Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-14
BISHOP OFF|C|ATES
. AT DED|CAT|ONOF
CATHOLIC Church
rev st, Peters Edifice in
selIeyilIe Crowded at
Services.

with Bishop John J. O'Connor Of
nclatlng the new st. Peters Catholic
1hurch, Belleville was dedicated with
soierlh services yesterday morning.
ABOUT two. score of priests from this
ana other dioceses assisted. The
elurch was thronged Besides Rev.
Sharles A. Smith. chancellor of the
,lloCese, Bishop O'Connor was assisted
py Monslgnor Isaac p Whelan. OF ST
idtrick $ Cathedral, this city; Mon
s!enor Patrick Cody, of st. James's
1nuIcn this city. and Monsignor
iatrlck +. Connolly, of Phillipsburg.
committee of laymen of the
church acted as an escort for the
olshop and priests in the procession
10 and from the church and during
the dedicatory exercises. The pro-
eession was headed - o"olytes. After
them came the laymen's committee,
priests and bishop. After prayers at
the entrance to the church the process
Flon took to the outside. the clergy
intoning the prayers for the occasion
as they walked around the building,
Entering the church again the process
son went up the middle aisle. The
laynen took their places along the
front outside the altar railing. while
Bishop O'Connor and the priests pro-
eeeded with the ceremony in the
sanctuary The exercises were com
pleted when the clergy proceeded
around the church. Bishop O'Connor
blessing the four walls.
At the solemn high mass that fol-
lowed Rev. Thomas J. J. McEnery. of
st. Aloystuss Church, Caldwell, was
celebrant; Rev. Francis ]. Barrett,
@, S. A, of Villa Nova, Pa, deacon,
and Rev. Joseph F. Dolan, of st.
Mary's Church, Hackensack, sub
deacon. Rev. George Il. Bennett, of
Coytesville. was master of cere-
monies. Fathers McEnery. Barrett
and Bennett are natives of Belleville.
and Father Dolan is former curate
of the parish.
The sermon was delivered by Mon
signor Charles n. Mackel, D.. D., of
St Patrick's Church. Elizabeth. In
part 1t was as follows:
1.-THE ceremony of dedication at
which we assist this morning is no
doubt a source of great joy to the
pastor and people of this parish. Tt
marks the attainment of a long-cher-
ished wish and the completion of
many years of earnest toll and gen
erous sacrifice. The old church,
though hallowed by a thousand ten
der recollections of faith and piety,
outiived its usefulness 1t rendered
splendid service in the days of the
heroic pioneers who laid deep and
solid the foundations of religion in
the hearts of their children. 1t pre-
pared the way for your present prog
ress and prosperity; but it was in
adequate to the needs of flourish
Ing and rapidly growing parish.
"Those who worshipped God In that
old church illustrated and exempli-
fed by their noble lives of exalted
virtue and devotion to duty the truth
and uplifting influence of the faith
they loved SO ardently and practiced
so faithfully. AS they looked into
the future they were doubtless
cheered and encouraged by the hope
and vision of brighter and happier
day when you. their descendants and
successors, would dedicate to the
honor and glory of God a temple of
worship more fittingly expressive of
the deep faith, ardent zeal and I'M
dying loyalty to the Catholic religion
which have always been conspicuous
characteristics of the people of Belle
vile and which have made the record
of your fidelity and devotion to your
faith an object of admiration to all
Catholics throughout the State.
the happiness which is yours today
in the dedication of this beautiful
church, were it not that you cheer
fully deprived yourselves of this
qualification in order that you might
devote your energies and your re-
sources to the erection of a Catnollc
school and to its equipment and de-
velopment to it's present high stand
ard of excellence.
at length the day has come when
you have reached the goal OF your
noble-hearted and self-sacrifcing am
bition. You have not only your splen-
did school but this handsome church,
which bears witness to the depth and
sincerity of your faith and generosity
which stands as a memorial of your
grateful appreciation of those VINO
have fought the good fight in the past,
and which will testify to future gen
erations that you are as loyal 10
Christ and to His church as your
fathers were, and that you are as
anxious as they were to transmit I'M
impaired to others the priceless nerl-
tage of the Catholic faith.
1.-THE JOY which fills your hearts
the qualification which you expert
ence, the Fluctuations extended to you
by YOUR neighbors and fellow towns
men. are fully shared by those of us
who come from other parts of the
diocese. We rejoice heartily at your
success. We offer you our congratu-
lations, and we bid you Godspeed in
the path of progress. We trust you
will continue to advance to loftier
heights in the service of God by your
fidelity to that holy religion of which
this church Is the home and the en-
bodiment-appealing to you by its
very presence among you to fulfill
even more zealously than in the past
your high and holy duties as strong
and perfect Christians and soldiers OF
Jesus Christ our Lord.
"If YOU were asked why you have
been so eager and so generous in
building and adjoining this beautiful
edifice, in the dedication of which we
all so heartily rejoice. your answer
MOULD no doubt be given in the words