Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-22
LARGE CONGREGATION
Al First Bigh Mass Celebrated
 By Rev John 0'Conuor.

A very large congregation attend4 ed the last mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception yesterday morning, many being attracted there through the announcement that the Rev John Andrew O'Connor. a native of Waterbury, recently ordained a priest, would be the celebrant. The other officers of the mass were: dea- con, Rev Luke Lawlor; sub-deacon, Rev Joseph Mccarthy; assistant priest, Rev William Keefe; master of ceremonies, Rev James Broderick. The Right Rev Monsignor Slocum presided and the sermon was preach ed by the Rev ]. E. O'Brien, who took for his subject The Priest hood" He reviewed the history of the ministry, dwelling particularly on God singling out the descendants of Abraham to be his chosen chil- dren, dividing them up into tribes and setting apart one, that of Levi, from which to select the priests. The speaker also dwelt upon the reyer- ence for the priesthood according to the Mosaic law which had come down through the ages unchanged to the present day, and called at tention to the sacrifices incident to being raised to that dignity and the constant watchfulness necessary to persevere in the good work to the end.
 At the close of the mass d general h1occipo gregation by the new priest.
 Organist John L. Hughes and the choir sang an excellent programme, the feature of which was trio at the offertory, "Jesu Dei Vivi," by Miss Marie Bauby, soprano; Edward Downey, tenor, and Edward Sullivan, bass
 Father O'Connor is son of the late MT and Mrs Michael O'Connor and brother to Miss Mary O'Con- nor, a teacher in the public schools. He is the twenty-sixth priest which the ImmaculateJ Conception church has given to the priesthood, the oth- CTS being the Reys William Hill, F. H. Kennerney, Jeremiah Fitzpatrick, J. Delaney, Thomas Calvin, Joseph Reid, Martin P. Lawlor, P. P. Law Tor, Christopher A, McEvoy, M. J. McGivney, William White, John Don- ahue, John Tennion, Thomas Shan ley, William Lynch, Patrick McGiv- ney, Arthur McMahon, Joseph Hef fernan, Luke Lawlor, William keefe, Joseph Mccarthy, William Fitzgerald, William Fox, john Shell, William Seanlon.
 Some of these good men who con- secrated their lives to the service of the Master were born in Ireland, a few came here from neighboring towns, the greater number of them were natives of Waterbury, but all of them entered the priesthood while they were members of the Immacu- late Conception church. Of course 1t will be noticed that the list has nothing to do with the young men ordained from the other parishes. Looking over the names one cannot help being reminded that several of them have long since been called to their reward. but nevertheless quite few of them are still in the en- jcyment of good health and actively engaged in drawing souls 10 God. It will be noticed, too. that among the departed will be found the name of the founder of that great organiza- ton known as the Knights of Colum- bus, which is destined to be one of the strongest fraternal bodies in the world. After another year or two the Immaculate Conception parish will have advanced the list to thirty, four students now in the seminaries expecting to be elevated to the priest hood about that time. SO that while some of the other parishes are doing we'll in that line none of thom is like ly to catch up with the mother church in our day.