An Impressive Ceremony

AN IMPRESSIVE

CEREMONY

_________

Concerning the Dedication of New Catholic church

_________

MANY DIGNITARIES

_________

Were Present Including the

Representative of Three 

Catholic Universities.

___________

St. Thomas' church was appropriately and solemnly dedicated yesterday. It was the most imposing religious ceremony that has ever been witnessed in Ann Arbor. Present were the Most Reverend John Ireland, D. D., archbishop of St. Paul, whose broad Catholicity, true Americanism and rugged personality has made him one of the best loved ecclesiastics in the country; Bishop Foley, of Detroit; Bishop Ritichter, of Grand Rapids; Bishop Maes, of Covington, Ky. ; Bishop McGolick,Duluth; Bishop Eis, Marquette; Right Reverend Mgr. Conaty, rector of the Catholic University of Washington ; Right Reverend Mgr. Joos, of Monroe,and 33 priests, including many men of note. No ordinary occasion could have drawn all these men together. The great work that St. Thomas' church has been doing in this city was fittingly recognized, as was the fact that its work includes the caring for the numerous Roman Catholic students in the state university. Present, as recognizing this fact, were representatives from the Catholic University in Washington.D. C, Notre Dame University, Detroit College, and Assumption College. The church was crowded, large seating capacity that it has, and there were present members of all the churches in the city. At 10:30 o'clock the ceremony of dedication began. The Bishops and clergy proceeded to the grand central portal of the church, and after the prayer and the chanting of the Fiftieth Psalm they proceeded around the exterior of the church, the archbishop sprinkling the walls with holy water. Returning to the front portal, after prayer by the Bishop, the solemn procession entered he church building, and the interior of the sacred edifice was dedicated. After this the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for the first time within the new church with the following officers of the Mass : Celebrant, Right Reverend John S. Foley, of Detroit ; archdeacon, Very Reverend President Morrissey, of Notre Dame ; deacons of honor, Very Rev. President Foley, of Detroit; Rev. D. A. Tighe, of Chicago : deacon, Rev. D. P. Coyle, of Detroit ; subdeacon, Rev. S. Hally, of Wyandotte; chanters, Rev. Vice President, Dumochil, of Assumption College; Rev. T. F. O'Rourke, of Monroe; acolytes.Rev. J. P. Ryan, of Dexter; Rev. Frank Kennedy, of Ypsilanti; book bearer, Rev. T. F. Delanty, of Big Rapids ; candle bearer, Rev. L. P. Goldrick, of Northfield; thuirfier Vincent Murphy ; gremailo, -David Dillon; crosier bearer, Joseph Sharpe; mitre bearer,Henry Schroder; masters of ceremony, Very Rev. F. A. O'Brien, Rev. Henry Norton, Rev. Joseph McCabe.

Haydn's' Imperial Mass was sung by the choir under the direction of Prof. L. Renwick, the sweet-toned, new pipe organ being used for the first time for public services.