The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-24
SOLEMN SERVICE.
Funeral of Rev. Denis
Scannell Held
Yesterday.
IMPOSING RITUAL USED.
Many Priests and Parish
toner's Follow the Body
to the Grave.
IMPOSING RITUAL USED.

sleeping" He spoke truly, for that
sleep is the brother of death is a saying
as old as the world.
Not in recorded annals or in the rec
election Of people living today, has
Worcester witnessed such a funeral as
that which passed through the streets
yesterday in long, impressive line, from
st. Anne's Church to st. Johns Gene
terry.
1t was the truest panegyric on the
life of the noble priest, who, calmly
and peacefully as child going to
sleep, yielded up his spirit Sunday, as
the finger of death closed his eyes and
stilled his heart beats.
Surviving him are the substantial
glories of his life work, more enduring
and worthy of him than any monu-
ment of sculptured marble. His truest
epitaph is the praises of myriad lips.
Words, like the chiseled stone, can add
nothing to his fame. Dead and cold in
the sepulchre, he lives in the hearts
and memory of grateful thousands.
No one can truly estimate the mum
Der OF people that attended the solemn
services in the church, or followed the
funeral cortege to the grave. The
church, during all the masses, more
particularly during the celebration of
the pontifical mass by the bishop, with
all its magnificence and grandeur of
ritual, was crowded to it's fullest ca
pacity. Outside the church, an equally
large concourse of people waited rev
erently and patiently for the cortege ia
leave Normal hill on its solemn journey
to the South Worcester city of the
dead.
The day was in striking contrast To
the occasion While thousands mourned
their dead pastor, nature seemed joyous
and happy. AS the solemn procession
moved down the hill at noon, the gold
en- splendor of the meridian sun i'm
paradised the day.
While the bells We're tolling hundreds
of eyes grew dim and heads were in
cllned in sorrow and reverence 1t was
the passing Of one whose life work may
be taken up by another worthily, but
whose place in the affections of his
people can never be filed.
There Is pageantry in death, far
grander and more impressive than
anything in life, and the spectacle wit
messed yesterday will always be treas
ured among the fondest memories OF
those who took part in the funeral OF
st. Anne's beloved pastor.
The church was robed in deepest
mourning. The black Grape, emblem
attic of death, was everywhere. 1t con-
trasted strangely with the rays of the
sun that glinted in through the stained
glass windows.
The mourners assembled early, and
long before the doors were opened there
We're enough waiting to nearly fill the
auditorium. The people were seated
by the following ushers under the d.
TGrfiOn nf Will al Oh;
er, and personal friend of the dead
pastor, Maurice Maroney, John Crow
ley, Richard Hoey. James F. Guerin,
DR.. Francis A. Underwood, John F.
O'Connor, Thomas Kenney, Thomas
Malone, John T. Lacey, Patrick Nc
Keen, Michael ]. English, John j. Rog-
ers, James ]. Gleason, William j. Hef-
fern, Frank ], Heslin, Thomas Carmo-
dy, DR.. Eugene Sullivan, Frank Nc
Murray, James Travers, Patrick f.
Boyle, William 7. Finneran and Frank
A. Foley.
The police squad was in charge Of
prised Officers w. M Brady, James
Knight, Addison March, Patrick ],
Murphy and Hugh F. Bulger.
Before the celebration of the pontifi-
cal mass there were six other masses
Rev. Father Daley celebrated one al
$50, Rev. Thomas Shahan of Washing.
ton, one at 6, Rev. w. z. Hartigan OF
st. Anne's one at $50, Rev. P. F. Hig-
gins of Peoria, ILL.,, one at 7, and an
other by Rev. j. T. McKeon of Can
ton at 730. A solemn high mass at S
o'clock was celebrated by Rev. r. F.
Walsh of Easthampton.
Nothing that the mind can conceive
could be more impressive than the pom
fffRal a ntolnNly T,,e
the sanctuary was the catafalque, with
lighted candles on either side. The cas-
ket was surrounded by myriads of flo
raj offerings, the most magnificent ever
seen at a funeral in this city. Their
worth was estimated in a worldly sense
at several hundreds Of dollars. but
with the spirit that accompanied them
they we're priceless.
Prior to the entrance of the officers
of the mass the cantors, Fathers Sui
livan Of st. Johns, Worcester, Hanra-
han, West Fitchburg, Fitzgerald OF
Lee, Higgins Of Peoria, Lee of Jeffer-
sonyille, Dolan Of Spencer, Fitzgerald
Of Milford and Cronin of Canton
chanted the offices for the dead. This
was followed by the reading of the
three lessons by Mgr. Griffin and Fa-
theirs Higgins and Fitzgerald.
AS the officers of the mass came into
the sanctuary, the organist, ]. ]. Foley
played Leonard's pontifical march.
The officers Of the mass came In this
order: Rev. Thomas r. ]. Fitzgerald,
thurifer, swinging the incense lamp;
Rev j. T. j. McKeon of Canton and
Rev j. A. Riordan of Bangor, AGO.
lytes; Rev. B. S. Conaty of Sacred
Heart church, master of ceremonies.
Rev. j. f. Murphy Of Grafton, assist
ant master of ceremonies; Rev. Thorn
as Shahan of Washington, deacon; Rev.
d. II. O'Neill, sub-deacon; j. f. Lehy,
high priest; Bishop Beaven M. A.
O'Brien, Bangor deacon of honor; Rev.
j. F. Redican, Leicester, sub-deacon OF
honor. Father Daley was deacon of the
mass.
The united choir Of the church was
in attendance under the direction of
Thomas f. Hanlon. Among the voices
that were heard were M. j. McAuliffe,
Mrs. Plante, j. H, Reardon, p. ]. Moy-
ney, Miss Madge Feehan, p. j. Moy-
milan, 7. F. Hanlont The Gregorian
mass was sung.
At the conclusion of the pontifical
services, the bishop conducted the rites
over the body. Then came the delivery
of the eulogy by Rev. j p. Coyle Of
Taunton. 1t was the tribute of a life
long friend Of the dead priest and was
as follows:
Right Reverend Bishops, Reverend
Fathers and Dear Brethren:--
This is a day of gloom, a season of
anguish, for death, who loves a shining
mark, has stolen into the sanctuary
and laid his Icy hand on even the Lords
anointed. Around the bier of the de-.
parted, pontiff and priests have assem-
bled to join their voices with the
sopping tones OF the organ in suffrage
for him who comes no more. 1t is sor-