The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-06-24
NEW ITALIAN CHURCH H
A New Church Has Been Purchased
and Will be Dedicated Soon-An-
other. Church Edifice Planned
Italians Number Four Hun
dred Families.

For the past fifteen years the Ital-
ian Catholics of st. Paul have wor-
shipped in the Church of the Holy Re-
deemer in the basement of the old Ca
thedral. From time to time there was
talk of building church of their own;
but, for one reason or another, little or
no progress was made along these
lines. Owing to the fact that the Ital-
ian Catholics are located in two diff
ferent parts of the city it was deemed
advisable to plan for two churches in
order to accommodate them. Last
week the first step towards the reali-
zation of this project was taken when
the Rev. R. Balducci, who last year as
sumed spiritual charge of the Italian
population of st. Paul, closed the con-
tract for the purchase of fine church
on Bradley Street which formerly be-
longed to the German Methodists.
The church is of brick, in Gothic style,
with a high tapering spire, and capa-
BILE of seating more than four hundred
persons 1t is in excellent condition
and, when painted inside and outside
and furnished with whatever is neces-
sary for divine service, will be dedi-
Gated within the next three months.
1t will accommodate the Italian
Catholics who live in that section of
the city.
In addition to this, however, Father
Balducci is seeking suitable site for
a church in the vicinity of Seven Cor
ners to serve as a place of worship for
the Italians who live in the center of
the city. Mr.. Masqueray, the architect
of the new Cathedrals, and an admir-
er of the sons of Sunny Italy where
he studied, has already sketched a
plan for the new church which will be
an architectural gem in the pure old
Italian style. The material will be of
brick with white marble trimmings in
the facade. There will also be a resi-
dence for the pastor, and, later on,
parochial school.
The Italians of st. Paul number
more than 400 families, most of whom
are already Americanized They have
large families of children born in this
country, all of whom speak English.
Last month in the provisional
chapel of the Holy Redeemer first
Communion was administered to
120 boys and girls who had been in
structed in their religion by the Sis
ters of st. Joseph of st. Agatha's
Conservatory. They were bright, well
dressed and well trained, giving evil
dence of great piety and devotion.
Some day, no doubt, they will be
among the best of our American Cath
Ollie people, intelligent, alert, and de-
voted to their religion.
The Italians of st. Paul, especially
those who come from Southern Italy,
belong for the most part to the work
ing class. However, there are among
them some who have risen to posi-
tions of prominence in the commercial
and in the industrial worlds. There
are about fifty Italian proprietors of
stores, some of whom are quite pros
porous. There are many Italian ar
fists, some of whom, like Professors
Villa and Sansone, enjoy considerable
reputation in the musical world
Many are sculptors employed in the
large studio of Giuliani. and in small
er shops of the same kind, and there
are many workers in mosaic All
these people are by birth, training and
sentiment, Catholics; and now that
they are about to possess two church
es of their own within easy access,
they will assuredly give evidence of
that strong and ardent faith which has
made Italy famous during the past
two thousand years, that faith which
inspired her illustrious poets and
painters, her profound philosophers
and great saints.