Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-18
ST. MARY'S CHURCH.
Many Improvements Made on the
Church Properly.
Seine Of tAs FSaissss sseday Services will
% q Special laisrssl.

Fifty years ago last Christmas St
Mary's church was built in this city
and It is particularly fitting that in the
first year OF the last half Of the cen.
fury the church property should be
completely renovated and beautified
fQr the use OF the people during the
last half.
For some time carpenters and paint
Etrs have been at work making i'm
fProvements and completely refresco-
$fng the whole interior OF the church.
/ In a short time they accomplished
wonders and. today, the church is as
pretty as any in the city. Great taste
was displayed by the decorators and
while there is nothing elaborate about
the improvements they are very tasty
and in, the evening the effect is very
beautiful
The front doors of the church have
always swung in and have been very
inconvenient for those going toward
the side aisles. but they have now
been changed and swing outwards.
The exterior OF the roof has been
examined and new shingles placed
wherever needed. The exterior has
been painted and the cross which has
formerly been only painted. has been
| repaired and gilded which adds great
ly to the external appearance of the
edifice.
The church was formerly lighted by
gas but electric lights have been put
in. and the effect in the evening, when
they are lighted. is very fine.. The
lamps on the ceiling are placed in four
circles, a large one surrounding a
| smaller one in the center of the church
| and then at the edges of the larger
circle there are two small circles of the
bulbs. one over the gallery and the
other over the sanctuary. The gas
fixtures are retained SO that in case OF
! accident to the electric lights the
church would not be in darkness.
There was a new rail built for the
gallery and the supports for the floor
We're renewed, otherwise there are nc
material changes in the arrangement
OF the building. The pews, however
have been all remembered so that the
numbers commence at the front pews
in the center aisle. Nice brass knobs
have been placed on the end Of the pews
bearing the respective numbers.
The sanctuary has been entirely re-
decorated. ana painted and the affairs
/ and statues retouched. A very beau.
tiful green Wilton carpet has beer
purchased for, the sanctuary. and the
red strip which extends from the alta,
to the front, aisle is also new and is a
very nice Wilton. New furniture to
match the red strip has been pur.
chased for the sanctuary. The sane.
tuary boys will all have new stools.
i The pews and all the woodwork have
been painted a very pretty light tint
and the vanished woodwork has beer
revarnished so that they look very
nice indeed. The altar rail and the
gallery rail have also been revar'
nished
The altar arch has a row Of electric
lights and behind the altar there is an
other circular row of lights which
light up the rear of the altar brilliant
ly. .a,a 8
THE ceiling and walls have been very
lastly frescoed and are very prett,
while the windows have also beer
touched up to compare with the bright
ened appearance of the rest Of thu
building.
The services, Sunday, will be for TIN
Patronal feast Of st. Mary's and vii
be the first to be held in the church
since the improvements have beer
completed. The high mass in thu
morning at 10 o'clock will be said by
Rev. Eugene M. O'Callaghan Of the
Church of the Immaculate Conception
|
of Portsmouth, N. H. Father O'Cal
laghan was the pastor of st.. Mary''
20 years ago and there is no one tina
the people at this time would be mOr'
pleased to hear. There will also be {
vesper service at 7.30.
The improvements Of the church
have all been carried on under the di
! rection of Father Doherty and while
. he was engaged upon the repairs h
] thought that at the same time n
might as well have the rest Of TIN
!. church property improved SO the rec
tory has been painted outside and In
J new steps built. and various other i'm
! prOvements made.