Immaculate Conception Church

Because the first Archbishop of New York witnessed the public definition 76 years ago of the Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the present Archbishop of New York last week presided over a solemn high mass of thanksgiving.

Archbishop John Hughes (1797-1864)* was in Rome on Dec. 8, 1854 when Pope Pius IX proclaimed the new dogma and instructed Catholics to believe ''that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first instant of her conception, was, by a most singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the human race, preserved from all stain of Original Sin. . . ." Catholics also believe that "she had at least the graces of the first Eve before the Fall and "more." The dogma invigorated the ancient veneration of Mary. The woman Mary became an idea, and as the idea of the Immaculate Conception was designated Catholic Patroness of the U. S. Protestants for a time denounced this ideification as Mariolatry, as ranking Mary with God. That criticism soon subsided because the Catholics gave the Protestants a newer cause of carping, by accepting (1870) the dogma of the Pope's Infallibility.

Archbishop Hughes was awed by the sublimity of the Immaculate Conception, vowed to build a church to it, began construction the very next year. That Church of the Immaculate Conception was the first in the world dedicated to the new article of Catholic faith. It was to celebrate its 75th anniversary that Patrick Joseph Cardinal Hayes, present Archbishop of New York, held solemn high mass there last week. Alfred Emanuel Smith, refreshed and jovial after the elections (see p. 16), attended the services with Mrs. Smith; also many another Tammany politician. Tammany Hall is less than a mile from the church and numerous Manhattan politicians were born, baptized, educated and confirmed in its precinct. But the Church of the Immaculate Conception s less proud of its Tammany association than of its holy record. Forty-three of its boys have become priests, 72 ol its girls nuns.

*His archiepiscopal successor, John McCloskey (1810-85), became first cardinal in the U. S.

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