The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-12-16
BIRTH oF cATHoLIcIsM.
St. Peter,s Gave Church Two Of It
 Bishops.

St. PeteF,s Gave Church Two Of Its
 Bishops. e rs
 The birth Of Catholicism in Moptgom- cry, the organization of a church of that faith in the year 1888, and the continued growth and prosperity of the denomination in this clty makes in tha annals of -'reHgous |, MogtgomeEy," 3, a chapter repleteI rwith iHtersst ite1 theUs7 ands of people ins this city, and. thEopsh- . out Alabama. .-- -....- ,
 Duringl nearly three-quarters of a century there have been but five reg ular installed rectors Of the Catholic Church of Montgomery. Several years in the early days-betore the war-the church was without a regular priest but during that time visiting priests came frequently to. Montgomery ana kept alive the spark from which has grown one of the largest church de- nominations in tie city.
 . Many interesting facts concerning the early history of St. Peters Catholic Church have been gleaAned from a com pilations of the records of the organi- zation of the first chgrches in Mont gomerS by M. F, Blue inc the,4yeaF 1878. ..r s. .,... ..sr. -e,
 One of the six olcest churches Tn Montgomery, organized when c Mont gomery was but a village, St Peters Catholic Church mas grown from d membership of little more than score of people living in and around Mont gomery to a little less than 1,500 de- voted adherents to the faith within the limits of the city.
 The first public Catholic service ever held in Montgomery was in the year 1881, in the Masonic ITatI located on Commerce street below where the Ex- change Hotel now stands. The ser vice was conducted by priest from Mobile Prior to that time, for sey- eral years, the few Catholics in the town would gather At the home of Mrs. Gardner, pious Catholic woman on the corner of Church and Moulton streets, where, they 'held divine wor- ship.
 in 1888. the Catholics of Montgom- cry determined to erect church and MT. Hanfick donated the lot on which the church edifice is now located. The few Catholics in the town subscribed literally, were aided by a number of citizens who were not Catholics and received considerable aid from Catho- lies in Mobile. The first church erected by Catholics was small but neat frame bWlding It was completed early in the year 1884, and was dedi- cated April 25 of. that year by Bishor Portier of Mobile, then Bishop of the Diocese of Mobile, and Rev. G. Chalen was installed as priest IL was at that t1I0e that me enufcl was named NJ Peters" in honor of the immediate sue cessor of Christ as the head of the church.
 INFLUENCE OF | WOMAN.
 The dedication of the church was one of the most memorable events in the history of the Montgomery Catholic Church. Che 9f the hios4 devout Cath olIcs of that time, and a woman whC had much to do with the ostanlsh- ment of Catholicism In Montgomery ana the building of a church, at this place was Mrs. M J CrCyon. Mrs. Creyor did not reside in Montgomery. Hel home was in Autauga county, ten miles from Montgomery. yet she was one oi the movers in the erection of the Cath ollie Church In Mont gOmeHy. As fruit of the faithful training of her children and of her zeal for her churclB there are numbered among her descendant; some of the most prominent Catholics of this country. Her grandson, Father William Duncan, was ordained Tn St Peters Church In 1862, during the war