The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-09-23
THE PRO-CATHEDRAL.

THE PRo-CATHEDRAL.
Letter From Archbishop ireland in
Reference Thereto.
In ali the Catholic churches of the
city, last Sunday, letter from Arch
bishop Ireland was read urging the co.
operation of members of the various
parishes in the construction of the
pro-cathedral for Minneapolis. The
address of the archbishop was to the
citizens generally and to the Catholics
and clergy in particular. In part it
read as follows:
Speaking to citizens of Minneapo-
lis, who know their city and are proud
Of it, I need not tell of it's greatness
today, nor of its assured future devel-
opment tomorrow into still higher
greatness. What it is, and what it
will be, is too plainly seen to be doubt
ed or disputed. With its population of
100000, its world-famed industries, its
superb public eiifces, with the indom-
table energy and the ever tireless am
hition so peculiarly characteristic of
all classes of its citizens, Minneapolis
takes proud rank as the chief city Of
Minnesota, and omens for itself in
near time conditions of growth and
prosperity that will allow but few to
make contest with it, when mention is
made of the dominating centers of
commerce and of social influence in
the United States of America.
"The greatness of Minneapolis
merely recall it to draw thence my
argument in favor of the noble temple
witt, which I fain would endow the fair
city-in it's statehness and beauty full
worthy no less of Minneapolis than Of
the Catholic church itself, whose faith
it is hidden to preach, whose grandeur
it is hidden to symbolic.
"The architect is busy in the prepar-
alton of plans. Soon photographs of
them will be given to the public. None
! will be disappointed in their expecta-
lions that the pro-cathedral is to be,
in its general aspect, in its every de-
tail, such that the city may be proud
of it along all future years.
"Work on the building will begin in
the spring OF 1906, to be continued
during subsequent years according as
funds are provided. The ceremony of
the laying of the cornerstone will take
place in October, 1906.
'The appeal for contributions is
made to the whole Catholic people of
Minneapolis. Every one, rich or poor,
is invited to do his share. The rich
will give OF his richness; the poor will
give of his poverty; all will give as
God permits them to give. There
should be no one, who entering the
pro-cathedral is not able to say: 1T
is mine. I have put into the making
of this great monument stone that
is mine. The stone, perchance, is
small. but there it is; and since it
was the measure of my best will, God
will reward It, as the earnest of my
faith and love- The pro-cathedral is
to be sublime act of religion; in this
all should claim their part. Were a
fraction of the people willing to bear
the entire burden of the cost, should
not allow them to do so. The pro-
cathedral must be the work of all, the
offering of all, the belonging of all; it
must be gladstone profession of faith
by the whole people of the city of Min
neapolis.
Large volumes, so large that they
; can never be mislaid or lost, proof in
| paper and in binding against the raw.
ages of time, will recoru the names
and addresses of all contributors to.
gether with the sums contributed and
the sums paid. Those volumes will be
preserved in fireproof castings in a
chapel of the pro-cathedral to be called
the Founders Chapel Over the gate
way to this chapel a metallic scroll
| will announce that for all time to
come, on the Thursday morning of
every week, mass will be there cele-
brated for the spiritual health and well
fare of all, living or dead, whose
names are there preserved.
at is my hope that the name of
every Catholic of Minneapolis, man,
woman or child, will be inscribed in
those memorial volumes. Their pages
will tell to future generations who
we're the Catholics of Minneapolis
when it was building the pro- cathedral,
who they were that built it, who they
were that merit the enduring gratitude
of the Catholic people of Minneapolis. I"