The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-09-21


CEREMONIES SUNDAY.
st. Johns Catholic church has
been undergoing repairs and changes
since early last fall. The interior
has been beautifully painted and
decorated with many beautiful paint
ings and pictures, which virtually
transform the whole interior so peo-
pie most familiar with its former ap-
pearance would hardly recognize it
as the same edifice. The entrance
has been changed and made more
convenient and in keeping with the
ARCHITECTURAL structure of the church
itself.
Sunday, the day fixed for the re-
opening of the church, had been
looked forward to by the congrega-
tion and their friends and adjoining
towns as one of unusual interest.
Right Rev. NJ. j. Hoban, bishop of
Scranton, came to Honesdale on the
morning train to participate in the
ceremonies. Many other church dig
nitaries of the diocese were present,
including the venerable vicar-gen-
eral of the diocese, Rev. Monsignor
Coffey, pastor of ST. Roses parish,
Carbondale, one of the largest and
most important in the diocese.
The exercises commenced at 1890
a. m. with a solemn mass, at which
Rev. J. V. Moylan, former assistant
of st. Johns, now of st. Francis
church, Nanticoke, was celebrant.
Rev Thomas Croghan of Holy Cross
church. Scranton, was deacon.
Father Croghan was born in Homes
dale and his presence was much ap-
preciated by hundreds of his friends
who attended the mass. Rev.
Thomas NJ. Jordan, another assistant
of st. Johns, who will be remember
ed as having delivered one of the
most brilliant baccalaureate sermons
the Honesdale High school has ever
had, in 1909 at st. Johns church,
acted as sub-deacon. Rev. c. A.
McHugh, also one of the assistant
priests at St. Johns a few years
ago, now at st. Paul's church, Scran-
ton, acted as master of ceremonies.
There were many other priests in
the sanctuary, including Rev. Hugh
Geragherty of st. Thomas church,
Dickson, Rev Henry Burke, pastor
of the Hawley church, and Rev.
Gauengius Hayden, c. P, assistant
to the bishop, Rev. Thomas Lynch
of Avoca and Rev. NJ. s. Fagen of
Hazelton.
Rev. James A. Malone, rector of
the Cathedral parish, Scranton
preached the sermon, in the course
of which he took occasion to call at
tention to some of the benefits
achieved by the Catholic church in
the past. He predicted that it's in
fluence in the future would be great
er-that it would undoubtedly be
called upon to shield not only its
own members but society in general
from many of the evils now threat
ening our institutions. His sermon
was full of wholesome thought and
suggestions and will undoubtedly in
fluence his hearers and enable them
to see more clearly the evils which
he pointed out and the remedies
suggested by him.
At the close of the mass Bishop
Hoban, dressed in the robes of his
high ecclesiastical office, addressed
the large audience briefly He said
the church edidce, beautiful as ii
was, was a mere figure of what the
heart of man should be. He called
attention to the want of cOnscien-
tious and honest motives on the part
of people generally. He said the de-
scendants of the pilgrims were grad
stern, honest convictions of their
forefathers. He said the church had
a great mission TO perform and should
stand as a bulwark against the en-
croachments of socialism, anarchy
and other evils that beset society.
During the mass a large number
of electric lights were turned on,
which brought out more clearly the
beauty and perfection of the deco
ratiOns in the church, which, togeth-
er with the rich robes of the partici-
pants of the mass, presented pict-
ure that rarely is surpassed.
At in the afternoon Bishop HO-
ban administered the sacrament OF
confirmation to a. large class of girls
and boys. At these services the
bishop again addressed the large au-
dience sent, which entirely filled the
church, on the nature and import
ance of confirmation, which made
them more true and perfect and
stronger in their efforts to carry out
fully the obligations resting on them
and to perform the duties they owe
to God, to their neighbors and to
themselves.
The exercises in the evening con-
sisted of benediction of the blessed
sacrament by Rev. NJ. >. Fagan, pas
tor of the church at HaZelton. Faith
er Fagan spoke forcibly and pre-
sented many thoughtful suggestions
He dwelt somewhat on the achieve
ments of the Catholic church as an
historical institution. He dwelt also
on the great suffering endured by
the early Christians, which was in
flicted on them by Pagan Rome dur
ing the early ages of Christianity
Father Fagan's sermon was heard
with deep attention and it thorough
ly interested his hearers, beine
scholarly and delivered in a style
of oratory which drew many favor
able comments.
To people unfamiliar with Catholic
ceremonies 1t may seem somewhat
difficult to understand the meaning
of many of the things done, but u
those familiar with the rituals every