The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-05-09
Corner Stone Laid.

Last Sunday will go down in the
history of the parish of the Immaculate
Conception at Conception, MIMI, as a
memorable one. The cornerstone of
the new church there was laid on that
day by the Rt. Rev. Joseph 3. Cotter,
ID. d., bishop of the Winona diocese,
assisted by several Of the diocesan
priests. At II O'clock there was a
procession of the clergy from the
parochial residence to the old church
where high mass was celebrated by
the pastor, Father Griffin. Father
Casper K0gl, of Minnesota, Mimi,
preached powerful and eloquent ser
mon in German, in which he set forth
the true purpose of the Catholic
Church.. The preacher emphasized the
absolute necessity of unity as requisite
for the attainment to success in any
project; but as especially indispensable
for the successful completion of the
work begun. He said that this is an
age of mammon worship, an age of
greed for gold, and emphasized the
fact that in order to attain to eternal
salvation it is required to lay up trea-
sure where neither thieves can break
in and STEAL nor moths nor rust can
destroy; and he interpreted the build
ing of this church as a proof that the
people of that parish are indeed lay
ing up such salutary treasure. "Since
you are building a church, and as that
church is to be the home Of your
Father, Almighty God, let the beauty
of this temple bespeak your true
charity toward God, and your loyalty
to your holy faith"
But what is the good to be derived
from beautiful building if we do not
always keep erected in our souls the
true temple of the Holy Ghost, which
temples our souls became in baptism?''
He made prominent the thought that
the beauty Of the material building
should but show forth the splendor
and magnifcence of the spiritual tenn
pie that each individual must possess
in his soul. He mentioned the appeal
of the dying King David, made to his
son Solomon to complete and to beauti-
fy the temple of the old law, and very
pathetically added, eff the dead, your
fathers, who sleep yonder in the city
of the dead, if they could come forth
from their graves and speak to you,
they would appeal to you as did King
David Of old, to go on and to complete
| this grand temple to the God whom
we worship in manner as set forth
by Him."
Bonner's mass in G was sung by
the choir under the direction of Miss
Appel. Dinner was served in the hall
by the ladies Of the parish.
At 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon the
Rosary was recited in the church, af-
ter which Bishop 'Cotter delivered a
most eloquent sermon. Among other
| things he showed forth what the
church is. He said it is a place of
sacrifice, which sacrifice is pleasing to
God. He referred to the grandeur of
| many of the once Catholic churches of
Europe, but which are now in the
hands of non-believers. He described
| the beauty, grandeur and solemn mag
| nificence of those buildings, but added
that there is i'll them a GOODNESS, a
gloom, an INDISPENSABLE loneliness.
These features. he said, are due to the
| fact that those churches are houses of
death, for in them there is dead
faith. The bishop encouraged the DO
pie to unity in their work, and to CO.
operate every good work begun, and
to make their church Il house of God
in truth. and one worthy of the faith
to be practiced therein. Hened' ctiou
of the blessed sacrament wls given
by the bishop. after which the corner
stone was laid
Notwithstanding the preceding in
| clement weather. hundreds of neon1a
| gathered from the nei~hhorinc mr.
iSheS. ard the old church hui,dir,,
| could not accommodate one-third of tho
many who sought place within it's
walls.