The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-03-21

Archbishop Falconlo oficiated yester-
day at solemn ceremonies OF the
blessing of the bell of the new church
OF Our Lady Of Victory. New Cut and
Conduit roads. He was assisted by Rev.
DR.. Leo P. Mckinley. secretary OF the
papal legation; Rev, NJ +. Yingling,
pastor OF the church, and many others
OF the local clergy. The ceremony at
tracted a large gathering from the city
and surrounding country.
Two of the clergy. vested IN eassock
and surplice, washed the bell. both with
IN and without, with water previously
blessed by the bishop. During the chant
ing Of the psalms. the bell was anointed
with sacred oils in twelve different
places, the delegate afterward incensing
the bell. Rev. A. P. Doyle, rector OF the
Apostolic Mission House, Catholic Uni
versity. delivered the discourse.
Originated in Ireland.
He said. in part;
The custom OF using church bells 20
call people 10 services is Celtic in its
origin. II has prevailed in the Catholic
Church from the time of Charlemagne.
and is now enshrined in the customs
that are pre-eminently ecclesiastical.
The sanctihed message OF this bell
will go forth calling the people to holy
mass. wherein Christ is born again on
our altar as truly as He was born il the
stable at Bethlehem. Then the heavens
were opened and a choir of heavenly
spirits announced the glad tidings of
Peace TO men of good will. and sum-
moned the shepherds 10 adore at the
manger crib. The message will go forth
through the round of the year, and on
the one day. and one day only. the bell
will hang sadly and sOrrowfully silent
IN its lofty tower. Il was the day when
angels in heaven were silent with amaze
ment. and the very voice Of praise was
hushed about the throne OF the Eternal.
because God was dying on the cross. Its
message will ring at the birth of the
newborn child at the happy days of
the first communion, and during the glad
festivities Of the wedding scene, and it
Will toll the knell of the dead when the
body is taken TO the grave. Little Won
der Catholic people love their church
bell. Il speaks to them in a language
that is of heaven, and echoes the sor-
rows and joys of the human heart"
The music was rendered by a choir of
seminarians from the Marist College.
Catholic University, among whom were
Rev. A. TFeiIles, Rev. ], Hon, Rev. F.
Daniel Rev. Leo Marx. Rev. Charles
Dougherty, Rev. Ed. McGrath and Rev.
James Resily. Representatives Fornes.
Driscoll and Goulden acted as sponsors,
the bell being named Mary" in honor
of the patroness Of the new church.
It is but three years since Father Wing
ling was appointed by Cardinal Gibbons
10 take charge of the new parish. The
beginnings were humble, even the neces-
sary vestments being borrowed for the
celebration of the first mass, In October,
1906. in the parlor of one Of the paTishion-
ers, Mr.. Lochboeler To-day, three years
after its foundation. a handsome granite
church nearly complete and free of debt,
testifies to the zeal of the parishioners.
The main door Of the church is the old
door Of the Pennsylvania depot. through
which every President OF the United
States for the last thirty years had
passed. Eighteen feet inside the main
entrance is the stone that marked the
spot where President Garfield fell.
Representatives of the Knights OF Co
iumbus. Ancient order OF Hibernians,
Modern Woodmen, and Catholic Knights
of America were represented in the con-
gregation.