wigger in a Letter
Appeals to Wealthy
Catholics for Aid.
NEED OF TIE NEW EDIFIcE.
Meeting to Be Held in Newark 70
Devise Means Of Raising the
Necessary Fund.

The special eommittee of clergymen APP
pointed to decide upon plans Tor tne new
Catholic Cathedral, to be built in NewarA
at a cost of 81, 900. 600, has had a nuHpst
of meetings during the past month, az
which plans for the new edifice received
from. prominent architects were consloer-
ed. The will hold meetings
right along, however, SO that the big pro-
5ece VIII be eafefuny and thoroughly con-
siderea beforeea decision shall be maoe,
and when that shall lave been done the
work of arranging for the building Oh the
ediace VIII eespashsa forward as raplaiy
as possible.
Although Bishop Wigger has been very
busy during the past year he has now ae-
cided to give the cathedral matter ms per-
sonal attention. sInaorder 10 insure the
success of the undertaking the Bishop
has decided to makesa personal appear 10
all wealthy Catholics Of the diocese ahe
with that end in view he had the follow
ing letter, signed by himself, sent out 70 q
large number, of people TO pc reao ~
churches of the. diocese on Sunday !,
with the full cordial appreciation OF
my clergy i have decided Gas is probably
already known to you) to begin the cree
ton of a cathedral in this diocese or New
ark. Hitherto St. Patrick's Church mas
been used for this purpose. When the
first Bishop of this diocese, Monseignor
James Roosevelt Bayley, of happy mem
DRY, came to Newark after his consecra-
ton. the finest and largest church IN
that city was st. Patrick's, and Tor This
reason he chose it as his pro-catneorat
and it has been used as such up TO Inc
present time.
I ..However, as it was built only for a
parish church, it can easily be understood
that its dimensions are not ample enough
10 afford the accommodations necessary
for the cathedral of a diocese which mas
almost 25o, 900 Catholics and 240 priests. II
is evident. 1 think to all that this diocese
has now become great and important
enough to nave a real cathedral. and one
worthy of its wealth and grandeur, a
cathedral of such ample proportions as 70
give sufficient room to both clergy ana
laity on the occasions OF pubic orulnd-
lions and other solemn ceremonies our-
ing the year.
I'm the work of such magnitude and
importance l have deemed 1t well 10 CON
vene a meeting of the well-to-do and IN
%f1uential, as well as intelligent Catnole
men of the diocese, so as to consult Win
them as to the ways and means OF col
iecting funds for the proposed new Cath
edral, and to get personal CONTRIBUTIONS
from them. :,
This meeting is to be held in the hall
of the Catholic Institute, Nos. ls and -
New street, Newark, on Wednesday. NO
vember 10, in the afternoon, at 2 O'Clock.
AS your name has been suggested to me
by your pastor as being a man belonging
TO the class above described, l hereby in,
wife you to kindly attend the meeting, and
to give men all the help you can both by
advice and by pecuniary assistance"
As has already been told. the money, or
q goodly portion of it, necessary for the
building Of the cathedral, is to be paid in
by special assessments. levied on priests
and parfshioners. 1t is a fact, however,
that seme Of the parishes have already
considerable work to take care of them
selves, and that the hard times of the
past few years has not caused any great
boom in financial affairs in a number of
parishes, not only in Newark. n Jersey
City, but also In several parishes in the
smaller towns which are included in the
Newark diocese. This being the case,
much dependence will be placed on the
wealthy members of the Church for in
dfvidual contributions. Favorable re-
sponses are anticipated from the well-to-
do member of the Bishops flock, and
within a few months it is expected that a
substantial sun of money will be realized
for the cathedral fund.