The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-08-25
BILLINGS, MONT.
Laying Of the Corner Stone of
St. Patrick's Church.
Progress of Catholicity in the
Mountain State.

NJ. 4. Lehman. DlSnOp OF Gfetl'
Falls solemnly ofticiated at the laying
of the corner stone of The new St
Patrick's church of this city, says the
Billings, Mont, Gazette.
1t is an event that will always be
remembered by the Catholics OF Bill
lings. and people in general. as mark
ing the beginning OF a new era in
their history. AT 1890 solemn high
church. Besides the bishop the follow
ing priests were present at the mass
and also at the corner stone exercises
in the afternoons:
The Very Reverend Victor Day. vicar
general. Helena: the Reverend J. Nj.
Vermaat, Red Lodge; the Reverend
Father Byrne, All Hallows college, Salt
Lake City; the Reverend Father Lech-
ner, All Hallows college, Salt Lake
City; the Reverend Father Nj. .. D.
Barry, Butte, and the Reverend Father
Carbon, S. j.. St. Xavier'.s Mission,
Mont
Bishop Lenitan was the orator of the
day at the cornerstone laying.
The location of the church is an
especially favorable one, being very
close to the center of the Catholic
population Of Billings, and easily ac-
cessible from all directions.
The church will be one of the largest
and handsomest church buildings of
the west. 1t is of Gothic design, mod
flied from the old English Gothic. to
bring it into harmony with modern re-
quirements.
it is temple of God. the lofty tow
ers and pinnacles, pointed with arch
windows and door openings and every
line of the building unconsciously
forces the observers mind to elevate
itself above worldly thoughts. It's eX-
terror tells you at once that you are
worship of the Supreme Being.
The building is in the shape of a
rectangle, forming cross on the in
side, with the arms Of the cross trun-
Gated. The extreme dimensions are
54x122 feet. The first floor is raised
five feet above the sidewalk and Is
a;,rt,t 40
steps 80 feet wide. The main tower
and spire is located on the street corr
ner and will contain a beautiful bell
which will ring at all hours of wOr-
ship On the other (southwesD cor
ner is located smaller tower in
which is contained the baptismal font.
ed on either side by towers, are the
three main entrances to the vestibue.
These entrances are made specially
attractive and imposing by Gothic
arches, gables and parapets and a
large rose window in the center
above; through the main entrance
doorways, entry is had into the vesti-
bule, which takes in the entire space
between the towers To the left Of
the vestibule is the doorway wherein
is contained the stairway to the gall
lery and organ choir lofts. TO the
right is the door to the baptistry. Di-
rectly in front and opposite the main
ty1, et,
nave of the church. This nave is so
feet wide on the inside and 65 feet
long to the communion railing. and
will be supplied with four tiers Of
seats and three aisles. the main wide
aisle in the center and two small
asles on the sides. At the east end
Of the nave is located the sanctuary,
in the center. and the side affairs on
either side Of the sanctuary. The
side affairs are recessed in Gothic
archways. On either side of the
sanctuary are located large and
roomy sacristies. These sacristies are
connected with each other by means
VI q piSSdSeNdy. lie SucflSty OH lno
south side is SO designed that it can
be used as a winter chapel. as 1t has
an outside entrance and q small altar.
spacious gallery extends clear
across the west end of the church.
directly over the vestibule The pipe
organ is located in the center of the
gallery and the space for the choir
is arranged directly in front of the
organ.
The sanctuary is in the shape Of a
dodecagOn, with nodded vertical corr
ners vaulted so that all vertical COR
ners and mouldings come together in
one large ornament directly in the
center of the high altar. as If indicat-
ing to the worshipper the exact place
Of the Holy Of Holes in the high
altar. This main or high altar occu-
pies the entire end of the sanctuary
and is of Gothic design of marble and
white and gold woodwork IA feet
wide and % feet high.
All of the windows are of Mosaic
art glass, illustrating scenes from the
life of Christ and the saints. The
side windows are five feet wide and
1s feet high, and the rose window in