Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-02
REOPENiNG OF ST. ALOYSIUS
The Church Building Thoroughly Renovated
and Greatly Improved
Archbishop Martinelli to Omciate at
Services Observation-Disclosures
COnaty to Preach Sermon.

| been undergoing extensive and elaborate
| renovation in the interior, and tomorrow
| 1t will be reopened for divine service There
will be a solemn high mass in the morning
| at IL o'clock, at which the papal delegate.
| Archbishop Martinelli. will be celebrant
and Monsignor Conaty, rector of the Cath
| oic University, will preach the sermon
and there will be solemn vespers at
! o'clock in the evening, with Father Par
| dow, s. j., preacher, when an opportuni-
| ty will be given to witness the illumination
| of the church by the new electric-lighting
arrangement On both occasions a musical
treat may be expected from the excellent
choir of the church, under the direction
of Mr. Kubel. Not all the work however
will be complete by that date, as the main
altar is to be yet reconstructed, new side
altar of marble to be erected and two
frescoes are to be placed in circular spaces
nigh above the side affairs.
The painting and decoration have been
directed and partly executed by Brother
Schroen, S. j., artist of very conSidera-
bic merit and the electric Illuminating
rangement, including about 100 lights, has
been sci in place by Brother DAILY, 5. J.,
skilled electrician. Mr.. Niepold of Fred
erick. Md, has done the gliding. The cell
ing and walls have been painted and gilded
In exquisite taste while handsome mold
ingS have been placed in the centers of the
panels of the ceiling. and all around the
church on the space under the cornice.
The pews look bright in their new dress of
paint. with handsome patented straps in
place of the doors.
stations of the Cross.
The fourteen stations of the cross hang
ing along the walls, which are all meritori-
Gus oil paintings, made by order in Rome
in the past, have been frightened and the
gilt of their frames renewed.
st. Aloysius is the oldest Catholic church
in the national capital, after the old St.
Matthews, on II street. and Holy Trinity
in Georgetown. 1t was dedicated and
opened for divine service in October, 1859.
on which occasion Archbishop Hughes of
New York preached the sermon in the
morning. and the preacher in the evening
was Rev. James Ryder, S. j.. one of the
most eminent presidents of Georgetown
College. then within a few months of his
death. who had been justly reputed one of
the very first pulpit orators in the United
states, and of whom cultivated people of
washington have said that they heard him
with more pleasure than they would listen
to Webster, Clay or Calhoun, coeval with
him in the Capitol. President Buchanan
was witness to the opening services forty
years ago.
It's Pastors.
Many eminent priests have officiated as
| pastors assistants. Rev Charles Stone
! street an ex-provincial of the Jesuits in
this region was a rector when the church
| was opened. After him, at different times
| Rev. Bernard Mcguire, S. j., distinguish
| ed ex-president of Georgetown College
| acted as pastor. During the civil war and
| for some years afterward Rev. Bernadne
| Wight, S. j., was the rector. Exercising the
sacred ministry in the church at the same
time with Father Wight was Rev. Alex
| ander HitSeiberger, s. j. He had been a
! student and then professor at Mount St
| Mary's College. Emmitsburg. Nd in its
| first years. and counted among the pupils
| instructed by him there Cardinal McClos-
| key of New York, the first American cardi-
| NAL and, after many years in the sacred
| ministry In Norfolk. Va, he entered the
| Society of Jesus in middle age.
| Connected with St. Aloysius Church is
| GonZaga College, conducted by members of
| the Society of Jesus, for imparting to youth
| a liberal higher education 1t former
| ly located on + street between 9th and 10th
streets. and dates back more than three
quarters of a century. 1t was transferred
from F street to its present location near
the church during the term of rectorshp of
church and college, from 1869 to 1875, of
Rev. James Clark. S. J., who was previ-
| ously president of Holy Cross College, Wor-
cester, Mass, and in his earlier life an of
| fcer in the United States army, having
graduated in the same class at West Point
with Gen. r. E. Lee. The residence of the
fathers adjoining the church was erected
ten or twelve years ago by Father Nc
Gurk. S. J., then rector. seconded by the
generosity of the congregation.
Many notable religious ceremonies have
taken place II St Aloysius Church during
the forty years of Its existence. In Octo-
Der, 1874, when Gen. w. T Sherman lived
on I street between I'd and Sd, the church
was the scene of the wedding of his daugh-
ter Minnie and Mr.. Fitch of St. Louis, one
of the most brilliant and impressive cere-
monies ever witnessed in the capital. Arch
bishop Purcell of Cincinnati came east to
perform the marriage; President Grant and
members of his cabinet were witnesses.
The Church Name.
The church has been named to honor the
memory of st. Aloysius Gonzaga, a youth
full Jesuit saint. who is proposed by the
Catholic Church everywhere as a model
for the young. He was the son of an Ital-