The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-06-21
OLD ST. MARY'S is
AGAIN THRONGED
Church Demolished by Earth
quake Rebuilt and Dedica-
tory Services Are Held
Archbishop Riordan Presided at
Impressive Ceremonies in
the Sacred Edifce

tibule Of ST. Mary's church Is the con-
Meeting link in the history OF the old
church destroyed by the fire and the
reconstructed edifce dedicated yester-
day by Archbishop P W Riordan. The
marble bears the inscription, "Ecclesia
Sanctae Mariae Restorata, 1909, Laus
Dec ct Mariae" and is the largest piece
saved from the old high altar which
was built in 1853 of marble brought
from Rome
This bringing together the old and
the new was the predominant note of
yesterdays dedicatory services. With
in the sanctuary were many priests
who had ohlciated on countless occa-
sions in the old church. Archbishop
Riordan. who had the old church as
his first cathedral, was there, and
Father Prendergast. for years pastor
Of the parish. was also present. Father
p. c. Yorke and Father John f. Cottle,
former curates of the old church, took
, part in the ceremonial.
In the congregation many appeared
who could remember the laying of the
cornerstone in 1853 and the midnight
mass Christmas eve OF "a. Those were
the days when Dupont and California
streets were a long way out of town.
ARCHBISHOP PLEADS SERVICE
Attended by two score priests and
assisted by his auxiliary, Bishop Denis
T. O'Connell. Archbishop Riordan
chanting prayers and antiphons blessed
the church exteriorly and interiorly.
The foundations and the walls of the
edihce were sprinkled with holy water,
the voices OF the choir rising and fall
ing in the cadences of the old Gre
gorian chants.
After the ceremony of the blessing
solemn pontihcal mass was celebrated.
with Bishop O'ConneH acting as cele-
brant Very Rev. J J. Prendergast
acted as archpriest. Rev. John z. Cot
tie as deacon and Rev. P. c. Yorke as
subdeacon- Rev John CantwelI and
Rev. p. z. Munigan were masters of
ceremonies. Archbishop RiOrdan took
his place at the gospel side of the
sanctuary. a purple canopy having
been spread over his prize dieuX-
Miss Giorgiana presided at the or
gan. She was assisted by stringed
orchestra. led by Nate Landsberger and
a choir Of so voices.
Gounod s messe solonelle was given
throughout, the Kyrie. Gloria. Credo,
Sanctus. Benedictus and Agnus Del
making up the sacred numbers.
REV. o. o. WELSH breaches
Rev. Oliver o. Welsh Of Chicag go
preached the dedication sermon.
Father Welsh is a Californian. He is
graduate Of St. Mary's college. Oak
land. In his academic days he was
one Of the best sprinters on the coast.
1t was because of his birth in this city
and more because his father was the
supervising architect in the restoration
of the church that the Paulists invited
him 10 this city to deliver the sermon
yesterday
Father Welsh took for his text the
words from Matthew, Thou art Peter,
and upon this rock viii / build my
church. and the gates Of hell shall not
prevail against it
The presence of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, upon earth" the
speaker said, may be divided into
three periods period of expectancy.
2 period Of 33 years and a period of
Christs presence today among men in
his church"
The priest developed the third part
OF his theme at great length. going on
10 say: Christ promised his perpetual
presence when he said to his apostles
and their successors, I will not leave
you orphans.
Christ lives today, the foundation
stone of his church. True, indeed, he
world from the door of carpenter shop.
To ali appearances he had no equip
ment Of deep learning or scientific cul-
ture. and so far as we know stood aloof
from purely intellectual interests. Many
looked upon him as a Galliean arti-
san. singularly pure and high minded,
whose mysterious power, benevolent
life, earnestness for virtue. made him
the most attractive personality of his
ID zl,.a rr1I E~,--
conquered the civilized world, becoming
the deepest object of its science, the
highest idea of its morality, the
supreme object of it's worship, the
hottest inspiration of its art, the i'm
perishable source of its highest hero
ism, the eternal guide and law giver Of
the human soul is a result that can
only be explained on the fact that
Jesus Christ is the eternal son of the
Most High the worlds redeemer. the
one in whom the fullness of the Cod
head dwelleth corporally, the one in
whose name alone is salvation for men,
the pillar and cornerstone of the Holy
Roman Catholic church.
ADDRESS BY ARCHBISHOP
Archbishop Riordan made short adj
dress at the conclusion of the mass.
He said that there were too many play
ing with religion. declaring that the
kingdom Of God is within mems hearts
and not without Many seek only. he
said. the outer semblance of religion,
without understanding the inner prin-
chile. Seek first the kingdom Of God
and all things will be added unto it,
A reception to the clergy and laity
was held in the afternoon. and in the
evening there was solemn vespers and
benediction Father F. NJ. Harvey
preached the sermon.