The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-05-07
AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY
Participated in By More Than ZOO So
dality Members at st. Monica's

The first Sunday of May, the month
particularly dedicated to the Blessed Vir-
gin Mary by the Catholic church. wit.
messed an impressive procession and cere.
mony at st. Monica church last evening
when more than 200 members OF the So
dality, including many aspirants for
membership, took part in exercises well
calculated to inspire respect, yeneration
even, for the blessed mother, Services
at the church were in charge of the pas
tor, Rev. P. NJ Aickenna, and many OF
the preparatiye details devolved upon
the sisters at the convent OF the Sacred
Heart.
The ceremony of the crowning Of the
statue of the Blessed Virgin and the
reception Of the new members into the
Sodality OF the Blessed Virgin was car
RED out before a congregation of wor-
shippers that crowded the church to its
doors. The procession was one OF the
most beautiful in years It was headed
by the cross bearer and II ehancel boys,
followed by the sodality marshal, Miss
Lorraine Loranger Second in the line
was baner No. |, carried by Miss Rose
Iomasi, accompanied by four tassel bear
ers and the junior members of the sodal-
ity Banner No was borne aloft bv
Miss Angela Tierney, followed BY the 50
aspirants, or candidates for the society.
Miss Mary Mcdonald, who led the senior
division, carried banner No, 8. The di-
vision numbered 20 and with the Junior
division formed an attractive compile.
ment to the procession, each member
wearing white and pink carnations ar.
ranged in bouquets and each being garbed
IN white veil, caught up with smilax.
The fourth banner was carried by Miss
Mary Jordan, who headed the queens d.
vision, which consisted of 20 little girls
dressed in white and wearing silver
crowns trimmed with smilax. These
younger girls carried garlands of pink
and white roses suspended from their
shoulders They were followed by the
crown bearer, Miss Clare Bennett, who
carried a crown of beautiful white roses
on silver tray. The May queen. Miss
Frances Burke, brought up the end OF the
procession and furnished an interesting
and fascinating picture when her retinue
OF maids % honor and flower girls came
into the church. 1t was the end Of the
procession and a congregation deeply in
terested in the exercises turned its atten-
ton TO the ceremony.
Proceeding up the main aisle, the
senior division separated while the queen,
her attendants and flower bearers and
yhe president of the sodality, Miss Nellie
Sadlier, passed into the sanctuary to
,rown and decorate the statue. The
Young people sang, "Bring Flowers tine
Rarest,' and at the words, 20 Mary we
,rown thee with roses to-day" the May
queen placed the crown on the statue.
Then the senior sodality entered the
'anctuary, the maids of honor placing
yarlands OF flowers on the shrine. The
eception of the aspirants followed and
hen 200 voices were lifted reverently in
Veni Creator" After the act of con-
ecration. and the renewal OF vows BY
he older members, came the recitation
# the rosary. The sodality sang moth
r Dearest, Mother Fairest," and Father
lekenna delivered a sermon, taking for
is text the part accepted by the Virgin
larry in the redemption. "Why Catholics
Ionor the Blessed Virgin" might we'll
ave been the subject, cor the clergyman
xplained at length and in fitting words
he reasons why the purity and virtuous
haracter of the Virgin should be mod
for all sodality members.
After the sermon the benediction was
endered by the sodality, assisted by
frs. John j. Hartigsn and Miss guth
Ielson, the organist, and the service
osed with the singing Of the hymn,
Holy God We Praise Thy Name"
Those who acted as .assel bearers are:
amer No. l. Winifred Riley, Genevieve
IcNulty. Luna Stacy and Pauline Fitz-
srald; banner No. ,, Jeanette Croteau,
ellen ROssi, Rachel Bilodeau. Merle I.e-
age; banner No. 3. Loretta Papin, Ma
inc Henes, Ens Moore and Catherine
ruya; banner No. {. Irene Brown. Flor
ice Morrison, Clare Croteau and Bucc