The sun., 1897-11-22

'''"HJ VI ShiliSt.
Soplanos-NTrs. Mary Conner-Pres.
ton Mrs. Nellie Long-Mahoney, Miss
Nora V. Walthcr, Miss Mary Ziegler,
Miss OConner, Miss Rose Hamilton,
Miss Cecilia Mention.
Altos-Miss Jenney Daley, Miss Julia
Murray, Miss Kate Mcbride.
Contraltos-Miss Mary A. McNulty,
Miss Anna g. Long, Miss Cora b. Tag
CART, Miss Laura Curran.
Tenors-William T. McNuty, Joseph
+. McCafferty, Joseph +. McCullin, John
J. Gilbridge, Richard Smith.
Baritones-.John A. Mahoney, John
Krueger, Edward \. McNulty, John
Long.
Bassos-J. Edward Fahey, John H..
Lraunstcin, John Il. Bonner.
st. l'au's congregation has been wor-
Shipping since August in the basement
of the church. Last Sunday.at the noon
day service, | announced that the church
would be re-opencd Sunday at 1890
o'clock, Bishop Monaghan would sing
the pontltical mass, and Rev. ID. J.
Flynn would preach the sermon in the
morning and Rex. Father Hughes in the
evening. ! will now give Il few of the
salient points in the history of the
church,
con December 81, 1869, the church
was dedicated and opened for divine
service at 1890 O'Clock, by r. Rev, DR..
Becker, De!aware's first bishop, but now
bishop OF Savannah Father Plunkett, of
Portsmouth !; Father DAILY and others.
Bishop Becker sang the pontifical mas
and preached the sermon, taking as his
text the eighth chapter the Third
Kings, verses % to 50. At the afternoon
service the bishop again preached
and publicly appointed me to take
chargeof the temporal, financial and
spiritual affairs of the parish
which was then bounded by Market
street on the East and Fourth street on
the North. The open of the angle was
left indefinite. The disappointment at
the appointment has long since shot from
the wheel of time and cannot be of any
interest TO you or your readers. A pro-
cess of formulation began and study of
the social, mental, aesthetic, moral and
financial surroundings or environments
| began Immediately.
''Ihc wide farm of Aaron Conrad was
cut up into building lots and Catholics
Of small means began to build humble
dwellings and clustered around the new
church, because of the facilities it al
fordcd for Catholic Christian education.
The Catholic is Il great stick!er for the
healthy education Of his children and
will move to strange place to get it.
a very fine choir was Immediately or
ganizcd; musical dramatic societies be.
gan to please and instruct the public
and in an astonishingl ly short time the
Thespian and Cecelan clubs and Cate
chctical classes had made Folrth and |
Jackson streets the most attractive spot |
in Wilmington, west Of Market street.
"The building committee had made
no financial statement, but one year al :
er the opening Of the church sent in
dill for $4,000. Twenty-one thousand
'f this sum was paid in seven years
,1S77.) Meanwhile the big angclus
oell came, which cost 81, AGO. 1t was
oaid for by the musical and dramatic
'lubs. This was in 1873, during the
errible smallpox epidemic. In 1875 the
amous Roman artist Costagini frescocd
he church. That cost $1,000, Some of
lis great work still remains on the cell
ng, viz: "Thc Conversion of Saul of
rarsus." This work was paid for by
'azaar in the Institute Hall, (now the
cree Library,) and the musical and
lramatic entertainments of the young
,cople's clubs. The tall spire was built
~ Bockmann, OF Dover, at cost of
1900. This was also paid for by the
hilden's and young peoples entertain
nents. In August, $780, was sent by
Bishop Becker to build st. Patrick's
'hurch, at Fifteenth and King streets,
Which cost Sl6,77l. That was paid in
our years. On September $, 1885, | s
vas sent to take charge of st. Mary's
'hulch, made vacant by the death Of ,
he vcncratcd Very Rev. Father Reilly. ,
IN March 20, 1887, was suddenly sent s
ack to take charge Of this place by ,
;ishop Curtis. Upon assuming charge $
found debt here Of $40, 900, made up ,
t mortgages, unpaid bonds, steam .
catingsctc. Defective drainage in the
ascmcnt floor and a threat Of typhoid
pidcmic made the building Of the
at Fourth and Van Burcn
reefs an absolute necessity. The cost
building the school was $4,000, but
p to date it has cost, with improve
rents, $4,000. 1t is the finest and best
Dnducted of our Wilmington Catholic
'hools, and from present appearances
rOmiscs to continue So"