Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-16
CHAPEL CAR ST. PETER
ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON
Used to Carry Religious Sue
cor to Catholics Isolated
Over United States.

The chapel car st. Peter. maintained by
the Catholic Church Extension Society
for mission work along railroad lines in
sections of the United States where
Catholics are few and widely scattered,
arrived at the New York avenue yards
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad this
morning. 1t will remain here until early
Saturday morning.
This car is one of two used in the mis-
sion service. Like its companion car, CT.
Anthony, which has been traversing the
mission field Of the south. west and
northwest for the past five years, 1t
takes the consultations of religion to iso-
lated groups of Catholics living in out-of-
way places.
Personnel of Grew
The personnel of the Crew on board
the car consists Of chaplain, sometimes
assisted by one or more priests appointed
by the bishop of the diocese in which the
car is operating; the superintendent, who
looks after all material details required
for the proper care and successful opera
ton of the car, and one attendant, who
Is both cook and porter.
The chapel car is n complete church
and residence OH wheels. The chapel is
equipped with every appointment found
i'll big church. Services are held with
as much solemnity and convenience as in
permanent church building. Mass is
said daily, except when the car is In
motion. Religious instruction is given
every morning. and a lecture in the
evening. Where the car proves too small
for the audience, hall, whenever pos
sible,s is engaged for the evening lecture.
The faithful may receive holy communion
on nr6 thxa In COZ n IN n
church; other sacraments are administer
ed as required. Baptism is frequently
administered and confessions are heard
regularly.
Chapel car St. Peter is constructed
of steel: it has a copper roof, and Is fin
ished throughout in Cuban mahogany.
The lines of architecture in the interior
are strictly Gothic. The gross length
of the car is eightyfour feet. 1t Is one
of the longest cars made.
Seats for Seventy-Four.
The part set aside for the chapel is
fortyfive feet long, and has a comfort
able seating capacity for seventy-four per-
sons. The pews, thirty in number, are
r:gidly fastened to the floor, and equipped
with very comfortable kneeling benches
With the aisle space and observation
platform pressed into service. thirty more
persons can De accommodated. nc SdIiC-
tuary, with it's neat altar and permanent
confessional, is separated from the nave
by handsome communion railing, on
which is mounted a three-arched rood
screen, giving the sanctuary a very arts
tic and ecclesiastical appearance The
stations of the cross are built in and form
part of the cars interior decoration. A
specially constructed organ. with a rich
tone. is installed near the entrance. The
car is lighted with acetylene gas.
The remain ng space in the car is used
as living quarters by the crew" The
compartments are the study, used also as
a dining room, Library, Office and sleeping
apartment lavatory and toilet rooIa !;
chap aims sleeping compartment, and
kitchen. The car is we'll provided with
storage and clothes lockers.
The work nrhe chapel car is strenuous
Few chaplains can stand the work longer
than three or four months at time
From thirty to forty missions, each lasting
from three days to week, are given on
the car in the course of year.