Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-08-19
Few of the Participants i'm the
Then Important Event
Are Now Living.
Increase of Catholic Churches
and Institutions in the City
Since That Time.
BRIEF SKETCH OF "REMINISCENCES


was the fftieth anniversary of the laying
of the cornerstone of the Cathedral, and
it was celebrated with solemn high mass,
the Cathedral being crowded and many
of the clergy being present. The
sermon was preached by Very Rev. M.
Bouchet, V. G..
The first Cathedral church in Louisville
was built in 1871 at Tenth and Main, the
lot, which is still church property, being
now occupied by a tobacco warehouse.
This being OIL the northwestern edge OF
the city, inconvenient of access by the
people and too small for 1000 worshipers,
in 1880 St. Louis church was built on
Fifth street, the site of the present
Cathedral The seat of the diocese was
removed from Bardstown to Louisville in
1S43, and Bishop Flaget came here. Then
began the move for larger and finer
Cathedral. There was opposition even
among the clergy to erecting the new
Cathedral on the present site, it being
urged that it should occupy a more
prominent place in the city-Jefferson
street, opposite the courthouse, where
the Willard Hotel stands, being urged.
But it was finally decided to build on the
site of St. Louis Cathedral, which was
torn down. The Mexican war and the
financial panic of lS47 delayed matters,
and it was not until lS49 that the work
begun, and on July Is the cornerstone
was laid. The mass was sung by Very Rev.
John McGill. Vicar General of the do
cese, subsequently Bishop of Richmond,
Va, with Rev. Otto Jair, o. S. F., dea-
con, and Rev. ]. NJ. Bruyere, subdeacon.
The cornerstone was laid by Right Rev.
Martin John Spalding, then Coadjutor
Bishop OF Louisville, assisted by Bishop
Purcell, of Cincinnati, and twelve priests.
What was considered in those days an
immense crowd were present. The ser
mon was preached by Bishop Purcell,
and the ceremony concluded with the
blessing of the audience by the venerable
Bishop Flaget, then eighty-fve years Of
age. The building was finished and con
secrated in three years. In the corner
stone were placed:
An inscription on parchment.
Copies of all Catholic papers of the
Union.
The Louisville daily newspapers.
Pastoral letter of the Council of Balti
more.
A silver medal of Piux TX.
A Bible.
A gold dollar and several coins and en-
cravings.
The inscription on the parchment IL
the cornerstone states that the Cathedra
church was begun under the name ant
patronage of the most holy and immacu
late Virgin Mary, assumpted into HEAVIER
this day; that it was under the pontifcat'
of Piux TX, with Benedict Joseph Flaget
Ordinary of the Diocese of Louisville
Zachary Taylor, President of the United
States; John ]. Crittenden, Governor o
Kentucky, and William Vance, Mayor o
the city of Louisville; that Martin Johi
Spalding presided at the sacred ceremon.
of the laying of this stone, as Bishop o
Langone and Coadjutor to the Bishop o
Louisville, with the assistance of man.
priests, and that John Baptist Purcell
Bishop of Cincinnati, addressed an i'm
mense concourse of people in this year o
reparation lS49, and the seventy-fourtl
of the Declaration of American Inde
pendence; William Keely being the ARCH
tect.
At that time, fifty years ago, there wer
but three Catholic churches in Loui:
vile, but in the next few years St. John
at Clay and Walnut. st. Mary's, at Eight
and Grayson, and St. Patrick's at Thil
tenth and Market, were built. But the
came trying times-Know Nothingisi
and Bloody Monday, in which ever
Catholic church was threatened and th
| Cathedral narrowly escaped destructio
. by the mob. Bishop Spalding, successc
of Bishop Flaget, who died in 1850, hea
, ing of the threats, locked up the building
took the keys to Mayor Barbee and not
fed him the city would be held respons
y BILE for all damage to church propert,
But the Mayor seemed powerless, an
! the Cathedral was only saved by the il
4 tercession of Col. Pennebaker and sever
q gentlemen who, at the risk of their live
= stopped the mob on Fifth street.
& Since then the city has spread over a
area obliterating farms, groves, swamp
leveling hills and filling valleys, and col
. tains now thirty-two Catholic churche
r. besides schools, academies, colleges, as
= lums, hospitals and other institutions.
n About 1865 Bishop Spalding was tran
O ferred to the Archdiocese Of Baltimor
e the diocese being left in charge of Vel
Rev. Benjamin Spalding, v. c., wi
q was burned to death in his room.
O 1867 Right Rev. Peter Joseph LAVAL
e became Bishop of the diocese. dying
1865, and was succeeded by the prese
.