The sun., 1905-11-27
ST. AGNES'S CONSECRATED.
NOTED OHURCHMEN TURN OUT
TO HONOR FATHER BRANN.


at the High Mass-Men OF the Chmch
Give Dinner Following tho service
Fine Musical Programme Rendered
The conseoration OF st. Agnes's Roman
Catholic Church, In East Forty-third street.
was solemnized yesterday with splendor
of music and ceremonial The pastor,
the Rev. DR.. Henry A. Brann, is one OF the
most distinguished priests In the arch
diocese, and great crowd OF church Dig
nitaries and laymen gathered for the cele-
brat ion OF solemn ponthcal mass al IL
o'clock. The church was handsomely dec
grated and tho white marble altars glowed
with candles
On the throne on the Gospel side sat
Archbishop Falconio the Apostolic Dele
gate, who was the celebrant OF the mass.
Facing him from the Epistle side sat Arch
bishop Farley, who presided in the sanctuary.
Others present were Bishop Burke OF Al
bany, Bishop Gabriels Of Ogdensburg,
Bishop Kelley Of Savannah, Bishop Ludden
Of Syracuse Bishop Cotton Of Buffalo,
Mgr Lavee pastor Of st, Patnck's Cathe-
dral Mgr McSweeney, Mgr. Edwards, Mgr
McCready, Mgr. Stafford, Mgr. kearney,
Mgr. Taft, Mgr. o Hare, and about 100 priests
from various parishes in New YORK ana
vicinity.
The Rev. DR.. James F. Driscol, president
Of st. Joseph's Seminary, was the assistant
priest and the deacons OF honor were the
Rev. Father George w. Corrlgan OF 81.
Edward j. Flynn of the Sacred Heart
Church, Mount Vernon. The Rev, Father
Joseph F. Sheehan of Pocantico Hills acted
as deacon Of the mass and the Key. James
p Lenn2n Of this yy,o city as s. spodeaGon arniG9
ton was subdeacon of the cross and the
masters of ceremonies we're Fathers Thomas
+. Duffy, Joseph G. Murray and John b.
Murphy.
which was discussion on what the Church
! Rav stands for in science and religion
! At the end of the mass Archbishop Farley
spoke briefly congratu!ating Dr. Brann on
1 his long and useful services to the Church
and the highly satisfactory way in which
/ he had built up the parish and administered
its affairs. He also congratulated the con-
! gregation on having such an able pastor
and on being free from debt in spite OF the
! fact that only few wears ago the chIrch
| building was destroyed by fire. The music
was exceptionally fine, the choir rendering
| Palestrna's "Missa Pape Marcelh' under
the direction Of j. Henry Heynen, the
| organlst.
gave dinner in the school hall to the pre-
lates and other dignitaries who had taken
part in the service. Among the guests were
James Stillman, president of the National
City Bank; Justice Morgan j. O Brien, John
rierney, Edward j. Mcclure and George
Gillespie
DR.. Brann became pastor OF the church
on January 2S, 1890, and il then had debt
of ss4, 900. The church was burned down
eight years later. He rebuilt it and in ad-
dition has erected a parochial school at
cost of $50, 900, a sisters school at cost OF
$4,000 and a rectory at cost of s22 900.
DR.. Brann was born in Ireland in 1897
and came to this country in his boyhood.
After graduating from st Eavier's College
! he entered the celebrated seminary of st.
| Sulpice in Paris where he studied theology
| for three years. From th"r' he went to
the North American College at Rome, where
he was graduated with high honors. He
| was ordained priest by Cardinal Patrizzi
on June IA, 1882, and was the first student
| promoted to the priesthood in the college.
On his return to America he was ap-
! pointed vice-president of Seton Hall Col
/ iege and professor of dogmatio theology.
Fathers, but at the urgent entreaty Of
the late Bishop Whelan he took charge
of the seminary at Wheeling. W. Va, He was
| invited to return to New York and was
appointed in 1870 pastor at Fort Washing
ton aud Kingsbridge. From there he
went to st. Agnes's.
on May 25, 1902, DR. Brann celebrated
the fortieth anniversary Of his ordination
| TO the priesthood, at which time the parish
presented TO him a purse of $500. He
was the first Catholic priest elected mem
ber of the Union League Club, joining that
organization in June, 1897, He holds high
rank as a pulpit orator and he is known
widely as a vigorous defender with his pen.
of the Catholic religion. He has been {,
frequent contributor TO the Cothoiic World
magazine and the Cdthoiic QHdrterlY Reriew,
Among his works are Truth and Error,
Curious Questions" and The Age OF
Reason" he was appointed in 1884 by
Cardinal McCloskey censor Of Catholic
works published in the diocese of New
Nnrl,