The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-13
ST. PETERS new SCHOOL.
Corner Stone Laid With
Much Pomp and impress
sive Ceremony.
FATHER KELLY'S GREAT GRAFTON
Parish Schools, He Says, Are
Necessary to Perpetuate
the Catholic Church
in This County.

The corner stone of the splendid edifiee
which the Catholics Of St. Peters parish
are rearing as a p~arochial school and
lyceum hall, in York street. near Van
Worst street, was laid with appropriate
and impressive yesterday after
noon. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Wigger was
unable to attend. In his absence the stone
was placed by the Rev. Edward Purbrick,
s. j., Provincial of the New York and
Maryland Province. Quite a large num-
Der of elergymen were present and par
ticipated in the ceremony. Among these
were the Rev. Father c. J. Kelly of the
Church of Our Lady of Grace, Hoboken;
the Rev. Father Brady of St. Mary's
Church, the Rev. Father Dornan of St.
Budgets. the Rev. Father Wahl of st.
Boniface's, and the Rev. Father Wey1and
of st. Nicholas. All the priests of st.
Peters and the faculty of st. Peters
College took part. These were the Rev.
Father Job Harpes, rector of St. Peters;
the Rev. Father Thomas Harlin, and Rev.
Fathers Joseph Zeigler. Bernard Keany,
James Becker, Edward Roche, Flemming,
John Keveney and William Cannon. All
of the societies connected with the church
were represented. as were many Catholic
societies throughout the county.
There was no big parade. Only the
acolytes and cross bearer, the sanctuary
boys. the choir boys, the catechism class
and the Children of Mary paraded. The
clergy followed in the rear. The parade
was headed by st. Peters Sodality Flute
and Drum Corps. In the gathering on the
platform, however, were large delegations
from Paulus Hook Council, C. B. L.; st.
Aloysius Council (Ladies), c. b. L.; ST.
Ignatius (Ladies), c. B. L., and the vari-
Gus divisions of the Ancient Order of Hi
bernians.
Mayor Hoos and a number of prominent
city officials and well known citizens were
In prominent seats near the platform,
upon which the clergy sat during the Or
alton. delivered by hat eloquent divine,
Rev. Father Charles ]. Kelly. DR.. Finn.
of the Board of Education, sat near the
Mayor. AT His Honor's left elbow sat
County Superintendent James F. annoE
Among those who occupied prominent
seats We're observed Aldermen Burns.
Moran and Cole. The crowd, though not
so large as was anticipated, packed the
immense platform and overran the streets
IN the vicinity of Van Worst and York
who viewed the scene from the roofs and
many windows of the tall buildings near
BY, including the Arlington Flats on the
triangle across the way from the Acad-
envy Of Music, the lesser flats and build
lngs directly. opposite the new building,
and the windows of the old three stored
p~arochial school and st. Peters College.
The windows of the old parochial school
were thfonged with girls nj the ~parochial
school and the Children Of Mary, who
With splendid effect joined with the boys
of the school below in singing the tie
Deum," led by the st. Peters Sodality
Flute and Drum Corps at the close of the
= Etat& IFa Z q + ~ 81
Father Kelly,s Grafton was the event Of
the ceremony. 1t far more than atoned
for the lack of martial display with BAN
ners and music. The memory of these
on other similar occasions pales into in
significance in contrast with the splendid
effect which the oratory of the Rev.
pastor of st. Mary's, was an ideal ora
tor. He has grown just a bit stouter
since he left to succeed the late Father
Corrigan as rector of the big and ricn
Hoboken parish. His words carried con-
victien, and the audience was thrilled as
he proceeded; Only. once was the Grafton
when the speaker. after declaring the 10y
atty of the Catholic priests to this coun-
try, their willingness to go to the front
to fight for the flag of this country, said.
concerning the teachers, in the parochial
school. that they had already offered their
services to go amidst, shot and shell to
soothe and comfort and nurse the wound
ed soldiers of our army. Father Kelly
said in part
The building of a parish school is an
occasion of joy to priests and Christian
people who have at heart the survival
and propagation of religion in this coun-
try. for therein are the boys and girls
who are to be the future men and women
of the church to receive a solid religious
training. Catholicity fourishes in these
United States because of parish schools,
in which the children breathe a religious
atmosphere-study the Catholic Gate
chism and learn their prayers and inn
bibe daily a ever increasing reverence for
God, His church and sacraments and
clergy, which is the wonder and the adj
miratien of the outside world.
Whatever difference of opinion there
may be as to the ways and means of
imparting religious education and sup
porting religious schools, there can be
none as to the evident truth that if the
church in these United States is to. be.
perpetuated in a God-serving and God
loving religion it is by the establishment
and maintenance of a parish school in ev-
cry Catholic parish. Indeed every Chris
tan denomination that seeks to prolong
its existence gives evidences that it is
convinced that it must make the ques-
ton of religious education its own for
the survival of every denomination de-
ponds upon the UNCONVENTIONAL training
that the children receive in the school.
D-enominational schools are the only safe
guards against that religious indifference
and agnosticism that are at the moment
| gangrening society.
w Catholics, priests and people are
convinced that the parish school is the
III z L tlC III S6d tlOlry Liz llOltC dill
mainstay of the church in the future:
/ tina If we cease to nurture and train the
young of our f1ocks In the knowledge and
discipline of the teachings anfs practices
kof our holy religion, we will lave empty
pews. 1T is our conviction that 1T is only
by placing the Christian yoke upon the
hfld i'm the tender years that the child
will grow up in manhood and
womanllood. finding that yoke agreeable
and will afterwards perseVere in holding
all their spiritual truths and practices
4 that make the Christian home and life
a heaven on earth.
This is why Christian parents make
SO many sacrifices to secure their chill
dren a Christian education. This is why
men and women religious teachers inn
molate their comforts, their homes, their
Hives, that they may cause Christian vir-
tues to bloom in the hearts of THE little
ones under their care. This is why in
the diocesexO of Newark there are more
than 10000 children attending parish
schools at great sacrifices to priests,
| parents and teachers. The building of a
religious school is a cause of joy to those
who love their country for the doctrines
taught by the Catholic Church in pulpit
and school are the surest safeguards for
1.-The Republic cannot endure without
morality, FOR without morality there can
be no order. There can be mo morality
without religion. Infidelity will prove the
ruin of the state. To make religion cease
to be one with the chdld's thoughts and
words and actions. at a time when the
I child's fnquisftiveness and intellectual ac-
/ tivity are at the highest pitch, makes for
/ infidelftvs To cause the child to diSpenSe