New-York tribune., 1910-08-22
FIRST LITHUANIAN Church
Cornerstone of EdifiCe Laid by
Monsignor lavelle.
URGES GOOD CITIZENSHIP
Father Shestokas Happy After
Five Years Work of Raising
Funds for Building.

Monsignor Iavetle, of St Patrick "a
thedraL laid the cornerstone yesterday or
the first Lithuanian Church of New YORK
In Broone street between Farick and Hud-
son streets The church. which Is dedlcat-
ed TO our Lady of Wilma, viii be erecteo
from = fund of $4,000 collected among the
Iithuanians Of the city by the Rev Joseph
Shestokss. Of No. Vandam street. organ
izer of the congregation, and the only priest
of his race in New York City The church
will be built of brick, with terra cot'a-
trimmings. and will have seats for about
six hundred persons
Almost the entire Lithuanian population
of the city was present when mOnsienor
I.aveIle and the Rev. John j. Byrue' r'id9.
fer of ceremonies at the Cathedral, arrived
at 4:3O O'Clock. Among those present a
+he carer,onv were Father Mcintyre. o? II
Teresa's Church at Henry and Rutgers
streets. which the LithuanIans have been
using for worship; the Rev. r. Zindzlus, oL
PORT Elizabeth the Rev \. Petkus, OF
Maspeth. IonS Island; the Rev. A houi9
and the Rev V. Remeika. of Brooklyn t''7
Rev. Peter Saurussitis. OF WaterouTS =
Conn. and Harry @. Wiseulan, VINO oe-
signed the church
Monsignor LaveIIe blessed the bulldlhS
by reading an English prayer. ana tiAeH
took I'D the trowel and made the sign or Oli0
cross on the foundation stone AFTER lNo
stone had been laid and the priests hou
marched around the building Mr. SaurU9Sl-
tis made an address in hIs native tongue
This was followed by q short spsech oS
Monsignor LavelIe, who conveyed 'iI0
thanks of the Holy Father TO the LdIilu-
anian congregation. hoping that all "ouiu
become prosperous and good cltlzells Oh O--o @
United States. Speaking OF the good WIN
shown by the Lithuanians during the co1-
lection Of funds, he told the following story
"A farmer had come to New YORK u u
see the sights OF the metropolis One night
he was stopped in Central Park oy a tliieI'
who put a pistol TO his head and said'
Give me your money or III oio" YOU
brains out To this the farmer replied
eYo7, NAV blow my brains out IL you WISH
but certainly shall not give you my
money. for. from what I have seen so far
YOU can very well live in New York WIN
ont brains. but certainly not without
money"
| Father Shestokas was the last speaker
both I'm English and in their native tongue
| he thanked the congregation for its assist
| ance. After a parade around the ehurch
| the IithI1anfans accompanied their pastor
| 10 his home.
Father Shestokas was a happy man IasJ
( evening for the dream Of five years MAO
| come true at last. In 1906 he was ordained
/ by the Archbishop 10 organize conSresa-
| ton Of Lithuanians in this city. and ever
since he had been conducting services IN
| church placed at his disposal for the pur-
| pose. Soon his flock will have cnurch o'
/ its own. The priest was born forty-'flTee
| wears ago and came 70 America at the age
! OF twenty-five. He entered St John Col-
/ Iege Brooklyn, and later pursued MS 'ileo-
/ logical studies at St BonaVenture 'oi-
Iege AIIegheny- He was attached 10 the
Boston archdiocese before coming TO Ne"
| York in 1895.