The San Francisco call., 1909-03-29
FIRST SERVICES
HELD AT ST. AGNES
Archbishop Rordan, Assisted by
Many Priests, Conducts
Ceremonies
Choir and Orchestra Add to
Musical Importance of
Occasion


priests and as many more acolytes,
dedicated with impressive ceremony the
new church of st. Agnes at Masonic
avenue and Page street yesterday
morning. More than two thousand per-
sons witnessed the dedication and at
tended the mass which consecrated the
edifce to the work of God. A choir of
25 voices and an orchestra, under the
direction of Miss Josephine Coonan,
rendered music, which added to the i'm
pressiveness of the ceremonies. Father
J. ]. Prendergast, vicar general of the
archdiocese, preached the sermon, and
Father T. P. Heverin was celebrant of
the solemn high mass.
Shortly before II a. m. the process
sion formed in the sacristy and entered
the church, the acolytes bearing the
crucifx and the censer at the head
Then followed the other officials, in
cluding the ceIebrant, the deacon and
subdeacon, Father Collins and Father
O'Maley. the masters of ceremony;
Father NJ. D. SIattery. pastor of St
Agnes, and Father J. J. CantwelI, the
secretary of the archdiocese, and the
other priests, the archbishop pronounc-
ing the prayers which blessed the
building, at the same time sprinkling
the holy water on the stones. The pro-
cession passed outside the building, and
the walls and steps of the entrance
We're blessed, the archbishop reading
the prayers in Latin and the clergy re-
the sanctuary. where the altar was
blessed.
HIGH MASS SUNG
Following the dedication solemn high
mass was sung, Father T. P. Heverin,
assistant of st. Agnes. being the
celebrant. He was assisted by Father
OMalley, Father Collins, deacons. and
Father Slattery and Father Cantwer.
masters of ceremony.
An elaborate musical program was
rendered by the orchestra and choir,
under the direction of Miss Josephine
Coonan, organist of the church. Nathan
Landsberger, violinist, played the
"Elegie" of Ernst at the offertory. A.
Waterman was the cellist, and the solo
lists of the choir were Miss E. Barnes.
soprano; Mrs. r. E. Whitcombe, con-
tralto: Chester Rosecrans, tenor, and
Hadley Lawrence. bass.
Van Bree's first mass was sung by
the choir. assisted by the orchestra, and
the numbers during the dedication We're.
as follows:
Ave verum9 (Gounod). by full choir
and orchestra; "Jesu Del Vevi," trio,
by Miss Evelyn Barnes soprano. Ches
ter Rosecrans, tenor, and Hadley Law
renee, bass; 20 Cor Amoris" (Schu-
berger), by full choir; ofertory, violin
with organ accompaniment; "Elegie"
(ErnsD. Nathan Landsberger.
PRENDERGAST breaches SERMON
Father ]. j. Prendergast. vicar gen
eral of the archdiocese, preached the
sermon and Archbishop Riordan made
q short address to the parishioners, in
which he impressed upon them that
the church which had been consecrat-
ed was the temple of God where wor-
ship was alone to be carried on, and
that because of his it should be made
beautiful, so that the influence and
atmosphere of sanctuary could be po-
! tent in the heart of the man who came
/ into it for peace and comfort from the
cares of the outside world. The arch
bishop said that the church stands out
against the sky, that its architecture
I tells all but the fool that it is the
divine house. He congratulated the
clergy and the congregation on the
/ beauty of their new church.
The present church stands on the
/ site of the frame structure erected by
the late Rev. Father Flood, pas
tor of Sacred Heart church It is SO
/ feet wide, 127 feet in depth. with a
/ ceiling AZ feet in height The seating
! capacity including the gallery, is 796.
! but it can be increased to accommo-
| date $50 persons if necessary. The
main floor of the church slopes toward
| the sanctuary thus allowing an un-
/ obstructed view of the altar from
every sitting.
AUDITORIUM WE'LL LIGHTED
Ten large windows light the church,
each of them being 90 feet high and
/ feet wide. In addition there is to be
a large rose coIored window over the
/ altar in the sanctuary, donated by the
Knights of Columbus. While at the
present time the windows are filed
with cathedral glass in soft colors.
they have been designed with view
to being finished with stained glass in
the future.
The wainscoting is of cement plas-
ter and the ceiling is heavily paneled
4 with nodded and ornamental beams,
/ the ornamentation being perforated to
1 allow of ventilation. The structure is
rooted in single span with heavy
/ trusses supported by steel channel COL
| umns running down to the founda ton.
The entire designing of the church
has been along broad, simple lines, a
special effort having been made to
have it harmonic with the parochial
residence which adjoins it and which
was recently constructed. The inte-
rior is in soft, harmonious colors. The
aisIes have been laid with fnterlock-
1 ing, rubber tiling. thus giving not only
a sanitary floor covering but noise
less one as well. Welsh & Carey are
| the architects.
The intention of the pastor, Father
Slattery. is to provide new ahd hand
| some altars as soon as such can be
conveniently accomplished. but for the
present the affairs from the old church
will be used, as viii also the organ
which was removed from the former
church and installed in the new struc-
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