Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-28
TENTH ANNIVERSARY
FIIiInaIy Celsbraled WIIh Appro. prlale Services siSi Ihomss's.

nation of St Thomas's parish was Httingly celebrated yesterday when special programme was carried out, under the supervision of the pastor, the Rev Timothy NJ. Crowley, who has labored so zealously for the welfare of his church and congrega- ton since the parish was organized. Tbe most pleasing feature or the celebration to the pastor himseli was the fact that at the [, s and o'clock masses more than 800 mem bers of the parish received holy communion.
 Neither Bishop Tierney nor Mon signor William J. Slocum were within the sanctuary rail when the solemn high mass began at 1O;3o o'clock. The former was unable to be present because of official busi- ness while Monsignor Slocums health would not allow him to at tend the anniversary of the parish which was formed under his direc- tion just 10 years ago. The ohcers of the mass were celebrant. the Rev Ignatius Kost of South Coventry; deacon, the Rev James Frederick of the Immaculate Conception church; sub-deacon, the Rev M. J.. Ryan of Greenwich; master of cere- monies, the Rev T. K. Sullivan or St Thomas's; incense bearer, Wal ter Casey.
 The address of the morning was delivered by Father Crowley, who also gave short review of the par ish which now numbers 2,400 souls. The land for the church building was purchased in November 1897; work was started the follow ing spring and the church was dedi- cated on September 27, 1S97 1b> rectory was ready in 1899 while the parochial school was started i'll 1901 and opened year later.
 The first child christened in the church was Eleanor Jackson, daugh- ter of MT and Mrs c. A. Jackson. The first couple married were Let ter Carrier Peter Fox and Miss Eliz- abeth Delaney The first to be buried from the church was John Sweeney Father Crowley also men, toned the fact that two boys from the parish. Walter Casey and Myles Calvin, will enter seminaries this fall to prepare for the priesthood.
 Father Crowleys subject was The Essential Mission of the Cath ollie Church." taking his text from Isaiah II:1, ?: And in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the mountain top and 1t shall be ex- alted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it." He spoke Ill part as follows:
 'The essential mission of the Catholic church. while in every age she has stamped the impress of her divine personality on temporal af- fairs, has been to save souls. She came new power into the world, a power recognizing Caesar and Caesars due, but contending with Caesar for sovereignty hitherto held by him-spiritual dominion.
 From her divine founder she re- ceived her commission to teach aD nations receiving the infallible as- surance of Christ that he would be with her to the end of time. Not to the temporal power, therefore, does she owe her spiritual dominion, but to God. who gave her that patri- mony that she might establish on earth the threefold power of truth and grace and virtue, and whoever curtails the exercise of that power strikes at the highest liberty of man --the liberty that concerns man as an intellectual, moral and a re- ligious being.
 He spoke of the marvellous ex- pansion of the church and of It's wonderful growth notwithstanding the obstacles which it had to over come. How dynasties rose and fell but the church continued to prosper in all sections of the world; always retaining its doctrines. He went on and mentioned the benefits to be de- rived from the Catholic church and said the same Christianizing, civiliz- ing and refining influence that char acterized the church in the middle ages Is still her mission, standing as she does to-day for the supremacy of ecclesiastical authority in spirit uals, for the preservation of legiti, mate temporal authority against the attacks of anarchy and revolution, by her attitude toward divorce, by & the sacrifice she is making every where for education, and by her de- fense of Christ's divinity against the agnostic philosophy and atheistic theology that stalks under the name of modernism.
 He praised highly the work Of Plus X and defended the papacy briefly but in an eloquent manner.
 He ended by paying a glowing tri- bute to Monsignor William J. Slo, cum to whom he said was due the formation of the parish and the fact that 1t prospered so well during the first few years of its existence.
 Among those present at yester- days services were three former members of the parish who are now sisters. They were Sister Josepha Miss Annie Doran), Sister Louise Gonzaga (Msis Nellie Kennealeyl and Sister Wilhelmina Miss Mary Brennan). Solemn high vespers were sung at the church at 7:30 irl the evening with the following priests officiating: The Rev M. J. Ryan of Greenwich ,celebrant; Rev William P. Laflin, St Pvfick's, dea. \ con; the Rev Father Dooley, Sacred Heart, sub-deacon, and the Rev John Conway, St Patrick's, master of cere- monies. The speaker at vespers was the Rev John Neale of Terry vile. whose address was admirable. It touched upon three points, What inc Catholic Church Means to the r..~yo ssuvbot If Means fa the