The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-21

tee of priests who have charge of the
work of securing funds for the COM
pletion and adornment of the Chapel
of St. Boniface in the new Cathedral
of ST. Paul
THE LETTER.
To the German Catholics of the Arch
diocese of ST. Paul:
The new Cathedral of st. Paul is
nearing completion; and it is hoped
that before the opening of the coming
year it will be dedicated to the service
of Almighty God. All who see the ma
iestic edifice, enthroned upon the lofty
heights of Summit Avenue, overlook
ing the beautiful city of st. Paul, will
certainly exclaim: Our Cathedral is
indeed a magnificent monument OF
Christian art, and a great memorial
of the deep-rooted faith, of the mag
unanimous spirit of sacrifice of those
who are building it.
To enhance it's beauty and to en-
Dhasize it's symbolism of the Chris
tian apostolate a number of chapels
have been provided, which encircle
the main altar, the throne of our
Blessed Lord in the Holy Eucharist
Several of these chapels have been
set apart to honor in most special
wav those Saints of heaven, who are
looked upon as the Apostles and Spirit
ual Fathers of the children of the
races, which compose the Catholic
population of our Diocese. To this
circumstance we owe the German
Chapel" placed under the patronage
of st. Boniface, the Apostle OF the
Germans. This chapel has been hand
ed over to us; and it becomes our
honored duty to fit it out and adorn
it in a worthy manner.
There should be no room for doubt
or hesitation. No one shall be per-
mitted to surpass us in willingness,
spirit of sacrifice, and promptness OF
action. Our chapel shall not be IN
ferior to any of the national chapels
in beauty and adornment; it shall be
worthy of st. Boniface, the glorious
APOSTLE of the Germans, worthy OF
the race from which we spring, worthy
of the German Fatherland, which
throughout it's length and breadth has
preserved so many noble Cathedrals
veritable monuments of Christian
architecture We owe it to our mum
hers in the Diocese and the North
west: we owe it to the memory OF our
fathers, the German pioneers Of Min
nesota, who not only rendered fertile
the land of it's prairies with untold
toll and labor, but also, with still
greater devotion and perseverance
built churches and schools wherever
they went In this manner they fol
lowed in the footsteps of st. Boniface
and took care that the precious in
heritance of our holy faith be dellv
cred unto us and be firmly rooted In
this adopted country of ours. They
have sacrificed their all for the de-
velopment and greatness of our com
monwealth, but they builded on the
solid foundation of Christian faith
Christian morals, Christian civiliza
ton, and Christian legislation. Re
ligion was the guiding star, the one
object in their efforts towards the up,
building of the state.
The Chapel of st. Boniface is to be
an everlasting monument of German
faith and steadfastness of purpose, OF
the spirit of sacrifice that character
ICES the German people, as well as OF
German art When future generations
will write the history of our days,
good account should then be given
of the German Catholics of the pres
ent time; and our children and chill
dren's children should be able to
praise our memory and say: Wher
at the beginning of the century the
great Cathedral of St. Paul was built
and paid for with great sacrifices, Oul
fathers were at their post and showed
themselves worthy heirs of the faitf
and of the spirit that animated the
glorious st. Boniface, the Apostle o
the Germans. Nothing else will oh
tain for us more easily the protection
of our patron saint than our willing
ness to erect the German Chapel il
honor of st. Boniface. And hence We
feel confident that there is not il
this whole Archdiocese a German
Catholic, even though he may live
among brethren of other races, whC
will remain Indifferent at the mention
of st. Boniface and the Chapel OF st
:. Boniface.
That much as to the idea under
lying this laudable enterprise. A wort
now as to it's execution in practice
And let it be said from the start, tha
in this matter as we'll we will permit
no one to surpass us. AS the chape
is to be built on this earth, it canno
be done without money; the vile
metal, which rules the world, and t
which so much vice and virtue at
tach themselves, must also carry into
execution the beautiful idea of the
Chapel of st. Boniface. Let us give
of it willingly towards this holy pur
pose. Who knows through what hands
has passed the coin which you have
in your keeping! Who knows wha
sinister purposes it has promoted! L
YOU place it in the hands OF the com
mittee on the Chapel of st. Boniface
you will place it, if not in holy hands
at least in good ones. 1t is said tha
the offering of the Peters Pence is
bond of silver, which binds the faith
n q.