The Jersey City news., 1899-12-16
all SAINTS DEBT.
Rev. Father, Meehan the
Rector, Hopes to Pay It
Off by January 1901.
REMARKABLE CHURCH FINANCES
Phenomenal Growth of the
Parish Among the
Churches.
REMARKABLE CHURCH FINANCES

1t is a little more than three years ago
that the parish Of st. Patrick's Catnoiic
Church was split up and divided INTO
three parts One of these parishes was
called All Saints. This includes the en-
tire Lafayette section, which embraces an
Of the territory lying below the base OF
the Hill, from Grand street to the Centfai
Railroad branch. One reason for the divis-
ion Of the mother parish. was the enor-
nous increase in the parish. doubtless the
wealthiest and most prosperous in the
Newark diocese Even today, with two
smaller parishes taken from it, St. Pat
ricks bears the enviable distinction OF
having raised the largest Christmas and
Easter collections of any Catholic Churcn
under Bishop Wigger.
When ST. Patrick's parish contained
such large number of souls and en-
braced such an expanse of territory, there
were many parishioners who, living at the
extreme end of the parish line, found II
exceedingly difficult to attend services
with any degree of regularity. To pro-
vide houses of worship for these members
the two parishes were started.
ST. Aloysius on the westside, came first,
and short time thereafter ground was
broken for the erection Of a handsome
brick building at Lafayette and Whlton
streets This, after its dedication, be-
came knwon as All Saints Parish hail,
school and church. This structure was
dedicated with appropriate ceremonies
Soon after a monster bazaar was given
in the church, before this spacious room
was completed for services The re-
ceipts were very large and helped greatly
to defray the expenses of the construc-
tion of the building
All Saints Parish has grown consloer-
ably since its inception. This is due an
a large measure to the increasing laoors
of the Rev. Joseph Meehan. the pastor,
who since the parish was established
with a comparatively few souls, has re-
manned at its head. He has had three
| assistants. The Rev. Father Doyle Is a.
| ,resent under Father Meehan and ms
| work in the school is found to pc OF mucn
| advantage to the pupils ms PATS
| school. has since the classes We're lofih'
ed developed with surprising raploits.
The entire second floor is devoted to ecu
cational purposes. the facilities beng TN
hest. There are bowling alleys III ~
basement for the young men OF the Ly
| cspno and these are in use nightly IN
T,vceum. assisted by the various churci
societies. has proven of value 70 IN
nastor in his work of building up tn
narish. The fret or ground floor Is use'
| for worship. On the top floor there ar
many spare rooms. Some are USED 10
school purposes, but the most are required
for society meetings fairs and receptions
There is a pleasant hall for dancing, Du
Father Meehan objects most strenuousi'
to any round dances.
The exact number of souls In the parisl
| is not known, but 1t is roughly estimate'
at three thousand. Evidence of the IN
defatigable labors of Father Meehan is 7
be found in the manner in which IN
church debt is being liquidated. Tn
building cost approximately s25,oOo Nor
than 5000 has been paid off. and 1t
| hoped that another thousand will
| wiped out by the first Of the year. Ther
| remains now almost $4,000 debt on tn
building. Father Meehan is of the opinio
that the debt will be paid off by Januar
of 1901. The young men Of the Lyceum ar
| arranging for dance to be given il
! Christmas week The recent Harves
Home festival netted s2.7Oo.