Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-04-21
OF THE
SACRED HEART
DEDICATED TO THE WORSHIP OF
GOD BY CLERGY OF THE OBLATE
ORDER, WITH SOLEMN CERE-
MONIES
HANDSOME NEW CHURCH ERECT
ED FOR ENGLISH SPEAKING
CATHOLICS OF BROWNSVILLE,
AT COST OF OVER $4,000.

Win SoicHil anu Impressive CcIeiHOIl-
les, the Church of the Sacred Heart.
erected for the English-speaking CathO-
lies of Brownsville, was dedicated yester
day morning at 10 o'clock The magnif
cent building situated in one of the finest
residence sections of the city, at Sixth
and Elizabeth streets, was filled to its
capacity the gathering including many
nor- Catholics
The blessing of the church was per
formed by Very Rev. III. A. Constantine
eau provincial of the Oblate order in
Texas, assisted by Rev. j. B. Lavoie, pas
tor of the new church.
At the conclusion of this solemn ccre
mOny. the congregation were invited to
be seated and high mass was celebrated
by Rev. f. j. Plat with Rev. o. Nalence
as deacon, and Rev. Ii. ID. Herman as
sub deacon.
Rev III. NJ. Janvier was master Of
ceremonies, assisted by one of the nov
ices during the services.
After vesting in the sacristy, the Off
ciating clergy in ecclesiastical procession
marched from the rear of the building
TO the front with Father COnstantincau
officiating, attended by Father Valence
as deacon. Father Hermann as sub dea
con. and with one of the Oblate nOvices
as cross bearer. The opening prayers
were sung by the celcbrant. Father 7.
j. Plat, and as the procession passed
around the exterior of the church he
sprinkled the walls with holy water.
while the clergy and noviccs chanted the
prescribed psalms.
Only the priests remained OH the in
side during the progress Of the dedica-
tion and blessing. after which the doors
we're thrown open to admit the audience.
This most important and impressive
Catholic event in this city was witnessed
by hundreds of the most prominent peo
plc in Brownsville. All the officiating
,lergy were seated in the sanctuary dur
ing the holy mass.
The beautiful altar. with large cru
cifX in the center, had been very ar
tistically decorated with Easter lilies
and other fragrant blossoms, and the
I
the work having been done by the ladies
of the Catholic Altar Society.
The music for the occasion was excel
lent. and especially the work of the solo
lists. During the of1ertOry Miss Mamie
Browne who has very sweet mezzo-
soprano voice. sang an Ave Mar
ia" The other solsts of the choir were
Miss Hicks, soprano; Mrs. Wagner and
Miss Kowalski. c0ntraltos. f. +. ROrke
tenor, and VI. j. Slattcrv bass. Miss
Nichols was Organist, and Miss KOwal-
ski directrcSS of the choir During part
of the ceremony. Father TymOn sang
chant from the choir and at the con
clusion the choir sang very effectively
Holy God. We Praise Thy Name"
The sermon of dedication was deliv-
cred BY Reverend Peter b. Donnclly 0.
VI. L.. of London. England, who will con
duet mission at the church all of this
week Father Donnellv held the closest
attention of the congregation during his
well delivered discourse. He touched
upon tho need of aNhOusc of worship and
paid tribute to the OblateS Of Mary I'm
maculatc and their missionaries for
their coed work in the Lower Rio Grand
Valley during the Xast seventy years,
touching upon the many hardships and
even suffering which these religious pl
oneers endured in earlier days. for no
other reward than that after this world
Father Donnclly called attention to the
purpose Of his visit to Brownsville and
invited all Catholics and NOn-CathOlics
4 to DO present at the exercises during the
mission. In closing he stated that the
churCh without the assistance of the
\ lai,v was of no use.