The Republican journal., 1916-12-07
.Twenty-tifth Anniversary.


ish, and was for some years the resident
priest. AT a. NJ. Right Reverend Louis S.
Walsh, D. D., Bishop of Portland, celebrated
mass and administered the first communion to
little Misses Agnes Pendeton, Mary Eileu
Smalley and Abbie Robbins. The dedicatory
exercises began at 10 a. M. but it was nee
sary to change the program because of the
non arrival of Revs. p j Garrity and Jere-
miah Mccarthy of Bangor, former pastors
here, who were to have come by automobile to
take part iii the High mass, with which the ex-
ercises were to have opened. In announcing
the change Bishop Walsh referred to the un-
certainties of travel by auto at this season,
and then proceeded to conduct the sacrament
of confirmation, the fourth in the series of
seven sacraments. William Leary and Miss
Agnes Cullinan acted as sponsors, the former
for the boys and the latter for the girls. The
boys, who wore white ribbons on their left
arm, were William and Basil j. Pendleton.
John and Ralph Caseyaad d Irving Paul Leary of
belfast. John tarris, Edward and Frederick
Arnold, Daniel and Joseph Commow and Law
renee Kavanaugh of Stockton Springs. The
girls were Agnes Mary Hill. Mary Robbins and
heien Elizabeth Troy of Belfast, Helen Com
NOV, Pauline and Celia McGinnis. Martha
Ienney and Ethel Arnold of Stockton Springs.
Ihe girls wore white, with long. white lace
wells. The professional march from the par
sonage to the church was led by Father heay,
cross bearer. followed by Fathers Flynn and
oConnor, acolytes, the class of confirmation
the visiting priests and the Bishop, the boys
and girls then taking seats in front.
In his address to the children Bishop Walsh
explained fully and clearly the origin and sig
nihcance of the ceremony to follow, speaking
to the girls and boys in turn in terms that
should impress his words and fatherly admoni-
tlons on their memories, and urged them TO
love the flag of their country and the cross of
their faith with supreme love. He explained
IN detail the meaning of the cross upon the
forehead. the drop of oil and the drop of water,
to receive which the children knelt before the
altar and which closed the ceremonies.
The sermon by the Bishop was based on St.
Paups epistle to the Romans emphasizing the
thought that Gods commands are to all people
and fo- all times, and that the commands of
Jesus to his disciples are to be obeyed implic-
lily, as well as the commandments He spoke
PARTICULARLY Of the divorce evil, and of the ten
dencyto evade or make easythe Holycommands
Of the priests of his own church he said that
they were following implicitly the instructions
of the Master, speaking not for themselves
but for Him; that they have DO choice as to
the scene of their lsbors, and might be trans
ferred from rich congregation in large city
to poor congregation in a small place or to
missionary work in the wilderness He ex-
pressed the wish that there might at some time
be one great church for all, founded upon love
for God and obedience to His commands.
large part of his address, which held the close
attention of his hearers, was historical, dating
back to the coming of the first missionary
here nearly four hundred years ago, and COM
ing down to the erection and dedication of St.
Francis church. with due rec ignition of the
services of the late William S. Brannagan
who not only gave the church but contributed
largely to the building of the priests residence
adjoining report of this part of the ad
dress would necessarily be brief and incomplete.
and so next week we shall begin the publica-
ton of a complete history of "The Catholic
Church in Belfast"
Most delightful music was rendered by mem
bers of Father Kealy's choir in Waterville.
with Mrs. Harrison A. Smith, organist, Mr..
Smith, director, and Miss Clare Grondin. So
able to hear them in the special music of the
high mass.
Every church in the city was represented in
the audience. and among those present were
Mayor VIM. K. Keene and ex-mayors C. O.
Poor and Charles R. Coombs.
The church was attractively decorated with
small evergreen trees on each side of the
altar, an abundance of trailing evergreen with
bouquets of yellow and white chrysanthe-
NUNS on stands in front of the statuary and
in single vases in of the lighted candles
on the altar. The frames of the stations of
the cross the walls were decorated with
trailing evergreens and the organ loft with
palms and evergreens, with the dates 1891 and
1916 in green on the front railing. The potted
palms and many dozens of large chrvsanthe-
NUNS were beautiful. The decorations were
uOue Dy MISS fenOleGOn, chairman
Mrs Agnes P. Darby. Mr.. and Mrs. James D.
Hill. Edward Hogan and Francis X. Pendleton
Bishop Walsh of Portland. Rev. Thomas ]
MullIgan of Augusta. Rev. Matthew Curran
of Madison. Rev. James A. Carey of Hallowell
Rev. James Flynn of Rockland and Rev. Nor.
timer O'Connor of Winterport were present
and took part in the services. These with
Rev. Jeremiah Mccarthy, P. R. of St. Mary's
church, Bangor. Rev. Patrick J. Garrity, P. R
of St. Johns church. Bangor, and Rev. James
Rice of South Brewer. who arrived at D. M,
too late for the services, were dinner guests
of Father Kealy at the parsonage, which
was attractively decorated with chrysanthe-
NUNS. Revs. Curran and Carey are as
sistants of Father Kealy in Waterville Rev.
Mccarthy was the priest in Belfast 80 years
ago. and Rev. Garrity 25 years ago. when the
hurch was built. They deeply regretted their