The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-07-29

Bishop Curtis Laid the Stone.

The local correspondent of the Balti-
more american gave the following excel
lent account of the interesting ceremonies
held here last Sunday:
The cornerstone of the new ST. Mary's
Catholic Church, this town, was laid Sun
day last by Bishop Alfred A. Curtis, who
was delegated to officiate by Carolina.
James Gibbons. The Popes Creek Line
brought large number of people from
Bowie, and the Baltimore train, at 1920
brought the clergymen from Baltimore
and Washington. A delegation of the
Knights of the Holy Family, from Colling
ton, attended in a body, and the societies
of this town served as guards of honor.
Bishop Curtis, assisted by Rev. Charles
Damer, of Holy Cross Church. of Balti-
more, blessed the altar site of the new
editice, and then the litany was chanted
and psalms sung at the main entrance.
The cornerstone was then blessed and put
in position by the bishop, and the exterior
walls of the building were sprinkled with
holy water. The cornerstone is of brown
granite, and in keeping with the trimmings
of the new church. A large copper box,
containing number of coins, together
with The american and the county papers,
was encased in the stone.
Rev. Thomas J Kenny, of St. Mary Star
of the Sea Church, Baltimore, and at one
time pastor of old St. Mary's preached the
sermon. Rev. John A. Morgan, of Loyola
College; Rev. Charles Damer, of Baltimore
Rev. James Gardiner, of White Marsh;
Rev. T. J. Kenny, of Baltimore, and Mr..
j. Knell, of st. Mary's Seminary, assist
ed in the ceremonies.
The new edifice will be of pressed brick
with brownstone trimmings, 100 feet long
and 60 feet wide. A tower of 60 feet, with
a belfry, will sulmoant the south corner.
side, the walls will be of sand finish, with
plaster cornices. The pews, which will
seat 800 Pensioners, will be of oak, and
the woodwork of the ceiling of Georgia
pine. Three affairs, with two sacristies
will decorate the interior. Twenty-Five
cathedral glass windows are already
ordered by private contribution and the
cost of the edfice will be $4,000 The
deceased members of the congregation
Mrs Eliza Graham, Miss Agnes and Miss
Anne Hill, and the late Mrs. Elizabeth
Hill-were the principal beneficiaries in
aiding the erection of new st. Marys.
The cornerstone of the old St. Mary's
Church was laid in 1920, and was attend
ed by the Jesuit fathers from George
town, D. c., and White Marsh ,Collington,
this county. Rev. Father Miles Gibbons
had charge of the parish. This building
was erected to accommodate the grow
ing Catholic residents, who attended mass
in the Hill Chapel, on the banks of the
Patuxent River. 1t was soon found that
the edifice was inadequate, and the wealthy
land owners built several additions to the
church, so that their many slaves could
attend divine service.
Then the Dominican fathers, headed by
Rev. Dominic Young, a native of this
county, took charge of the congregation,
and held the same until 1860. By a gift
of land from Mrs Eliza Graham, near
relative of Governor Graham, of North
Carolina, large tract of land was donat-
ed to the church, and the Carmelite fathers
under their provincial, Rev. Theodore
honnrolI h,,;1 of. chnr die
from ST. Mary's and had supervision
over the parochial duties Here the novices
were taught their classics, and small
chapel now in daily usage, witnessed
their mathis and lauds. An old missal,
dated 1910, printed in Antwerp, Belgium,
by Moretus, served the priests in their
morning devotions.
The late Right Rev. Edward McColgan,
of Baltimore, then pastor at Piscataway
often visited this town, and spent few
days at the home of the Carmelites
Early in the '7Os, Rev. William Hooman,
of the Josephite fathers, of Baltimore,
took charge of the mission, and when
Cardinal Gibbons was made archbishop of
Baltimore, Rev. Father De Wulf was
made pastor, assisted by Rev. Joseph A.
Cunnane. Then it was that the secular
priests took charge of the parish of this
town and Father Cunnane remained its
pastor for eighteen years, to be succeeded
by the present rector, Rev. Charles J.
Trinkhaus