The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-12
Feast of the Sacred
Heart Among Cath.
Ollie Churches.
SERVICES AT THE SACRED HEART
Observance Begins With
Sacrifice Of Mass and
Continues All Day.

With all the impressiveness and
grandeur of the Catholic ritual was
the solemnity of the feast of the sacred
heart of Jesus observed yesterday at
the Church of the Sacred Heart Cam
bridge street, the patronal feast of
that church.
The observance of the feast began
with the early morning celebration of
the sacrifice of the mass and continued
till late into the evening. The large
congregations of the church attended
the masses and assisted at the eve
ming service, which was held at
o'clock, filling the large auditorium of
the church to overlooking.
The little children, who on Friday
night had received the sacrament of
confirmation from the hands of their
bishop, Rt. Rev. Thomas d. Beaver of
Springfield, also assisted in the grand
observance of the day, and in the eN e.
ming formed In procession and marched
from the Sacred Heart hall on Sheri-
dan street to the church, where they
NOloGCL dlGu LlICIIl9ClNGS W IAAV 5'hStNa
heart of Jesus. Other observances of
this great occasion were the consecra-
ton of over 100 young ladies of the
parish to the sacred heart. and the
reception of as many more into the
Sodality of the Children of Mary, all
of which took place in the evening.
The music of the day, which was
specially prepared by Prof. Frank Carr,
organist and director of the choir, was
suited to the occasion and beautifully
rendered by the choir of 40 voices. To
add to the festivities two special art
lists in their line assisted in the musical
program, Prof. William ]. Howard of
Boston, Violnist, and Miss Josephine
O'Sullivan of Dublin, harpist. Dubois
"Messe pontificale" was rendered by
the choir at the 1890 o'clock mass with
Beethoven's sublime "Credo." AT the Of
fertory the organ, violin and harp rem
dered the Hymn to st. Cecilia" writ
ten by Gounod.
At o'clock the first mass was cell
ebrated in the morning by Rev. j. h,
Griffin assistant at the church. at
which he preached on the Alteration
and worship of the sacred heart"
which was also his subject for the
915 o'clock mass celebrated by Rev.
w. e. Foley. The children's mass, cell
ebrated at SIS o'clock by the rector
of the church, Rev. Bernard S. Coma
ty, was largely attended by those who
had received confirmation on Friday
night Yesterday they received their
first communion from the hands OF
their pastor, Father Conaty.
At 10. 80 o'clock came the solemn high
mass of the day, at which the parish
toner's attended in large numbers. Rev.
j. j. Green, S. j., Of Holy Cross col
lege, was the celebrant assisted by
Rev. w. E. Foley, as deacon, and Rev.
r Griffin as subdeacon. William
Smith was master of ceremonies with
David Gardner as assistant master.
Patrick Nolan was censer-bearer ana
Patrick McDonnough and Timothy Nc
Gee were the acolytes. FIR. Cohaty, VINO
preached the sermon, was seated Will
in the sanctuary railing.
The church was beautifully decorat-
ed with flowers Of the season ana
potted plants. The high altar at whlcn
the sacrifice of the mass was celebrated
was most attractive. Bouquets OF cut
flowers graced the upper par Vi tne
altar with a deep background of palms
and ferns, while hundreds of candles,
lighted, cast scintillating lights over
the whole. An expensive antependlum
of lace with figured gold threads, hung
before the altar and the door OF the
tabernacle was hung with a silken veil.
At the conclusion of the singing OF the
gospel of the day, FIR. Conaty ascend
ed the pulpit and delivered most ell
oquent sermon paying tribute 10 the
Sacred Heart which had shed us Dloou
for the redemption of mankind.
The ceremonies of the evening, which
began at Z O'Clock, were particularly
impressive because of their peculiar
nature, the consecrating to the Sacred
Heart of Jesus of over a hundred OF the
young ladies of the parish and OF the
reception into the sodaltties OF the
church Of the 230 children who had
been confirmed on Friday night. Inc
observances of the evening began with
the formation in line of procession of
the children at the Sacred Heart hall
on Sheridan street. There were go In
line. the boys wearing white blouses
with scarlet sashes, and the girls in
immaculate white dresses with white
wells on their heads and hanging IN
folds about the body The cross bear
er, with acolytes on either side, headed
the procession, followed by the chill
dren and the young ladies who were
to consecrate themselves to the Sacred
Heart. The clergy brought up the rear
with the censor bearers.
The line of march was through the
parochial grounds to the front entrance
of the church and down the epistle
aisle and back to the vestibule and
down the center aisle Of the church,
where all took seats. The celebration
of solemn yespers followed, chanted by
Rev. B. S. Conaty assisted by deacon
and sub-deacon. The choir sang es-
pecially prepared vespers.
At the conclusion of the chanting OF
the vesperal, the ceremonies of conse-
Grafton and reception began. FIR. Co
naty officiated and read the acts of
consacration and enrolled the postu-
iants into the several sodalities So
Iemn benediction of the blessed sacra-
ment followed, given by FIR. Conaty.
The singing of the hymn, "Laudate
Dorninum," concluded the ceremonies
of the day.
PERSONAL.
Jrne IN 1900