AND THIS TOO!

In previous posts I have tried to remind us of what we have, what we take for granted, and what we could lose. In this little post I will highlight the Bishop Mullock Memorial Altar and remind us of its origins.  Many of us spent our childhood looking at it but, as is often the case with the familiar, not actually seeing it!

In the following picture, we see the sanctuary of St Patrick's Church with the original altar.  This is the Bishop Mullock Memorial Altar, installed in 1881. Bishop John Thomas Mullock, who died in 1869, was keen to forge ahead with the completion of St Patrick's Church and he worked tirelessly towards that goal. 

The original Altar, St Patrick's Church

The Gothic Style altar is constructed of Carrara marble.  The Paschal Lamb is depicted in the central panel.  To the left the Papal Keys are represented and to the right the Cross surmounted with the Crown of Thorns.

During church renovations in the early 1990s, the Bishop Mullock Memorial Altar was relocated to its present location, where the Blessed Sacrament is kept.

St Patrick's original altar,
the Bishop Mullock Memorial Altar,
installed in 1881

Look at it.  It is too beautiful for words.

👉I have found some of the information about the Bishop Mullock Memorial Altar in the leaflet 'St Patrick's Church' by Katrina McAllister and Karen Morrissey, 1996👈

WHAT THEY DID! WHAT CAN WE DO?

By now you are all aware that our beautiful, historic, St Patrick's Church is under threat and (too horrible to contemplate) might have to be sold! To save this beautiful Parish Church which has been the spiritual home of so many of us, much help and inspiration is needed. What can we do? 

ST PATRICK'S CHURCH

Have a look at some of the things our tenacious ancestors did to bring the dream of St Patrick's to fruition.

On 8 February 1864, it was reported in 'The Newfoundlander' "The people of the city had made a beginning to the vast amount of work necessary by hauling the stone needed for the foundations of the church." 

"During the last week the Catholic people of this place have been employed every day in large numbers bringing stone from various neighboring quarries for the new stone church about to be erected at St Patrick's, Riverhead.  Some of the blocks of stone were of colossal size, weighing many tons each, hundreds of men being engaged in drawing them to their destination. The people, as usual, were full of zeal and energy and a work so begun cannot fail of being successfully carried out in a short period." 

Bishop Mullock was impressed, finding the enthusiasm of the people "most extraordinary".

"A portion of the large amount of money required for the construction was raised in a Grand Bazaar in aid of St Patrick's held in the upper room of Fishermen's Hall on Queen Street."  Having paid their admission of 15 pence, patrons were treated to music provided by various bands of the day, a sale of work, and a Grand Lottery.  The Bazaar was quite a success and raised the sum of £1354, a staggering amount in those days.

FORMER FISHERMEN'S HALL

On 14 August 1864, Bishop Mullock "called on the people of St John's area to fish for St Patrick's Church tomorrow". The Bishop even put on a special Mass in the Cathedral at 4 a m "for the people going to fish".  

The following year, 1865, the good Bishop once again announced that the day's fishery for the church on 15 August, both in St John's and on the Labrador, would be applied to St Patrick's.  He also announced that he intended to introduce a penny a week collection as a means of support.  We certainly owe Bishop John Thomas Mullock our thanks.  He was indeed a determined champion of St Patrick's Church.

I have no proof of it, but I feel sure that while all this activity was going on, there was also much prayer being sent up to heaven for the success of the venture.  If we can do nothing else, maybe we too could do a spot of praying.  St Joseph is a wonderful Saint to turn to in any situation but, since he is the Patron of the Universal Church, he would be the ideal saint to come to our help now.

STATUE OF ST JOSEPH IN
ST PATRICK'S CHURCH

ST JOSEPH PRAY FOR US

Quotes are from the book, 

St Patrick's Church, One Hundred Years,

1881 - 1981

ST PATRICK'S DEANERY

This post has been prompted by an email and a photograph which we received several months ago from Enid O’Brien.  The photo is of St Patrick’s Deanery.  Enid thought that it might be of interest to former students and parishioners who are living away from home.  I quite agree with Enid!  Enid’s sister worked at the Deanery around 1955, operating the switchboard.  Her sister was still attending school and worked there after school and on weekends.  Enid observed that it is hard to believe that they would have been busy enough to need a switchboard operator.  Good point Enid!

 



Historic St Patrick's Deanery

It was the dream and the firm intention of Bishop John Thomas Mullock to establish at Riverhead in the west end of St John’s a fine Church to minister to the spiritual needs of the people of that area.  His Lordship determined that this Church would be dedicated to St Patrick, the Apostle of their “ancestral land”.  The Bishop recorded in his diary for 23^rd March 1852 that he had “Paid Mr Little £341 for land at Riverhead for church, schools, and a convent”.  On a rainy 17th September 1855, as part of the celebrations for the consecration of the Cathedral, the foundation stone for the new church was laid by Archbishop John Hughes of New York.

 

For various reasons, it was quite a few years before the actual construction of the church could begin.  So, in 1860, Bishop Mullock decided to build a temporary church until the more fitting edifice could be erected.  No time was lost in building the wooden church that would serve the Catholics of Riverhead for more than twenty years.  On Sunday, 9^th September 1860, the first St Patrick’s Church was dedicated to the glory of God.  This time the ceremonies were carried out in brilliant sunshine! 
 

This ‘temporary’ Church stood where St Patrick’s Deanery stands today and it served the people well until our beautiful and long awaited St Patrick’s Church was dedicated in August 1881.   St Patrick’s Deanery was erected in 1884. It is a Registered Heritage Structure.  To learn more about the  designation of St Patrick's Deanery, click here.

 

Our thanks go to Enid for once again providing us with material for an informative post about our St Patrick’s Parish.