The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-10-25
City Under Spirit of Catholicism Sun.
day When Rt. Rev. James Da-
Wis of Davenport Was
Here.
SERVICES IMPRESSIVE
At ST. Frances De Sales Catholic
Church the Catholic Ritual
Was Followed-Attend-
ance Large.

Rt. Rev. James Davis, bishop OF
Davenport, administered the sacra-
ment of confirmation to unusually
large classes in the three Catholic
churches of the city Sunday and the
spirit of Catholicity seemed to prevail
throughout Keokuk It is thought
that the classes and the number of
persons, both Catholics and non
Catholics who attended the impress
sive services stand as record espec-
tally for the past ten years. Two
hundred and two, the greater num-
Der between the ages of fourteen and
eighteen, were recorded in st. Peters,
st. Mary's and st. Frances De Sales.
All three Of the churches were crowd
ed to the doors and the day was
made memorable by the very large at
tendances.
The many persons who have at
tended confirmation in our Catholic
churches during years gone by and
who have gained clear insight into
the impressiveness attending the adj
ministration of this sacrament by the
bishop, speak in the words Of highest
praise of Sundays services in all of
the churches, and especially at st.
Frances De Sales.
Ritual Followed.
At st. Frances De Sales the con-
gregation members and Catholic
priests present witnessed one Of the
few exemplifications according to the
ritual which have been seen in Cath
Ollie churches in this part of the coun-
try for number of years. The sac.
rament was administered by Bishop
Davis in strict accordance with the
Catholic church ritual. The class
was composed of twenty-four, fourteen
bishop was seated on the altar plat
form and the confirmation class ap-
preached in twos, the bishop confer
ring the sacrament on but two at a
time, after which they took their
place within the altar railing and re-
NAMED until the entire class had been
confirmed. They then marched slow
| ly to their seats. The services were
held in the afternoon at $3.50 o'clock,
and at the conclusion many members
of the congregation paid their respects
to the bishop at Father Dunnion's
parish house.
Large Glass at st. Peters.
The largest class of the day was
one which well displayed the strength
and power of st. Peters Catholic
church in the Davenport diocese. One
hundred and five boys and girls, and
men and women, who had been pre-
pairing faithfully for the past several
months took their places at the large
communion railing and were confirm
was crowded with people, every seat
being taken, and many standing UP in
the rear High mass was celebrated
by a Franciscan Father at 1920
o'clock and after the inquisition
Bishop Davis made thirty minute ad-
dress to the children.
ST Mary's Catholic church comes
! in for a large part of the praise at
tending the days impressive cere-
monies That congregation, much
smaller than st. Peters, had class
of seventy-three. The confirmation
class received the sacrament following
mass at 700 o'clock in the morning
The celebrant at low mass was Rt
Rev Bishop Davis, assisted by Rev.
George Giglinger, D. D.
Confirmation to strengthen.
Confirmation according to the
Catholic ritual, sis sacrament which
makes up stronger christians and sol
diers of Jesus Christ"
The ordinary minister of confrma-