The Irish standard., 1898-01-08
REV. EDWARD GERAGHTY.
Celebrated His First Mass at st. VIM
cents New Church.

| Last Sunday was memorable day
in the history of st. Vincents parish, of
which Rev. FIR. Cosgrove is the beloved
| pastor. The beautiful new church was
opened to divine worship on Christmas
day, FIR. Cosgrove being the celebrant
of high mass at 1890 o'clock and
preaching from the text: UNLESS the
Lord builds the house, they labor in
vain who build it," AS the magnificent
temple is of stately proportions and
Imposing appearance, the good people
who built it to the service of God must
| not have labored in vain, but We're aided
by the Lord in it's construction. The
interior of the handsome edifice is
exquisite in every detail and produces
an agreeable impression on the mind
Of the behoder Without attempting
any minute description Of the sanctuary,
gallery and body of the church, let it
| suffice TO say that on the whole the
new church of st. Vincent reflects cred
it upon pastor and flock
Last Sunday the capacious building
was filled to overlooking, the occasion
being the celebration of his first mass
by Rev. Edward Geraghty, son of one
| of the parishtoners, who was ordained
a few days before by Rt. Rev. Bishop
Stanley, of North Dakota. Fr. Gera
| ghty is quite young and was one of FIR
| Cosgrove's boys before he attended st.
Pauls Seminary at Merriam Park.
The parents, relatives and numerous
friends of the young Levite were pres
sent at the holy sacrifice, and after
mass they approached the altar steps
and knelt to receive his blessing. 1t
was most edifying spectacle TO see The
young men and women who knew Ed
ward Geraghty since he was a little
boy so up In a body to get his priestly
| benedction, after officiating for the first
| time at Gods altar.
Solemn high mass commenced at
| 1890 o'clock with FIR. Gcraghty as
| celchrant. Rev. l.. Carey as deacon @n6
Rev. John Mics as subdeacon. The pas
tor, Rev. l.. Cosgrove, was master of
ceremonies and Rev. George Arctander,
of st. Stephens church, Minneapolis.
| acted as assistant to the young priest.
| The choir sang grandly from the gal
lery and as the pcws were all filled,
| chairs were placed in the aisles for the
| accommodation of strangers attracted
| by the rare ceremony of a young priests;
! first mass. Fir. Geraghty kept wonder
fully self-possessed throughout, and he
must have felt weary when he got
through about l o'clock, with imparting
his blessing to every individual, old
and young. who knclt before him.
After the first gospel Very Rev.
Thomas Egan, V. G., and secretary 10
Bishop Stanley, assembled the pulpit
and delivered an eloquent and Impress
i've sermon on THE Excellence and Dig
nifty of Gods Priesthood" In the course
Of his address he explained the sacrifice
OF the mass and the power given to ale
priest of changing bread and wine into
the body and blood of Christ. He also
referred to the power conferred on the
priest to forgive sins. He related the
many sacrifices a priest of God must
undergo. He must leave father, mother
sister and brother home and friends
His only home is his parish, his only
aim is to work out the ends and per-
form the mission of his Father in Heav-
en- The priest of God, he said, Is the
friend, the advisor, the counsellor of all
In distress. 1t is to him they come
when they have fallen from grace to be
restored to Gods choicest graces and
blessings in the holy tribunal of the con-
fessonal
In conclusion, FIR. Egan turned from
the pulpit and faced the newly ordained
priest, saying:
II welcome you to the diocese Of
North Dakota, and pray God may,
strengthen you to go on and perform
the great work and mission for which
you have been ordained. You are about
to offer up your first sacrifice of the
holy mass; pray for us all that we may
one day enter with you that land of
eternity where no parting is known and
where eternal joy and happiness reign"
In the evening vcspers were held il
the church, FIR Geraghty officiating, and
! Very Rev. DR.. Hebron, of st. Paul's
Seminary, preached the sermon, after
which the benediction of the blessed
sacrament was given. Sunday, Jan. Q,
1898, was day which will be long re-
membcred in the parish Of St, Vincent
dc Paul
REV. MICHAEL MACKEY.