Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-19
CORNER STONE
NOW IN PLACE
MANY ATTEND IMPRESSIVE
CEREMONIES
st. PatrIck's Church but Another Link
In Endless Chaln-Rlght Rev.
Bishop Conaty Performs
the Ceremony


of the new st. Patrick's edif1ce yester-
day new epoch of the parish life was
reached that will mean enlarged facil-
tiles for the work of the church.
1t marked the beginning of another
link in that endless chain of churches
erected by the Church Of Rome In all
parts Of the civilized world. Rt. Rev.
Bishop Conaty, assisted by Rt. Rev.
Mgr. Harnett and visiting clergymen,
performed the ceremony of laying the
stone on the new church site, East
Thirty-fourth street.
About 1900 people, including the
Ancient Order of Hibernians, Mont
gomery and Conaty councils. Y. M. l.,
knights of Columbus and the parish
sodalities, who attended in a body, were
present.
a procession was formed at the
parochial residence, headed by young
girls attired in white. with white and
green wreaths. who were followed by
the societies, altar boys cross bearer
and clergy. The societies formed
hollow square during the ceremony of
laying the stone. Following this the
bishop blessed the foundations of the
new structure, assisted by the priests
in chanting the hymns and prayers.
Following the ceremony the clergy
ascended to the platform which had
been erected at the rear Of the lot and
which was decorated In the national
cclors and purple the bishops color
The bishop congratulated the pastor
and people upon the work accomplished
in the parish. He said:
"Today we have laid and blessed the
corner stone In the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. We have placed over the
oh re tit,1Ia- CT pat rThera
comes to us at this moment not only
the thought of a new church built to
the honor and glory of God but it links
the new parish with traditions dear to
all Catholic hearts. The name of st.
Patrick brings to our minds country
loyal to the mother church. 1t brings
across fifteen centuries the name Of a
great apostle and in an unbrol1en sue
cession the doctrines which he preached
and recognized and placed on solid
rock of those traditions.
Marks Onward Progress
eve cannot help feeling that it
makes for the city new and onward
progress-and yet not new. 1t simply
links us with the old. 1t brings to us
the history of a race loyal after fifteen
centuries; loyal to the cross Patrick
presented to the Irish. We have reason
to be proud of it. There is nothing on
earth SO noble as faith, so beautiful as
courage that battles for God and
patriotism IN religion. When this
church, nnw rising, shall stand in the
community 1t will tell the story to all
who pass that it is built for Jesus
Christ.
But, brethren. we know this age of
ours is not a church age. The temper
of the people generally Is not in line
with the building of churches. There
is "a spirit OF indifference. Many think
we should give the money to the poor.
That same question was once asked in
the long ago of the Savior himself. A
church means the answer5bf the human
conscience to it's obligation to worship.
We know sacrifice is essential to our
very nature and we recognize the great
GOD who made ALL We know there has
come into the world the only son Of
God, who came to teach us the obliga-
tions of life and to help us. Among
the things he did was the building of a
church which was to he to all nations,
telling men their obligations. 1t will
live with men until the end Of time.
His sacrifice was to be perpetual
sacrifice in every cline and every
tongue to obtain from God those bless
ings man needs.
bTeIHTell, lHe WOTiu Hldy llOJ hllOW
him and many in the world do not
know him, but you believe in him. In
all the things he did there came in the
fullness of time when he founded his
church that every race of men should
know lt-that there should be no place
from the rising to the setting of the
sun, no man to whom his church should
not be known. So that church has
come to us with all the traditions since
Calvary.
One Christ, One Truth, One Church
'"There is but one Christ, one truth
and one church and it is the duty of
every man to seek for 1t until he finds
it and then to love 1t. Christ is a
teacher and he left in the world a
teacher, and when we have found him
we should follow him to the end Of the
world. Brethren, we who are members
of the Catholic church feel the conf
dence OF truth and that it is the true
church of Christ. We realize it's un-
broken succession. No changing whims
of kings or emperors have ever changed
one jot or title of the truth. Just as
Patrick preached it, so will the church
preach to you here. Truth is like the
sun in yonder heavens. Its rays give
light and heat to all nature, the same
yesterday, today and forever. Like the
eternal hills, the truth of God is un-
changeable and unchanged. 1t depends
not on your judgment or mine, but
stands in the light to be accepted by
men. But whether they accept 1t or
not it is the eternal truth on which
Jesus Christ builded a church which he
called his church.
'This new church which will stand
here shall have its doors open to all
the peoples catering to the whims and
caprices of no set of men. 1t tells Gods
truths with Gods authority and leaves
1t to the conscience of men whether
they shall accept.
What Building and Church Means
"Here will stand church where the
sacraments shall be administered, not
one, but seven. The building of a
church is more than brick and mortar
and architectural design. 1t Is an act
of faith in the eternal God and Jesus
Christ.
"May this mean to us more than a
mere ceremony. The church stands for
more than an ideal and as the church
rises so do our lives rise. AS the
architect planned it, so does the great
Architect fashion our souls in the