Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-19
PHILADELPHIA
PRELATE GUEST
Archbishop Prendergast Off
ciates at Conservation Ser
vice at St. COlumba's.
PARISH TAKES PART
IN THE CELEBRATION
Monsignor Mooney congratu-
lates Congregation at Freeing
of Edifice from Debt.

Parishioners of St COLUMBIA
Church Yesterday formally celebrated
the conservation of their handsome
edifice near Lincoln Park. The con-
secration services were held on sat
urday. the event being principally
confined to. the special ceremony Ia
which the clergy alone participated
Archbishop Prendergast, of Phila-
delphia. was the guest OF honor yes
terday. He off1ciated at solemn nigh
mass, the service being attended Dy
representatives of every family OF the
parish and many other prominen1
Catholics from this and other cities.
The Philadelphia prelate made an
impressive appearance in his robes
of office. He Is a man of exceptional
stature being six feet four inches
The attendance Allied the church
tn its utmost capacity. 1t was found
necessary to place additional seats at
every vantage point There was an
elaborate musical service that lasted
until long after the noon hour
other officers of the mass included
Monsignor Whelan, who assisted
Archbishop Prendergast; Rev. edward
I Fllard Of Paterson and Rev. James
A Lundy of Elizabeth. Bishop OCoh-
nor was present. He was attended by
Nonsigpor Stecher and by Monslgnor
Cody. Rev. Bernard NJ. Began, OF
Plainf1eld, and Rev. Jerome smith, OF
Elizabeth, were deacons OF honor.
Rev Charles A. Smith, diocesan
chancellor. and Rev. John A. Dilion,
diocesan superintendent OF schools'
oyere masters of ceremonies,
Among the many other priests pres
a,Nt were Very Rev. Dean William
Nc SNulty, of Paterson, who has been
a n, ,iest for upward of flfty-five years.
Us was one of the first TO congratu-
late Rev. Michael ]. White, rector OF
81 G 'olumba's, on the accomplish
rent ,,f the great task of clearing
the loc,ll edifice of all debt, an es-
sential TO the conservation Father
white was formerly assistant to
Dean MclNulty, at Paterson.
MonsigntT Mooney, president OF
Seton Hall College, preached the SER
mon. He congratulated Father
White on his creation Of one of the
finest church plants in the United
States. He compared the beauty and
spIendor of the new church in which
he spoke to the great temples of old.
The preacher also congratulated
the parishioners of st. Columba's for
their loyalty to their faith as ex-
pressed in their devotion TO Father
White and his work of erecting a
magnificent church rectory and a
convent and school. The energy and
skill displayed by Father White and
the generous cooperation of his peo-
pie were noteworthy, the monsignor
said. and would constitute an i'm
portant chapter in the annals of the
diocese of Newark.
The preacher described temples
that were considered works Of art
and pointed out wherein St. Column
ba's was their equal He defined the
mass and the need Of a fitting place
for the honoring and clarifying of
God
with the conservation of st. Co
lumba's it passes from profane owner
ship into sacred ownership" said
Monsignor Mooney. ut now belongs
TO God and win belong to God for all
time. There is not any man who has
a. lien of any kind on this house of
Cod or who can. say that he is owed
money by the church"
After the mass the clergy were the
guests of Father White and his as
sistant, Father Deegan, at the rec
tory.
In the evening" there was a vesper
service and benediction. Monsignor
Charles S. Mackel. of Elizabethport,
was the celebrant. Rev. Cornelius Cliff
ford, of Whippany, preached the SER
mon. He explained the sanctity and
Significance of the ceremonies of con-
secratiOn.