The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-21
AN ASSURED FACT.
SistersO Of Notre Dame
to Have a New
Home.
WORK TO BEGIN.
Structure viii Cost $4,000
Another Monument to
Mgr. Griffin's Zeal.

The construction Of new home for
the Sisters of Notre Dame, which has
been under consideration the past year,
is now assured, and the work will be
begun in the near future.
Ri. Rev. Mgr. Thomas Griffin's desire
to begin the work of the erection of the
building this spring is in fair way to
be realized. The building win be of
solid brick masonry and will replace the
present wooden building that has
served the sisters as a home since
their arrival over quarter of a CEN
fury ago.
1t is estimated that the erection of
the building will cost somewhere in the
vicinity of sS5,OOO or $4,000, and will
add still another monument to the in
defatigable zeal of Mgr. Griffin, who
has made st. Johns parish known the
Catholic world over for its many and
magnificent parochial buildings. There
is already in the vicinity of $4,000 in
the building fund, but the monsignor
does not care to start the erection of
the building without at least $4,000 on
hand.
Tuesday evening a meeting of so
psrishioners was called by the pastor
of st. Johns and held in the institute
building Mgr. Griffin called the meet
ing to order and explained that the OBJ
1ect of the call was to devise means for
the raising of the necessary funds to
build the new home for the Sisters of
Notre Dame.
In opening he thanked his parishion-
ers for their hearty cooperation in all
his undertakings and gave a brief sum-
mary of the work accomplished the
past year. In all of the very extensive
property Of the parish there remains
but a mortgage of S6S,O00. During the
past year the pastor has succeeded in
paying $21, 500 on the mortgage, reduc-
ing 1t to its present sum. The church
and its immediate buildings, the in
stitute and the rectory, are already
cleared of debt. The Brothers home,
on Temple street, has now but a mort
gage of $4,000, and when this last item
has been cleared, the entire church
property on the north side of Temple
street, embracing the institute or old
Christ Church building, st. Johns
Church, the rectory and the Brothers
home, will be entirely free from debt.
Mgr. Griffin paid high tribute to
the quarter of century of work ac-
complished by the Sisters of Notre
Dame in their work of educating the
young girls of the parish. He referred
briefly to their history since their COM
ing to this city, Aug. 27, 1872, the first
sisters Of any religious order to arrive
in this city. Their first work was in
the Sunday school, which soon branch
ed out into the education of the young
girls of the parish. The Bigelow es-
tate on Vernon street was purchased
and was fitted up into home for the
sisters. This residence has served the
sisters UP to the present time. The
next year the beautiful brick convent
building was erected, and gave the sis
tiers much needed school quarters, and
enabled them to leave the old Institute
building on Temple street.
The school buildings on Vernon street
have been enlarged several times since
then. to accommodate the rapidly in
creasing membership of the scholars.
Mgr. Griffin explained that he ha6
already the sum of 81, 800 realized by
the course of lectures held in st. Johns
hall the past winter and other sources
He stated that the work would not be-
carried on until the building fund was
at least $4,000. In order to raise She
required sum, the pastor desired one
thousand men Of the parish to sub.
scribe ten dollars apiece to the fund
The so parishioners at the meeting, re.
sponded to the pastors appeal and do
mated from $40. $25 and $50 apiece t.
the fund. In ALL $500 and $500 were
realized at the meeting.
Mgr. Griffin was delighted with tn,
way the parishioners responded, anC
has called meeting for next Sunda!
evening in the Institute building OF
Temple street, at 73O o'clock Their
all parishioners will be requested Il
perform their share Of the work, and il
a very short time the work of break
ing ground will commence.