The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-10-08
Father O'Ryan's 25th Anniversary.

Father O'Ryan's 25th Anniversary.
The twenty-fifth anniversary Of Fa-
ther Q REan's elevation to the priest
hood and official Denver. social Den
Yer and ecclesiastical Denver united
IN doing him honor
ST Leos church where Father
Organ mas labored for eighteen
years and one month, was the scene Of
the festivities The sanctuary was
banked with palms. and there We're
lights and flowers in abundance Down
the walls hung loosely festOOns Of
greeneIy, and the choir loft was out
lined in ropes of the same.
The somi-annual diocesan confer
ence was held on that day so that it
might be easy for the priests of the
state TO attend. And they came from
all parts Of Colorado to participate
The mass began al 9 o'clock. Long
leforC that hour st. Leo's church was
filled with friends of the jublarian.
There We're Catholics and Protestants;
those Wn0m Father Organ had be-
friended and those who had been re-
mOtely touched by his humanitarian
ism. Simple folk who had always
lived i'm the parish. who lives We're
bounded by its interests. sat beside
MEN high i'm the world Of finance who
wished TO add their tribute Of respect
To the pastor on his quarter cente-
nary.
st Loe's choir. under the direction
of Professor Peter Menzies. sang
Haydn's Imperial Mass" and Ra-
faelio Cavallo's orchestra furnished
the accompaniment
The high mass was preceded by
procession of the clergy. From the
parochial residence next door to the
Elo1wpl no
through the center door and walking
up the main aisle. In front marched
Fathers John Belzer and F. J. LawlOr,
the acOlytes. and then came the other
officers Of the mass. Father Organ
was celebrant. His brother Father
Philip of Star of the Sea church at
san Francisco was deacon. and Fa
1her Richard Brady. chaplain of Lo-
retto Heights academy was sub-dea-
con. Bishop Matz, who was in the
sanctuary, was attended by Right
Rev. MOnsignor Henry Robinson the
vicar general. and Father Pantanelli,
5. J.
Father Peter A York of Oakland,
Cal, whom Father Organ knew at
Haynooth Theological seminary. came
from the Pacific coast to preach the
sermon
Father Organ has been prominent
in many 1nOvemeuts for the better |
ment Of Denver since he came here in |
1887. He. with Rev. MyrOn Reed and !
Mrs. Frances Jacobs, established the
Charities Organization society. With !
Rev. John Houghton. Rabbi w. s. /
Friedman and W. II. Lawrence, he in |
troduced the Hospital Saturday and |
Sunday association, Denver's most |
magnificent charity He was the in |
innate friend Of Myron Reed, the Con- |
gregational minister, and preached /
the funeral sermon of that preacher |
statesman.
Father Organ was ordained by |
Cardinal Manning in Dublin in 1855. |
He worked in his own land for two |
years before failing health drove him
10 America. He came to Denver one
week after the conservation of Bish-
op Matz.
The anniversary of his ordination
was a day of more than passing in
terest TO Denver. As a sermon pre-
lude. SignOr Cavallo played that mag
nificent "Traumerei'' of Schumann
I viii go unto the altar of Cod: to
God who gladdeneth my youth" quot
ed Father York in beginning the ser
mon
These are the words that Holy
Church puts into the mouth Of her
priest as he comes to the foot of the
altar to begin the sacrifice of which /
pagan sacrifices were but a poor
symbol Five-and-twenty years ago
the privilege was given Father Organ
to speak them. BY the laying on of
hands through the power of the
Holy Spirit he was given the yoke of
Christ, whose burden is sweet and
whose yoke is light. Into his hand
was given the chalice Of salvation
Around him was thrown the chasuble
Of charity that he might have power
To FORGIVE sins.
And then. after speaking at some
length about the priesthood. Father D
York recalled old days at Maynooth ]
college, Of which both he and Father J
Organ are alumni and told some
thing of the work into which other ]
Schoolmates had gone. He went into ]
the matter Of discipline in the church. /
remarking: outsiders talk about :
seTvile sUbservience WHY. the !
Church does not want servile minds.
but the minds of freemen. But it
would be passing strange if the {
Church which gave law i'm modern 4
civilization We're without it herself. {
The priest knows the franchises with /
which she has endowed him and q
knows what he must do when the !
voice OF duinofltN mas spoken. l
Turning to Father O'Ryan. he said:
You have fought the good fight anI /
kept the faith You have ALWAYS c
been a priest. Not that YOU have q
borne the burthen of the priesthood 1
without failing-God made men his /
priests, not angels. Adamantine
chains bind you to your people. You I
have been good citizen. The Church $
has always taken her place in civic /
upbuilding. y priest is chained to \
the sacristy. Men endowed as YOU
must be good citizens"
At the conclusion Of the mass Bish- 5
op Matz gave his blessing and the a
priests filed into the basement of St )
Leo's. where luncheon was served. /
The Altar society arranged the affair {
and put it i'm the hands of caterer.
1t was their offering to their pastor I
The tables were decorated by the i
Queens Daughters. who also looked 7
3fter the decorating of the hall. turn I
ing it into a veritable bower. The hol- u
ow square effect was used 50 that the p
little gathering was not too much
catered
Father Thomas II. Malone who cell a
brated his slved jubilee at st Leo's y
.huvrb last Jalrar-y WAS tD., in, :, Stpr- u