Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-08-09
Impressive Ceremonies Marked
Cornerstone Laying Last
Sunday.
Vicar General Cronin Officiates,
Assisted by Many Local
Priests.
FATHER CONSTANTINE PASTOR

Ollie history in Louisville was wit
messed by an immense and interested
gathering Sunday afternoon, when the
cornerstone of st. Peter Claver's
church school and social center on
Hampton street, between Hancock and
Jackson, was laid with splendid and
impressive ceremony by the Very Rev.
James P. Cronin, Vicar General of
the diocese Of Louisville, assisted by
twelve priests. Father Cronin off,
ciated In the absence of the Right
Rev. Denis O'Donaghue, Bishop OF
Louisville, who was out Of the city.
The new building will cost $6,500.
About half this amount has been
raised by the negro Catholics them
selves. 1t will be two-story struc-
ture of stone and brick. The base
ment will be devoted to club rooms
and domestic science department for
negro girls. On the first floor will
be two large and airy classrooms, so
constructed as to be available for So
ciety meetings. The entire seconc
floor will consist of hall for meet
ings, lectures, entertainments and
moving picture shows. This hall also
will be used as a gymnasium and
training school for negro boys, and
a. practice room for the st. Peter
Claver's colored band. It is expected
that the new building will be COM
pleted in the late fall or winter and
will be the first real social center for
negroes in the city.
Rev. Alexander Wilberding, o. F.
NJ, pastor of st. Joseph's church,
preached the sermon, saying in part /:
Catholics from all over the city
are here to join with you, their col
ored brethren, in rejoicing at this in
dication of the progress our holy re-
ligion is making among the colored
people of Louisville. Such a sight
can not be witnessed outside the Cath
olic church, for she is the only church
that knows no bar of class or color.
She alone puts into practice the
Fatherhood of God and the brother
hood of man. Black and white, rich
and poor, learned and ignorant-all
are equal at her altar, all are her
children, to all she is mother. Much
has been said about the Catholic
church opposing education. We shall
pass this over of course, because Il
is said only by those of no education
themselves. She is the mother of the
arts and the sciences and of liter
ature; she saved the learning OF
Greece and of Rome; more men of
science, OF discovery, of art, of liter
ature have been her. children than all
other denominations combined. Who're
else can you go for such names as
Thomas Aquinas, Albertus Magnus,
Christopher Columbus, Lavoisier,
Ampere. Venerable Bede, Guido of
Arrezzo, Jerome, Galvani, Mendel,
Pasteur, Marconi, Wassman and
countless others? Beside the church
you will ever see the schoolhouse.
How fitting is II, then, that.the col
cred boys and girls of this parish
should have an up-to-date place
where they may learn not only
mathematics and reading and writing,
the mysteries of science, the delights
OF muscular development and such
manual training as will fit them to
become home builders, but as we'll the
beginning of all wisdom, fear of the
Lord, the great lesson of right living
and OF right acting toward their rel-
low men. AS our Holy Father has
SO often pointed out, we build in vain
Il we erect the most magnificent
churches and neglect the school
room. A church without a school will
soon mean an empty church. Again
say that the Catholic people OF
Louisville stand with you and will
do their part in aiding you in the
noble work which already you have
borne so we'll toward completion.
Much credit is due for this success to
your jealous pastor. IL is a happy
thing for the colored people that they
have as shepherd and a father a men,
Der of that great order which still
shows forth the spirit Of the gentle
Saint Francis, the lover Of mankind,
the very founder of all the social
service movements Of this age. the
Man Of Assist, whose life and whose
deeds have already lately awakened
wondrous admiration even among
those outside the Catholic church.
Truly has he been called 'Everybody's
Saint Francis
The work of organizing st. Peter
Clayer's congregation was begun
about six years ago with donation
OF $4,000 made by Mother Katherine
Drexel. daughter of the Eastern
millionaire. who upon her entrance
into the Catholic church became a
nun and founded the Sisters OF the
Blessed Sacrament for work among
the Indians and negroes of the United
States. The present church and
school are modest wood structures,
but when the handsome new school Is
built the church will be moved on 10
an adjoining lot and later will be
suppIanted by stone and brick edi-
flee. The space In front OF the school
and at the side of the church then
will be used both as a school and