Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-27
ST. COLUMBA'S TO
Be CONSECRATED
Archbishop Prendergast to At
tend the Conservation Ger
emony Here.

st. Columba's Church. of which
Rev. Michael J. White is the rector.
will be formally consecrated on Sat
urday. January II. This event will
be the climax of the local priest S
work begun sixteen years ago, when
he became head of the parish.
It also will mark the final act of
dedication of the building to the
service of God and will be done CO.
incident with the freeing from all
debt of the handsome ediflce at Penn
sylvania avenue, Thomas and Bruns-
wick streets.
There is at the present time a $1,000
mortgage on the church. but this
amount has been practically raised by
Father White, and the debt will be
wiped out before tire day set for the
conservation. The church Is one of
the handsomest edifices in the coun-
try. 1t occupies an angle at the in
terseetion of three streets near Lin
coin Park.
The st. COLUMBIA parish buildings in
clude tire church itself, built of lime
stone; q rectory of the same mate
rial; a handsome brick school of
modern construction and a home for
the nuns that constitute the faculty
of the school. The total value of the
land and buildings Is put at $3.50, 600.
Bishop O'connor will preside at the
conservation ceremony. There also
will be in attendance many other
priests from the other diocesan
churches and elsewhere. There will
be special musical program and
celebrations by the parishioners In
| keeping with the elimination of the
church mortgage.
In conformance with the strict ru-
brics of the Catholic Church any re-
ligious edifice in which divine service
is held should be consecrated before
ever used for such a purpose. But II
has been the practise in this coun-
try. which until recently was regard
ed as a mission country, to utilize the
church from the time of first dedica-
| ton, as ii would be impraetieabie to
erect buildings free of debt, as the
rubrics demand.
only clergymen will be present
when the actual ceremony of eonse-
Grafton Is gone through The parish
toner's and general public will then
| be admitted. A solemn mass OF
thanksgiving will then be offered.
On Sunday. January Is, Archbishop
| Il. Il. Prendergast, of the diocese oil
Philadelphia, will offer mass at ST
| Columbas He celebrated mass al
the dedication of the church. January
| Is, 1899 Monsignor James +. Mooney
president of Seton Hall College,
South Orange. will preach the ser
mon. The sermon at the vesper SER
vice in the evening will be preached
| bv Rev. Cornelius Clifford. of Whip
| pany.
st. Columba's Church and the par,
| lsh buildings are q monument TO the
| constructive and executive genius oil
Father White.
A curate in ST. Patrick's Cathedral
Father White WIS me- de rector of st
Bridget's Church. this city. He or
ganized the parish and built the
church and school From ST. Bridget s
he was transferred to St. COLUMBIA
to succeed the late Res. Michael Hoi.
! land. His reputation as a ehurcf
builder was already made and he be
gan at once TO lay plans for the pres
ent parish buildings.
The parish already owned the prop
erty except two parcels IN Ihoma'
| street. which Father White after
wards purchased. The old church
was n little frame building which hat
been moved to Pennsylvania avenue
| and Thomas street. from Lincoln
park. by Father Reilly, the first rec
tor of the parish. Father HOLLAND
was Father Whites immediate pred
ecessor.
FATHER. White lost no time in begin
ming his work on the new edlnce. 2
wear after he became rector. on Octo
| Der 3, 1897, the cornerstone OF tn'
present church was laid. The lat
Bishop wigger, of Newark, officiate'
at the exercises. The dedication ser
\ vices were conducted on January Ii
| 1899, by the late Archbishop Corrigan
of New York.
The cost of constructing the parish
buildings was distributed so CAREFUL,
that at no time did debt OF mor'
than $50 600 rest upon the congrega
ton. Weekly contributions are bein'
made to raise the $4,000 necessary T.
| CANCEL the last mortgage.