The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-07-20
THE NEW CATHEDRAL

else is God, that above all else to Him
must our thoughts ascend. Here it is,
at the entrance of st. PauPs Summit
Avenue-the great highway of denizen
and of tourist-leading westward to
graceful plannings propose, to. that
other architectural glory and mean
ingful edifce of st. Paul, Minnesota's
superb Capitol The wand of destiny
in search of an alighting spot for
grandeur and gracefulness could have
spied none other more fitting than
that which religion, grandeur and
gracefulness from the skies has as
signed to the Cathedral of ST. Paul.
'The site chosen, no mistake was
made in the edifice itself A skilled
architect, in whom from the first put
my confidence, whose every tracing
since has justified that confidence, E.
l.. Masqueray, caught up at once in
his fancy the full significance of the
great Christian temple, and, as it were,
with magic pencil set himself to por-
tray in stone the splendid picture of
religions meaning, religions history,
religions purposes. Were plans for
the Cathedral to be wrought anew to-
day, not one line, not one elevation,
not one chapel, not one curve in vault
ing or ambulatory should we dare
alter
Material, Workmanship and Funds.
'The material used in the building
what better does America provide?
1t is granite, to forebode the enduring
strength of the Cathedral and of it's
message to humanity-granite from
| Minnesota's own rich bosom, to pro-
claim Minnesota's own sufficiency to
dare and to do the best-granite, lucid
and sparkling, soft and living, as Min
nesota's own skies and landscapes.
And, then, the builders of the foun-
dations and of the upper walls have
faultlessly done their work. The most
exacting eye admires; the tongue most
| disposed to criticize, praises.
Men and women, nearly all mod
crate in earthly lore, but plenteous in
faith and generous love have rallied
around the Cathedral, from every
parish of the diocese, from the most
distant as from the nearest, from the
poorest as from the most opulent,
pouring into it's treasury their contri-
buttons of religious devotion and of
terrestrial dollars. expected much
from our people: have received more,
and more am to receive, than I had
| 6Qr0H f0 ho 10
is the monument of their faith, of
their spirit of sacrifice. Admire the
| Cathedral; admire the people whose
money has built it.
ITO the present date we have re-
ceived in contributions to the Cathe-
dral $S60,7S2.55, and the same amount
we have expended. We live from day
to day-sufficient to the day the good
ness thereof. Our bank is the relig-
ious faith of our people; with this
bank no failure is possible.
my tribute to the Cathedral of st.
Paul is incomplete without the men
ton of it's sister temple, the Pro-Ca-
thedral of Minneapolis-now having
the last stones put upon it's cupola-
a very jewel of beauty, equally fortu-
nate with the Cathedral of st. Paul
in eminent fitness of site-so far l1av-
ing cost over 100000. I am proud
l were graceless and ungrateful were
I not proud-of the Catholics of Min
nesota.
The Completion of the Cathedral.
THE next ceremony to which shall
convoke you in front of the Cathedral
of st. Paul will be that of putting into
place the cross on the top of the Gu.
pola-the signal that the whole exter.
ior is completed. When will that day
come? wish could name it. May
we hope it will be somewhere in mid
summer of 1913. All depends on the
incoming flow of contributions
Friends present, and friends absent
will you hasten the day? Some there
are whose purses so far have offered
no tribute to the Cathedral. Others
there are who opened their purses
only half way-not wishing to give
themselves too much pleasure at one
time. You, who so far have done
nothing, now come forward. You who
have not done all you intended to do
now come forward, in increased
munificence. One and all, / parry you
hurry onward the glorious work
And now we will bless the cross ot
the facade, and send it upward-oul
souls clinging to it, as upward il
moves, in faith and love, our hearts
casting around it their inmost fibers
: Cross of Jesus, it is for thy sake thai
we build the Cathedral. Cross of Je
sus, thou didst on Calvary redeem the
. world: for nineteen hundred year:
thou hast shed over it the light O
heaven: thou hast distilled into it tn,
!, grace of spiritual comeliness: thol
: hast drawn it, powerfully and resist
lessly, despite its native sluggishness
> upward towards God, Creator and Sav
|, ior. Up, we bid thee, mount to tn,
2 summit of the facade of our belovet