The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-06
THE NEW CATHEDRAL OF
SAINT PAUL.


dral. 1t must be ready to receive
the throngs of worshippers on the
morning of Palm Sunday; and
Palm Sunday will be soon with us.
That on Palm Sunday the Cathe-
dral will swing wide open its por-
tails and in wall and dome vibrate
under the solemn chants commem-
orative of the Lords triumphant
entry into the Holy City, is beyond
doubt; and, already, hearts of
friends and patrons throb in joy
BUSINESS, the anticipated radiance
of that of the great day. itself,
when the splendid temple will be
hidden enter upon its long life
mission of honor to the Almighty
God, of service to the children of
men.
A monumental achievement it is
this New Cathedral of st. Paul,
lnysteriously SO, when we view it
as the gift of the Catholics of the
Diocese of st. Paul, such as they
are circumstanced in this first
score of years of the twentieth
century; eminently so, when we
see i'll it, as the verdict Of archi-
lecture commands, a temple that
in grandeur and beauty will chal-
lenge admiration and reverence
from coming generations.
TO what will the Cathedral, on
the morning of Palm Sunday, pro-
claim its Indebtedness? To this
this only--the noble Christian
faith of the Catholics of the Do
cese of st. Paula faith that de-
creed as its gift to the Almighty
God temple, worthy of Him as
their hearts wished, superb i'll
majestic glory so far as means
within their reach made possible
"a faith that shrunk from no sacri4
flee to bring the beloved task to
completion. For ages it will be
said, it was grand faith, that of
the men and women who built the
Cathedral of st. Paul.
Of course, on Palm Sunday, in
teriorly the Cathedral will not
wear the garb' Of grandeur and
beauty, which would respond to
it's exterior magnificence, which
one day will be its possession. For
the moment, walls are. bare and
seemingly cold; columns and
arches and entablatures that
should lend warmth and variety,
are lacking. It's affairs are plain,
with the one charm that they are
those of the Old Cathedral; its
chapels are not resplendent, as on
some near, day they will be, with
marbles from home and foreign
lands. Statues and stored win
dows are not here to speak of
angels and saints. Yet, even as it
is, interiorly the Cathedral is
superb, from the simple magnif-
cence of it's proportions; and how
much more superb it will be, when
all is done that is to be done, the
vivid fancyings Of the loyal sons
and daughters will readily picture
to their enraptured gaze.
Amid the triumphant gladness
of its Dedication Day the Cathe-
dral, we gladly hope, will speak
out the soul stirring word: | am
free of debt; none but God and
my devoted children claim owner
ship of me. This. to-all appear
ances, is what is coming to pass:
this is what, let us proclaim, must
come to pass.
The special effort made to pay
the small Indebtedness now resting
OH the Cathedral is moving en-
couragingly. The Indebtedness at
the present moment is below the
one hundred thousand, and each
day new offerings come into hand.
Still-we must remember the stern
reality-the allotted time is draw
ing to close: Dedication Day,
April 18th, is not far off. The
friends and patrons OF the Cathe-
dral who have not yet lent a
response to the appeal, made some
weeks ago by the Most Reverend
Archbishop, should not delay. Let
them do today what they say they
will do tomorrow. Let none re
main behind: the cooperation of
all is needed. Let the offering be
large or small: but LET it be made
with graceful promptness. And
none should there be, who do not
do something. Some so far have
given nothing to the Cathedral:
now is their opportunity to make
PREPARATION for past neglect Others
already have paid tribute; let
them increase the gift. by a new
offering, as their pride in the Ca
thedral increases; as their hearts
deepen in gladness, let their purse
strings be the more widely lbOs-
ened.
Catholics of the City Of Saint