Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-03
STARTS CATHEDRAL PROJECT
Bishop s~cannell Addresses Circular on
Building Proposition to All Churches,
CONSIDERS TIME PROPTTloUs FOR WORK
successive Seasons Of Prosperity Have
PIn, ed Parishes I'm Good Condition
and Ready for the DtO-
cesar Enterprise.

Bishop scannell has put in motion the
steps for the construction of a new ca
thedral for the diocese of Omaha. At each
| church Of the diocese Sunday morning the
following letter was read:
To the Clergy and Laity Of the Diocese of
Omaha: My Dear Brethren-lt gives me
you that steps have recently been taken
towards providing the diocese with a suit
able cathedral.
That the diocese needs a new cathedral
has long been evident to all; and all of us
have been longing for the day that would
see the commencement of the work.
1 have hitherto, regarded the needs of
the different parishes as more urgent than
the need OF a new cathedral, and for this
reason l have been unwilling to add unduly
to your burdens, or to divert your gener-
osity from mere necessary works to a work
that could be postponed with less Injury to
the interests of religion.
Now, however, owing to a succession of
favorable seasons and the general prosper-
ity of the country nearly all the parishes
of the diocese are well provided with these
things that may be deemed necessary for a
wel-equipped parish.
postponing any longer an undertaking TO
which all of us for so long have been look
ing forward, and which will be, in a GER
tain way, the completion and the crown
of all the works of religion in the diocese:
A cathedral Is, in a certain sense, the
mother and mistress of all the other
churches of the diocese. II is the church
that belongs, not TO any one parish, but to
the WnOlt ulOtRHes III IL Nnb HlOF6 EOltIIll
services of the liturgical year take place;
and~it is from time to time the scene of
other solemn functions and of great re-
For this reason 1t should be a structure
at once large and imposing. 1t should
possess, as far as possible, architectural
beauty. Painting and sculpture and fine
architecture have always had an elevating
influence on the human mind; and when
these three are combined In a work that
has for its primary purpose the raising of
the mind of man from earth to heaven II
Is not easy to exaggerate their power for
good.
What well disposed person can kneel in
the cathedral of Antwerp or in the dome
of Cologne or in that of Milan. without
having his mind soothed and without ac-
curing a clearer view of life and of his
own destiny?
We cannot indeed think of producing here
I'm Omaha anything like those great master
pieces of human genius; nor would any
cumstances; for our American cathedrals
must serve also as parish churches, and
they must, therefore, be limited as to size,
and their interior arrangements must be
adapted to our modern wants.
We can, however, 1 trust, build a ca
thedral that will be respectable and that,
at the same time, will be within our means.
AS l did not wish to take upon myself
the entire responsiPility OF SO important
visable to form a board of practical bust
ness men who would have. charge of the
ganized and Incorporated under the laws
of the state of Nebraska. 1t Is entitled
'Ine Roman CdInOlC CaIneuThl- bullulnR
Board" and is made up of the bishop Of
the diocese, president; Count John A.
Creighton, vice president; Very Rev. A.
NJ. Colaneri, secretary; Mr.. T. j. Ma
honey, treasurer. and Messrs. f. A. Nash,
Frank Burnley T. G. Byrne. Frank Muir
ply and G. ]. Smyth.
These names will be a sufficient guaran-
tee to the public that the proposed under
taking will have the best attention.
And now In order that we may begin
the work of building as soon as possible 1
diocese. The clergy have already sub
scribed generously, indeed more than gen.
erously, from their limited means. 1 now
appeal to the ls!ty.
/ do not wish that any collections be
taken up in the churches, but l ask every
wage earners and every one of means to
give a personal donation towards the new
cathedral. Those who wish to do so may
divide their donations into two or three
annual payments. AS soon as a sufficient
sum of money is on hand the work will
begin, but no work will be contracted for
until we have the money to pay for It.
Donations may be sent to me directly or
through any of the clergy of. the diocese.
The members Of the building board will
also take charge of any sums entrusted
to them; and all donations will be duly ac-
knowledge. SCANNELLL
Bishop of Omaha.