The Centennial Year of 1926The year 1926 was termed a "Centennial" or "Jubilee" at St. Peter's Cathedral for a number of reasons and it marked a time of great celebration. Firstly, it was an anniversary year that marked: 300 years since the first Mass to be celebrated in Southwestern Ontario by Fr. de la Roche Dallion, 100 years since the founding of London by Colonel Talbot, and 100 (actually 99) years since the arrival of Bishop MacDonnell. Secondly, it was in 1926 that much of the decoration was completed with the stained glass windows in the nave, the portraits of various saints, and the new organ. It is worth noting that, in 2001, the Cathedral celebrated the 75th anniversary of its decoration with a number of concerts. In particular, 1926 marked the "climax of the remarkable career of Michael Francis Fallon", the Bishop at the time (according to John Farrell in his History of the Roman Catholic Church in London, Ontario). For not only was his Cathedral decorated, but Brescia Hall (today called as "Brescia College") and St. Peter's Seminary opened: "His whole life of building, his great reign in the Cathedra of London, came to a wonderful fruition in the week of September 25th, 1926". September 25th marked the beginning of the celebrations termed "Catholic Centennial Week". The Cathedral, the Diocese, and even the City celebrated the year in both music and worship. Centennial week began with the "opening" of the recently decorated Cathedral, wherein the Cathedral priests were ceremonially installed in their positions. The following is the schedule of events from Catholic Centennial Week: |
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Celebrations of Catholic Centennial Week - 1926Sunday, September 26 - 10:30 am.Solemn Opening of St. Peter's Cathedral. Investiture of Monsignor J.F. Stanley and T. Valentin. (D.O'Connor had been invested previously in the old Seminary chapel). Celebrant - Archbishop Spratt of Kingston. Solemn Vespers at 7 pm. Celebrant, Archbishop Emard of Ottawa. . Monday, September 27 - 10:30 amSolemn Mass of Requiem in the Cathedral for the dead of the Diocese. Celebrant- Monsignor Denis O'Connor. 7:30 pm : recital to inaugurate the new Casavant organ in the Cathedral by the organist, Dr. L. Balogh. . Tuesday, September 28 - 10:30 amSolemn Pontifical Mass at Brescia Hall to formally open it. Celebrant - Bishop O'Brien of Peterborough. 7:30 pm: the Brescia Baccalaureate service in the Cathedral. Celebrant - Bishop Scollard of Sault Ste. Marie. . Wednesday, September 29 - 10:30 amOpening of St. Peter's Seminary. Celebrant of Pontifical High Mass - Bishop Fallon. 7:30 pm - Pontifical Benediction at the Cathedral by Bishop Ryan of Pembroke . Thursday, September 30 - 10 amLaying and blessing of the cornerstone at St. Joseph's Nurses' Home. Celebrant of the Mass - Monsignor Valentin . Friday, October 1 - 10:30 amReopening of St. Mary's Church by Bishop Fallon. . Sunday, October 3 - 10:30 amSolemn Closing of Catholic Week - Solemn Pontifical High Mass by Archbishop McNeil of Toronto. 7 pm - Pontifical Vespers by Bishop Couturier of Alexandria |
The following is the description of the opening Mass from the Monday, September 27th, 1926 edition of the London Free Press:
"With the pomp and ceremony of the ancient Church of Rome, Centennial Week, the greatest Catholic ecclesiastical congress ever held in Ontario, commenced yesterday. Great crowds saw the splendour of the redecorated St. Peter's Cathedral and joined in a great public act of thanksgiving. Spectators and worshippers were lined from the door of the great edifice to Richmond Street by 10:00 am, waiting for the procession of church dignitaries from the Rectory. Fully 1,500 persons attended the morning service. St. Peter's Cathedral, built by Bishop Walsh in 1885 and recently redecorated and furnished in eighteen months of restoration, was solemnly opened in the morning."
Catholic Centennial Week must have been quite the spectacle for London. During the week, the Cathedral Rectory was decorated with Papal, British, and American flags and all of the Catholics in London were encouraged to do likewise. For the opening Mass on Sunday, September 26, there were 65 mixed voices in the Gallery Choir, which sang a Mass written for the occassion by Dr. L. Balogh, the choirmaster and organist.
- Mark Ambrogio