The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-03-22
TESTIMONIAL TO
FATHER CLEARY
Will Take Place at the Auditorium
Next Tueadav Eveninu.


Will Take Place at the Auditorium
Next Tuesday Evening.
Rev.. ]. NJ. Cieary, pastor Of the
Church Of the Incarnation, will be
given a testimonial at the Auditorium
Tuesday evening, March 25. 1t will
mark his fortieth year in the priest.
hood and people Of every denomina-
ton will be there to do him honor.
Fathe Cleary has been a resident
of Minneapolis for 20 years. He was
born in Boston, Sept. 8, 1S49, son Of
Thomas and Julia Cleary, who soon
after moved to Walworth county in
southern Wisconsin, where his boy
hood was spout. He received his
early education in the public schools
at Fond du Lac, afterwards gradual
ing from st. Lawrence college at Cal
vary and preparing for the priesthood
at st. Francis seminary, Milwaukee
After Reaching 60 Started New Parish
He was ordained a priest July 8,
1872 and for eight years devoted him
self to mission work in Grant coun.
ty. For the succeeding IL years he
was pastor Of one of the Catholic
churches at kenosha, where he built
up furnishing parish. In 1892
Archbishop John ireland induced him
to come to Minneapolis and assume
charge of St. Charles Catholic church
at Fourth street and Thirteenth ave-
nue. south, which at one time had a
membership of 1900.
1t was after ne had served for IS
years i'll this pastorate and had passed
his Goth birthday that the call came
to him to undertake the organizing
of another parish in the Lake street
district. This was but little more
than three years ago and in the in.
tervening time he has organized a
parish of 500 families, which has
made an investment Of nearly $780,
900. Nine lots have been purchased
at the intersection Of Thirty-eighth
street and Pleasant avenue, located
on three corners. The Incarnation
Institute, a handsome building Of brick
and stone and fireproof construction,
has bean erected at, the southeast
corner at cost of 100000 and &C.
commodities 800 school children in
the parish in six rooms, besides pro.
viding an auditorium on the second
floor at present used for church SER
vises. DiagonaIly across the street is
large frame dwelling occupied as a
convent by the nine Dominican sisters
who are instructors in the school,
Corner Reserved for Church Site.
The corner opposite both school and
convent has been reserved as site
for the church yet to be erected, but
adjoining it is the parochial residence
recently completed and furnished. It
is of brick, two stories high, with a
dormitory in it's gable roof. Colonial
lines have been followed in it's archi-
lecture with a canopied porch for it's
front entrance and sleeping sun
porches on the Thirty.eighth street
side.
The cost Of the parochial residence
has been $4,000. 1t has IS rooms.
which will provide quarters for the
pastor and several assistants, besides
affording Father Cleary spacious
rooms on the first floor for recep.
tons, library and ofice. The testi-
monial that it is proposed to give to
Father Cleary is to be given the
practical turn Of raising funds to be
applied upon the cost of this resi-
dence. where he will pass his declin-
ing years.
Governor and Mayor to Speak.
1t will be an occasion in which the
people of Minneapolis are invited to
join, irrespective of church affalia-
tons. Over hundred we'll known
citizens, with whom Father Cleary
has been associated at different times
in the course of civic activities, have
been invited to sit on the stage.
Father Cleary will, of course. be
the central figure of this celebration
of his fortieth year as a priest and
the twentieth year Of his residence
in Minneapolis, but there will be sew
eral other speakers. Governor Eber,
hart, Mayor Nye, Charles e. vasaly
Of Little Falls among them. The pro.
gram will be assisted by a large or.
chestra with Alma Peterson, soprano;
Robert Gehan, harytone, Of st. Paul;
William $. MacPhail, violinist, and
Miss Florence Curran. elocutionist.
A Pioneer Passed AWAY,