Saturday, September 24, 2011

Irish Catholic Parish - 1905 - Camden New Jersey


I found this on the Internet, a reproduction of the fiftieth anniversary booklet of the Irish Catholic church, parish of the Immaculate Conception, Camden NJ in 1905.  The church now serves as the cathedral.


Parish of the Immaculate Conception 1855-1905



Parish Boundaries

Include that portion of the City of Camden North of and including Mt. Vernon Street, bounded on the West and North by the Delaware River, on the East by Cooper's Creek.

All Catholics, not Germans or Poles or Italians, living in that district, belong to the congregation of the Immaculate Conception and must be attended in their spiritual necessities by the Priests of that Church. A good Catholic will be found in his own Parish Church on Sundays, where he will hear the word of God from his own Priests, who are in duty bound to look after his spiritual welfare; bad, disobedient Catholics go wandering around like sheep without a shepherd from church to church, unknown and unknowable.


Marriages

Those intending to enter into the State of Holy Matrimony, should give notice at least three weeks in advance, that the banns may be published, and that other preliminaries may be perfected. The Church requires mar­riages to be performed in the Parish of the bride and groom, but if they be of different parishes, the rule is to be married in the Parish of the bride, but then the groom must bring a letter testimonium libertatis from his own Pastor.

Confession and communion should precede marriages, for to marry in mortal sin would be sacrilege. Mixed marriages between Catholics and persons of other faiths, or of no faith, in almost every case entail loss of faith in the Catholic party, and his or her offspring or beget religious indifference, and being, therefore, dangerous, are condemned by the Church, as well as by all prudent men of every denomination. 

It is a sacrilege for a Catholic to get married before a civil magistrate.

Before a sectarian minister, he incurs the additional penalty of excommunication. All good Catholics celebrate their nuptials in the morning and at Mass, at which they receive Holy Communion.


Churching Women

Will take place after the low Masses on Sundays and Holy Days. Every woman requesting the blessing should bring a blessed wax candle to be lighted on the occasion, and she should present the same to the altar of the Blessed Virgin as a thanksgiving offering.


Holy Communion

Is given at every Mass on Sundays and Weekdays- but, to encourage regular monthly Communion, the following order, as near as possible, will be observed:

(a) On the first Sunday of the month the Rosary Society and all married ladies; '

(b) On the second Sunday, the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and all young ladies not members of the Children of Mary.

(c) On the third Sunday, at 9.00 o'clock Mass the Children of Mary, the Angels and St. Aloysius Sodalities, and all children who have been admitted to First Holy Communion.

(d) On the fourth Sunday, all single and married men.

e) On the first Friday of the month, the League of the Sacred Heart, for whom an additional Mass will be celebrated at S.30 A. M.