The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-28
Notable Service Marks the Event in Parish of
 Blessed Sacrament
LONG PROCESSION
 VERY IMPRESSIVE
Bishop Allen Lays Stone, Assisted by Many Visiting Clergymen. Short Talks Made by
 Invited Guests


 erected in the parish of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, West End. was
 laid yesterday afternoon by the Rt. Rev. D. P. Allen, bishop of Mobile, according to the Roman ritual.
 In honor of the occasion a solemn high mass was sung in the Blessed Sacrament church at 10 a. m. The Rt. Rev. Abbot of St. Bernard abbey was to have off ciated. but he was unable to be present. and in his place the Rev. Patrick Fur her, pastor of the church. was celebrant
 The Rev. Father Early of St. Paurs church mission was deacon and the Rev. Father Bede, O. S. B., acted as sub deacon. The Gregorian choir from St. Bernard sang the responses and the reg ular parish choir sang the music of the mass. Father Early preached the ser mon.
 The parish grounds, formerly belonging to the Tate estate, are beautifully stu- ated. They are extensive, too, embracing many acres. The old Tate mansion, sur rounded by stately forest trees, is occu- pied by Father Turner, and 100 or more yards north of the priests house is the convent building in course of construc- tion.
 As yesterday was an ideal Indian sum- mer day, the afternoon was bright and
 balmy. A vast concourse of people, Cath olics and non-catholics. assembled on the grounds The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company operated a three minute schedule of cars with trail- CTS and between the hours of and it is estimated that several thousand people were transported from various parts of the city to West End parish; and be- sides hundreds arrived in automobiles.
 Many Visiting Clergymen There were many visiting elergymen. The right reverend prelate and the priests. and 100 or more altar boys vested in the spacious rectory. The procession, head ed by a cross bearer, began to move
 to the new building at 350 The scene was full of color the bishop in cope and mitre, deacons In cloth of gold, many clergymen wearing the familiar black cassock and white surplice, Benedictine monks clad in the habit of their order. acolytes in white soutanes and white lace cottas and great body of altar boys in red and white. As an escort to the ecclesiastical section of the procession were the Catholic societies wearing badges. About 200 members of the Holy Name society were in line and the Knights of Columbus made a good show ing. The Children of Mary were also in line in large numbers. At the corner stone a wide platform was erected for the bishop, clergymen, nuns and official guests
 Mother General Here
 The convent is being erected by the Sis ters of Perpetual Adoration-one of the most celebrated teaching orders of the Catholic church. and seated in the front row on the platform was the
 mother general Sister Augustine. who established the order in the United States, and who presides over the Amer ican mother house in New Orleans. The
 mother general was accompanied by sev- l eral nuns. Just behind the nuns were several Sisters of Charity. Among oth- CTS the platform were Sterling A. Wood, Commissioner James Weatherly, John l.. Parker president of the board of education, and Ben M. Jacobs, a mem- Der of the board of education: Lee Cow art and representatives of the press. In the ceremonial the bishop was sup ported by the Rev. Father Coyle as deacon and the Rev. Father Stephen, O. S. B., as sub-deaeon. The Rev. Father Schultz of North Birmingham acted as
 master of ceremonies. The ritual exer- cises were all in Latin and consisted of prayers intoned, the htany of the saints
 sung antiphonally by St. Bernard's Greg | brian choir, and psalms sung in Gregorian melody. The bishop used incense and holy water at the corner stone, and there
 were several processions around the building for the purpose of blessing the foundation and sprinkling it. The archi- tao+ n lie of Nac ciaf roorfr ! spread the cement according to the rub rics and set the stone in place. The Rev. Father Coen of Anniston delivered a 15 minutes discourse in which he em- phaszed the purpose of the Catholic church to have it's educational work
 based always on morals and religion. He paid a stirring tribute to the republic of the United States as a land of religious liberty.
 Introduces Invited Speakers After Father Coen had concluded Mir. Wood made a short address in behalf of the laity and then introduced the in- yited speakers He first introduced Presi- dent Parker of the board of education. Mir Parker spoke earnestly in extend- ing a welcome to the Sisters of Per- petual Alteration. who are, ne said. erect ing in Birmingham a magnificent build ing for educational purposes. Confmis- sioner Weatherly was the next speaker and he was cordial in his tribute to the Catholic church for what 1t had done for suffering humanity and for educa- tion. He said that without decryng in any way whatsoever the Protestants he
 had always felt that the Catholic church had the greatest organized benevolences in the world: and the most thoroughly
 organized educational system. taken in the world at large. Speaking for official Birmingham he said he was glad indeed.
 to see.this building going up. and he as- sured the mother general and her CO., workers that they would have the good wishes of the entire community. The
 bishop made the closing speech and those who have heard him often say that he was in exceptionally fine form. He spoke with great fervor and could be well heard by the crowd gathered around the plat form. He was particularly eloquent in speaking of the kindness and goodness of his non-Catholic friends. In referring to the convent school he said that not only would pupils be taught by well trained, conscientious sisters, but that while this work of teaching was going on and at all hours of the day and night some sister would be praying be- fore the blessed sacrament for the pu- pills. The bishop in the course of his remarks paid gracious tribute to Father Turner and Sister Augustine. It was about 5:3o o'clock when the exercises closed with the papal benediction, i'm parted by the bishop.
 The only decoration on the platform
 was a large American flag just above the corner stone. Two stories of concrete have been completed and work has been begun on the third. On the top of every column waved d United States flag