The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-09-05

divine service all the winter. Ihougn
very spacious it was sometimes crowd
ed. On Christmas there was no less
than two thousand persons present at
Mass, and about five hundred persons
presented themselves at the holy
table for communion on that day. It
was to me and to all great consola-
ton to have for the celebration of
our sacred mysteries a place spacious
enough to contain the whole congre-
CATION"
Cost of the Cathedral.
1t is of interest to know what the
Cathedral did cost, and whence the
money did come l abbreviate the
statements of Father RavouX.
The total cost, to January LIST, 1850,
was 33,64794. The total receipts, to
the same date, were $29, 095.79-allow-
ing an Indebtedness of $4,552. Is. The
receipts we're the following
tions in st. Paul, $1O,1OS.20; donations
from the Society of the Propagation
of the Faith in France, together with
some surplus from peW-rents, remain
ing after the ordinary parish expenses
had been betrayed, $1S,987.59.
The smallness of receipts from col
lections in St Paul is explained by
the slender means then at the dis
posal of Catholics. A tribute of thanks
is due and now is gratefully given,
to the Society of the Propagation OF
the Faith in France. ....
Later, the wings, since marked
feature of the Cathedral, were built
by Bishop Grace, partly with the view
of strengthening the main walls and
break somewhat the monotony OF
their length, partly with the view OF
adding to the interior further space
in the form of lateral chapels. This
latter project, however, was not put
into execution.
The Cathedral Landmark Through
Many Years.
July the twenty-seventh, 1856!
What changes since then in city,
state and diocese! In 1856, the popu-
lation of st. Paul exceeded but little
the five thousand: two years previous
ly it had put off its childhood robing
and dared call itself city. Mime
apolis was as yet the mere ''Town; "
Minnesota was a TERRITORY" and
though it reached to the Missouri
River and it's census-takers were I'M
sparing in statements Of figures, it
was said to hold within it's borders
not more than $4,000 souls. The Dio-
cese of st. Paul, covering the whole
area of the Territory of Minnesota
had it's one bishop, it's twelve priests
it's Catholic population of twenty thou
sand. Today, as the Cathedral closes
it's doors for now and aye, st. Paul
has it's 100000 souls, with 100000 in
nearby Minneapolis, and the State OF
Minnesota though shorn of much OF
it's primitive area, has its 2,25O,00O
What in 1856 was the Diocese of St
Paul has today its eight bishops, its
nine hundred priests, it's six hundred
thousand Catholics. OF all this won
drous growth, the Cathedral was the
watchful witness. All else around il
changed: alone the Cathedral stooC
mmoved and unchanged. As passers
by took notice of its storm-beate1
stones, forcibly they remembered the
men and the things of a long past, O
which it was the enduring token. Nov
the Cathedral goes, and with it the
vivid vision Of the past-the pioneer
days, so instinct with poetry and hero
ism, the pioneer men and women
whose strugglings with rude nature
whose courage and prophetic vision
made of them a race apart, Whose
deeds deserve golden emblazoning, tt
challenge from present and future
generations reverence and imitation.
The Cathedral was more than
landmark of the marvellous progress
that has blessed st. Paul and Mime
sofa: it was a potent factor in tn
making of this progress. 1t was tn
Cathedral-the seat of episcopa
authority the fount and home of al
that bishops and priests and Catholic
of Minnesota were able to do for tn
Church of which they were the son
and guardians, of all that the ChurcI
was able to do in the upbuilding o
the material and the spiritual welfar
of the whole city, the whole state
From the Cathedral, from the adjoin
ing episcopal residence, properly
part of the Cathedral, again and agai1
fervent appeals went forth urging i'm
migration to Minnesota's fertile field
and health-giving air. Bishop Creti
in his time was a notable apostle o
colonization, as after him was eacI
of his successors. In the Cathedra
priests were ordained and bishop
consecrated, who preceded or TO
lowed the immigrants in their search
ings for homes, and by word and eS
ample taught them the patient an
hopeful courage required of the il
habitants of the wilderness. Seldom
IL at all, was there work undertake.
by the citizenship of st. Paul, or Q
Minnesota, for the betterment of Cit
or State, on behalf of which a stron
voice was not heard from the Cattle
dral of ST. Paul. And, then, st. Pau
and Minnesota were not to be withou
this other better and higher life, tn
moral and spiritual. To this ever
church proffered it's efficiency an
good will. None, however, so much S
as the Cathedral, because there tn
official authority resided to evolve int
1ovaI act mandate and eXhortation.