Evening star., 1947-05-22
Impressive Funeral Services
Held for Archbishop CurIey


Held for Archbi
By George Kennedy
sser Staff csnsspendsnt
BALTIMORE, May 22.-Funeral
services for the most Rev. Michael
~. Curiey. Archbishop Of Baltimore
and Washington, were held In his
cathedral today, and one OF the most
elaborate pontifical requiem masses
in the history of the Roman Cath
olic Church in America was sung.
"A leader unafraid," he WAS called
by the Most Rev. John M. McNa-
mara, interim administrator Of the
archdioceses. In the funeral sermon.
Two princes OF the church. Dennis
Cardinal Dougherty OF Philadelphia
and Francis Cardinal Spellman Of
New York, we're In the fore Of the
high clergy behind the altar rail.
Apostolic Delegate II Ceiebrant.
The Most Rev. Amleto Giovanni
Cicognani. apostolic delegate to the
United States, was celebrant.
Two archhishops and a bishops
were in attendance.
Among those In the front rows OF
pews of the old cathedral were SUI
preme Court Justice Murphy, Gov.
Lane. Of Maryland and Senators
Tydings and O'Conor Of Maryland.
| The body OF Archbishop Curley,
crowned by the white mitre Of his
high ecclesiastical ONCE, lay In the
open massive mahogany CONN. The
cof1n was titled up slightly. and the
archbishop appeared to be looking
out over his congregation for the
last time. Laymen have their feet
toward the altar in funeral masses.
Most impressive part OF the cere-
mony was the absolution by four
bishops.
At the end of the requiem mass,
the bishops took up positions ut the
four corners of the comn. They
were Bishops William J. .Hafey OF
Scranton, Pa; Peter L. Ireton OF
Richmond, Thomas j. Toolen Of Mo.
bile, Ala, and Lawrence j. Shehar
OF Washington.
will BE Buried in. Crypt.
As the huge male choir thundered
the verses of the responsory, Sub
dinite, sancti Dei-come lift hin,
up, ye saints" each bishop in turn
sprinkled the deceased with holy
water and swung the censor over
the comm, waiting incense over the
deceased. t.s.
The body was to remain before the
altar rail until late this afternoon,
when it is to be lowered into q
crypt, subterranean chapel At the
rear of the cathedral, where lies
Archbishop Curley's predecessor,
James Cardinal Gibbons.
| Six candles burned at the CONN
and six more on the simple rec
| tangular altar of marble.
| The responses In the mass were
sung by a male choir.
| 1t was probably the most impress
sive ceremony in the Baltimore ca
thedral since 1t was constructed in
the first decade OF the 10Th century
Professional Opens Ceremony.
The ceremony began with 4 pro-
cessional of hundreds of priests from
Baltimore, Washington and the
rural parishes. Their white sur
plices, many of them OF intricate
lace, were dampened by the rain
falling outside. ..
Four Degree Knights of Columbus
from Baltimore and Washington
stood on the cathedral porch rs q
guard Of honor. They were color
ful in the red and. white asho.ilder
ribbons suspending their scabbards.
AS the dignitaries passed they stood
Mt attention, their swords drawn, the
hilts at their chir1s. a &
/ Despite intermittent rain, q crowd
Of more than 1000 was standing
outside to hear Bishop Mcnamara Z
sermon broadcast by loudspeakers
Every seat inside was filled with
bearers Of cards of admission.
In his funeral sermon, Bishop Nc
Namara recalled that Archbishop
Curley had been in the professional
on the Feast OF the Ascension last
Thursday at the Cathedral.
But where now is the noble fig-
ure of the man who drew our eyes
on that happy occasion7" the
speaker asked.
Look then" Bishop McNamara
continued, with the eyes Of your
soul and you will see him rs the
last in the line of another process
sion in which his predecessors from
Peter to Patrick, from Carroll to
Gibbons, have marched through the
gates of death to the judgment seat
of God"
Life Story Retold.
Bishop McNamara then retold the
life story Of Michael j. Curley, who
was born in 1879 on the banks of
the Shannon in Athlone, Ireland.
He told Of the scholarly achieve
ments of Seminarian Curley, includ-
ing Solus in Sacred Scripture In
the College Of Propaganda in Rome,
but his honors cost him dear.
Failing health closed books to him
for months"
Bishop McNamara recalled the
first words of Archbishop Curley
after he was installed as the 10th
Archbishop Of Baltimore: Let us
cry out with Don Bosco-'sive me
souls, all else take away"
The speaker paraphrased the
tribute to Christopher Wren, the
18th century London architect, by
saying, IF you would see the mon
uments which speak Of things done,
look around you"
Archbishop Curley's two principal
constructive achievements, Bishop
McNa mara Said uere CT Ne RUE