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St. Mary's Catholic Church 727 South Travis Sherman, Texas 75090 The Denison Daily Herald
Thursday, July 26, 1906 pg. 3 ST. MARY'S IS CONSECRATED Bishop Dunne of Dallas and Clergy of Diocese Performed Ceremony IS A BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE Parishoners are Proud of the Fact That it is the Only Consecrated Church Edifice in the Diocese Sherman office of Herald, east side of square. Items of Sherman news received for publication. Matters pertaining to Sherman circulation given careful attention. New 'phone, No. 77; old 'phone, No. 76. Sherman, Tex., July 26 - Beginning this morning at 7 o'clock consecration services continued until 10:15 o'clock at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, which has just been completed . That this is the only church in this diocese of the Roman Catholic Church that is consecrated is a source of great gratification to the members of this parish, who are justly proud of the distinction. A church may be dedicated to divine worship in any event, but it cannot be consecrated in but one instance - that is, provided the church is free from debt before any mass is said in it. In order to have this church consecrated the members of St. Mary's parish paid off the last indebtedness from the structure before 6 o'clock yesterday. The consecration service began at 7 o'clock. The Right Rev. E.J. Dunne, bishop of Dallas, was the consecrator and was assisted by the clergy of the diocese. The service lasted more than three hours and included processions in and out of the church building, blessing of the various parts of the altar, etc. The ceremonies were very impressive and were witnessed by large numbers. After the structure had been consecrated pontifical high mass was celebrated by Rt. Rev. Cornelius Van de Ven, bishop of Nactchitoches, La. Officers of the mass were Rev. Father Nolan, Gainesville, deacon; Rev. Father Diamond, Paris, sub-deacon; Rev. Father Park, Dallas, master of ceremonies. After mass had been celebrated the Right Rev. Theophile Meerchert, Bishop of Oklahoma, orator of the day, delivered a sermon of much merit, which was completed shortly before noon. During the morning music was furnished by a special choir of about thirty mixed voices. No better music has been heard in Sherman than the masses, chants, and other musical numbers rendered. The choir is under the direction of Miss Mary Schlosser, who is the organist. Miss Amelia Scholosser assisted on the violin. About seventy-five Knights of Columbus from Dallas and from Denison were here to attend the ceremonies. The bishops were clad in varied colored robes, indicating their rank and the other clergy were also attired in the customary regalia. These seated in the sanctuary and marching in the processions presented a most imposing and impressive appearance. Tonight the last service will be held and will be a sermon by the Rev. Father P.J. Lynch of Dallas. Among the priests and dignitaries of the church who attended the ceremonies are the following: Right Rev. E.J. Dunne, bishop of Dallas; Right Rev. Cornelius Van de Ven, bishop of Nactchitoches, La.; Right Rev. Theophile Meerchert, bishop of Oklahoma; Very Rev. Father Martinere, Dallas; Very Rev. Father Al Granger, Marshal; Very Rev. Father Finney C....., president of Trinity College, Dallas; Rev. Father Fathers, A.J. Bishop, Terrell; P.M. Donohue, former pastor of St. Mary's, Palestine; Campbell, Leyden's Ridge; Dolje, Corsicana; Goessens, Henrietta; P. Murphy, Wylie; Malone, Ennis; Miellinger, Pilot Point; Baumgartner, Greenville; Malloy, North Fort Worth; Hutchison and T.K. Crowley, Deniosn; Kelley, Clarksville; Nolan, Gainesville; Diamond, Paris; Vernimont, Denton; Parks, Dallas; Lynch, Dallas; Seraphinas, Bonham; Baker, Thurber; Lucas, Lindsay; Byrne, Fort Worth; Hayes, Dallas; Haas, Dallas. St. Mary's Church, situated as it is in the heart of the residence portion of Sherman on South Travis street, is excellently located and is one of the most beautiful in Sherman. The church and the parish here is in charge of the Rev. Father J. Blum, who is highly respected, esteemed and beloved by his parishioners. The church is built of white pressed brick and is capable of seating over 500 persons without the use of ...chairs. It suits admirably the needs of the parish. While the beauty of the structure without is striking, its appearance presented within is something far more lovely. The entrance faces west on Travis street and as one enters the first detail that attracts his attention is the beautiful altar at the further end of the edifice in the back of the sanctuary, which is located the same as the pulpit of Protestant churches. The altar is of pure white and trimmed in gold. It embraces the tabernacle. On the base of the altar is the picture of the last supper, carved in wood and worked out in colors in oil. Upon the base of the altar sits the tabernacle. Above this is a beautiful stained glass window bearing the picture of the enunciation and on each side of the window are pilasters and columns with heavy carved capitals of Corinthian design. The window above the tabernacle is surmounted by a cross. The arch of the window and the inside of the columns are studded with electric lights as is the large arch that separates the sanctuary from the main part of the church. On the other side of the large window above the sanctuary are two smaller windows, well up from the floor. These as well as all the windows of the church are of stained glass of the finest make. All the windows with the few exceptions are in memory of departed parishoners. The window of the enunciation over the tabernacle is in memory of Mrs. Mary Metz. The two windows on each side are in memory of Mrs. Mary Craycroft, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Clay of Houston, the O'Connell family and the Very Rev. Louis Granger. Without the sanctuary and on each side of the church is a smaller tabernacle, one surmounted by a figure of the Christ and the other by the figure of St. Joseph. Above each is found a stained glass window, one in memory of the Rev. Father Granger and the other of Mrs. Jephcott. The other stained glass windows bear inscriptions as follows: Sisters of Charity, Knights of Columbus, Mr. and Mrs. Cotts, John McKeon, A, Fourche, Gainesville, Dallas, Denison, Galveston, Rickelman, Hawlowetz, O'Hagan, James McCullough, C.K. of A., Sisters of St. Mary. The windows bearing the names of the four cities are located in the west end of the structure, two on each side of the entrance. The walls of the church are hung with pictures of the fourteen stations of the cross, presented to the parish by Thomas Hazard. The ceiling of the church is frescoed in sky blue with terra cotta trimmings and is studded throughout with electric lights in keeping with the arch over the sanctuary. The choir loft is over the entrance and is very spacious. Space has been left for a large pipe organ which will soon be installed. On the walls of the church are twelve candles with crosses, which will remain perpetually lighted as is necessary in a consecrated church. The walls of the church are white and the woodwork of a light oak color. The pews are of oak in keeping with the other woodwork. St. Mary's Catholic Church History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |