The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-09-21
REV. B. TRAUDT LAYS Stone
Father Malone, Pastor of the Church,
Thanks the People Of the City for
the Interest Shown in the New Con-
gregations

More than a thousand people, many
of them from other cities attended
the impressive ceremonies, held on
Sunday afternoon to mark the laying
of the corner stone of the new Catholic
church of ST. Thomas Aquinas at the
corner of Elizabeth and Crate streets.
The event was made even the more
notable by the presence of a great
number of visiting priests and digni-
taries of the church in the Milwaukee
diocese. 1t had been planned to have
the corner laid by Archbishop Mess
mer, but the archbishop is now in Eu-
rope and with the possibility of his not
returning for another month the mem
bers of the congregation decided to
proceed with the work and the Rev. B.
Traudt of Milwaukee at the head of
the priests Of the diocese came to Ke-
nosha and oficiated at the laying of
the stone. 1t is expected that the
archbishop will come to Kenosha later
when The new church is ready for the
dedicatory ceremonies.
The large crowd at the ceremonies
on Sunday showed the interest taken
in the new church in Kenosha. Every
other congregation of the denomina-
ton was represented by it's pastor and
many of it's members and the members
of these churches gave literally to the
funds to complete the erection Of the
building.
The Rev. Father Malone, pastor of
the new congregation, presided and in
a short address to the great crowd he
expressed the appreciation of the con-
grcgation for the many kindnesses that
had been shown by the people of the
city in the carrying out of the plans
for the handsome church. He declared
that as pastor he was deeply grateful
to the people of Kenosha for the man
ner in which they had aided in raising
the new church.
The sermon was preached by the Rev.
J. Simons of Chicago, who in an elo-
quent manner spoke of the value of
churches to the community. He spoke
of the church as the forerunner of
civilization, as a builder of schools and
as the one great feature in the up
building of any community. He spoke
of the great influence that the Roman
Catholic church had ON the history of
the world and declared that the build
ing Of new church in Kenosha was
sure sign of better conditions in the
city and that the church would come
as great blessing to the community
in which it was being erected. Father
Traudt in laying the corner congratu-
lated the members of st. Thomas con
gregation for the manner in which
they had. provided for the erection of
the church and declared that he ex-
pected to find this congregation one
of the strongest in the diocese.
The stone, great piece of solid
granite, was then set in place. In the
copper box placed in the receptacle in
the stone, were many thing of interest.
There was history of the diocese and
of the Kenosha congregations, interest
ing relics of the church in the city,
current issues OF Kenosha and other
newspapers and coins Of the year.
The work on the church is now well
under way and the contractors hope to
have it under roof before the snow
flies. The new church completed will
be one of the handsomest churches in
the city and it is built in such way
that it may be enlarged later should
the demands of the Congregation war
rant a larger building. No date has
as yet been set for the dedication of
the church, but it is expected that these
will take place early in the
new year.