File:Dedication of a Church in the New York Times on August 20, 1877.png

Dedication of a Church. A New Roman Catholic Church In Jersey City. The Dedicatory Services And Exercises Yesterday. St. Patrick's Church, on the corner or Ocean and Bramhall avenues, Jersey City, the most costly and handsome church edifice in the State of New Jersey, was dedicated yesterday morning, with all the solemnity and formality of the Catholic Church, by Bishop Corrigan, of the Diocese of Newark. Long before the hour appointed for the ceremony, the immense building wee filled by members of the congregation and visitors from the neighboring cities, including many of the most prominent men in Hudson County. At 11 o'clock a procession of acolytes and priests left the residence of Father Hennessy, Pastor of the church, and passed around the building, chanting the services of the Church, while Bishop Corrigan sprinkled the walls with holy water, The line then filed into the church and passed up the center aisle to the altar, where a portion of the ritual was sung, and then the Bishop, preceded by the priests, passed around the interior of the building, repeating the ceremony which had been performed outside. The mass was then celebrated by Bishop Conroy, of Albany. The music was by Farmer. The singing was performed by the choir of the church, and was excellent in every detail. Tho sermon was preached by Bishop Ryan, of Buffalo, New York, his text being taken from that portion of Chronicles which describes the dedication of Solomon's temple. The sermon throughout was replete with expressions of the most liberal character. He spoke eloquently of the efforts, trials, and triumphs of the Pastor in the great work which he had started and so successfully carded to its present state of perfection. After the services the Bishop and visiting clergy, with some invited guests, partook of a grand dinner in the parsonage. After the repast, Father Hennessy arose and spoke in feeling terms of the great help which he bad received from the moneyed institutions of Hudson County. Honorable A. A. Hardenbergh, member of Congress, responded in appropriate time, speaking of the confidence which he and the other officers of the Hudson County National Bank had always entertained for the priest and his work. He was followed by E. F. C. Young, Cashier of the First National Bank, in the same strain. Bishop Corrigan, being railed on, made a short address, showing his appreciation of the work of Father Hennessy. At 4:30 the several societies of the county marched up and tiled into the church, where they were addressed by Canon Moynahan, after which they marched to the residence of the Pastor for the purpose of serenading the Bishop and other invited guests, several addresses wore made, and after numerous rounds of applause the assemblage dispersed. In the evening a solemn high vespers was celebrated. The corner-stone of the church was laid on November 13, 1870, by Archbishop Bayley, at that time Bishop of Newark. The work has progressed slowly, owing to the stringency of the times, and there were many who feared that it would prove a failure, but the indomitable will of the Pastor surmounted all obstacles, and the edifice now stands It monument to untiring zeal and Catholic lib. Nudity. The building is 272 feet long, and is built of flint bite-state, every block of which was quarried within two blocks of the site on which the church stands. The extreme width across the chancel, chapel, and rectory is 138 feet, the width of the nave being 86 feet. At the north-east corner is the bozo of the tower, which, when erected, will be 225 feet high. The trimmings over the windows, doors, and cornices are white granite, front the quarries of Hallowell, Maine, and gives. with the blue stone body of the church, a substantial and beautiful appearance. Tho interior woodwork is of black walnut and white ash, and the church will seat comfortably 2,000 persons. When finished, it will have cost about $300,000.

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