Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-17
A CHURCH DEDICATED
SOLEMN CEREMONIES AT ST.
VINCENT DE PAUL.
Cardinal Gibbons the Chief Figure in
the Exercises -sDr. Stafford
Preached the Sermon.

The Church of ST. Vincent de Paul, the
new Catholic edifice on,the corner OF South
Capitol and M streets, was soiemnly dedi-.
Gated yesterday morning by Cardinal GID
bons. Following the dedication service
solemn high mass was celebrated, Rev Dr.
D. ]. Stafford, pastor of ST. Patrick
Church, preaching the sermon.
The new church was completed last spring
on site given by Daniel Carol in 1901.
The pastor is Rev. P. ]. O'Connell, who was
recently transferred to his present position
from st. Stephens Church by the cardinal.
For the services yesterday the interior OF
the building was tastefully decorated with
palms. Many candles Illuminated the sane
tuary and added beauty to the scene. The
auditorium of the church is large one,
but on this occasion it was crowded to the
doors, and the people even, thronged the
steps and pavement in front.
The Dedication Ceremony.
Cardinal Gibbons said the o'clock mass
in the church yesterday morning. He then
administered confirmation to class of llo
boys and girls and a number of adults. Rev.
Fathers O'Connell and Travis attended him
at the mass.
Before the dedication services proper,
which began at 1920 o'clock, procession
moved around the church as an escort 10
the CdTOlIdl anu the clergy. HSi tbe Jul
side and then the inside of the edifice were
blessed. The main body of the procession
consisted of members of the Society OF
ST. Vincent de Paul. The recitation of the
litany of the saints, led by Cardinal Glib
bons, completed the ceremony of dedica-
ton.
In the course of his remarks at the ded-
cation services the cardinal said that he
had watched the growth of this part1cu-
lar church with much anxiety, and that
now he felt certain of its future prosperity,
if God so willed. He spoke also of his rea-
sons for putting Father O'Connen in
charge, and praised the pastors ability as
a preacher and head of a church. Refer
ring to the builders of the new structure,
he said in olden times the erection of such
places was left entirely to crowned heads,
but that today this was different, and right
ly SO, in his opinion.
The cardinal sat upon a temporary throne
covered with red, during the singing of the
choir and the preaching by DR.. Stafford.
The music included the rendition of the
harmonized Gregorian chant by a choir
of male voices, composed of forty students
from the Marst house of studies at the
Catholic University of America.
Dr. Stafford's Sermon.
At the mass which followed Rev. DR..
Stafford took Christian Charity for the
subject of his sermon. His text was the
thirty-fifth verse of the thirteenth chapter
of st. Johns Gospel "By this shall all
men know that you are my disciples, If
you have love one for another"
DR.. Stafford said 1t was a fact worthy
of interest that Christ gave as the supreme
test of his disciples that they should be
charitable. The Importance of this virtue
of love he emphasized with great earnest
ness. In part, he said:
What we need today for the remedy
of the social evil and for the benefit of
religion is a great diffusion of charity.
And what the Catholic Church needs to-
day is great and universal effort
great and universal manifestation of that
supreme love for humanity, especially Tor
the poor and suffering, which has charac-
terized her in every age. What we need
is not new theory, not a new system,
not new scheme for the amelioration of
mankind; what we need is the diffusion
of the spirit and the charity of Jesus Christ
Charitas Del diffEsa est in cordbus nostris
per inhabitationuIn spiritus sanctus.' Love
answers the difficulty. better than SCIENCE
The following We're the officers of the
mass: Very Rev. J. A. Hinch. o. p prior
of the Dominican monastery, assistant
priest to the cardinal; Rev. Fathers Soloeir
and Fleming, deaeons of honor to the car
dinal; Rev. w: S. Caughy, pastor of st.
Stephens Church, celebrant of the mass:
Rev. Fathers Dupre and Travis of the
Catholic University of America, deacon and
ubdeacon, respectively; Rev. George
Dougherty, secretary to the rector of the
Catholic University, master of ceremonies,
assisted by Messrs. Thomas Gallaher, c. ].
Walker, Thomas ]. Trodden, jr., and d. M.
Stanton. --.. p
A number of clergymen of other local
Catholic churches were seated in the
sanctuary, among them being Rev. P. ].
ORourk, o. p, of St Dominic's Church
and Rev. Joseph l. Mcguire, pastor of the
new parish of the Church of the Holy Com
forter
Rev. P. J. OConnel, the pastor, enter
tanned the cardinal and other clergy at din
ner, which was served in the basement of
the church.