Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-04-15
OF Cornerstone of New st. Au-
gustine Church Is Near
at Hand.
Right Rev. Bishop O'DOnaghue
Will Ofiiciate and Deliver
Sermon.
Archbishop SpaldiDg, First Pas
tor, Will BE Guest of
Honor.
WILL BE STREET PROCESSION

The cornerstone of the new
Church of st. Augustine will be
blessed at 8 O'Clock in the afternoon
on Sunday, April %. The ceremony
will be performed by the Right Rev
Denis O'Donaghue, Bishop OF Louis
Vile. About sixty of the clergy viii
be present, and among the more
prominent will be Archbishop John
Lancaster Spalding and the Right
Rev. Edmund Obrecht, Abbot OF
Gethsemane. The blessing Of the
cornerstone will be attended by all
due pomp and solemnity.
The Rev. Father Francis Felten,
pastor of the church, has made ar
rangements for the proper observa-
ton of the day. There will be
street procession from the old to
the new church, about one block
away. Mackin Council, Y. M. l., has
been invited to act as he special
escort of Archbishop Spalding,
Bishop O'Donaghue and the Abbot OF
Gethsemane.. Acolytes will head the
way with sixty or more priests FOL
loving. Behind will come the high
dignitaries and their guard OF
honor. st. Augustine's band VIII en-
liven the procession with music.
Bishop O'Donaghue will bless the
cornerstone and preach the sermon.
After the ceremonies the Archbishop,
Bishop and Abbot will be escorted
back TO the old st. Augustine's rec
tory, where supper will be served the
clergy.
IL is a matter of regret to all that
Archbishop Spalding will not be
able to preach. He is a native OF
Kentucky. He is a nephew OF the
illustrious Archbishop Martin John
Spalding, once Bishop of Louisville
and later Archbishop OF Baltimore.
The present Archbishop Spalding
was ordained in Louisville. He was
pastor of the first Catholic congre-
CATION for colored people in this city.
He built the old st. Augustine
church, perhaps the Oldest Catholic
church for colored people in the
South, in 1868. Later he lett the
diocese and was made Bishop OF
Peoria. As a lecturer he won re-
nown on the platform. As a poet
his verses were praised by the
greatest critics. As a student OF
the social problems he stood SO high
that President Roosevelt chose him
as one of the great men OF the ma
ton 20 act as arbitrator In the
mammoth strike of anthracite coal
miners a few years ago. He mad no
peer as thinker or as a pulpit ora
tor until he was stricken with
paralysls. And yet his mind is as
clear as bell. He loves Kentucky
He loves the weak and the downtrod-
den. II will be pleasure Tor MIN
10 be preesnt at the blessing OF the
cornerstone of the new church.
The first st. Augustine's,, Duilt by
the then Father Spalding, Is now
used as a school house. In 1871
Father Felten. the present pastor
erected the church nova to be aban-
doned when the new church Is
completed. In recent years II be
came necessary 10 seek a new site
and new environments for the
church, rectory and school. The pres
ent property has been sold and
new site at Thirteenth and Broadway
purchased. The work OF building
the foundation has progressed rap
idly. Now the cornerstone Is READY
10 be laid. Father Felten Is very
hopeful OF his plans and expects 70
have his flock housed In the new
church next fall.