Kentucky Irish American

LONG SERVICE.

The Very Rev. Father Bax Has Been Fifty Years a Priest.

Three Days' Celebration in Honor of His Golden Jubilee.

Congregation and Catholic Societies Will Pay Him Honor.

RESPECTED BY ALL CHRISTIANS

Everything is in readiness for the approaching celebration of the golden jubilee of the ordination of the Very Rev. Father Lawrence Bax, the beloved pastor of St. John's church at Clay and Walnut streets. The celebration will last three days, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 13, 14 and 15. Monday has been set apart as the day for the members of the congregation; Tuesday, for the members of the various conferences of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Louisville and the Catholic Knights of America; and Wednesday for the visiting Archbishops, Bishops and priests and the local clergy.

On Friday, April 10, the work of decorating the exterior of the church, school hall and pastoral residence will begin. On Monday, April 13, the floral decorations inside the church will be put in place. The committee in charge has every detail in excellent shape, and it is safe to say that the golden jubilee of Father Bax will be royally celebrated.

It is a great honor to be a priest even for a day or a year. What must be the feelings, then, of this venerable man of God who has spent fifty years at the altar? Father Bax is older than 90 per cent. of his congregation. He has administered the sacrament of baptism to fully 90 per cent. of them, and has prepared more than that number for their first holy communion and confirmation. He has administered the sacrament of penance to an untold number. He has joined many of them in the holy bonds of matrimony, has administered the sacrament of extreme unction to thousands and has followed them to their last resting place in the grave. He is the oldest resident pastor in the city and diocese. No wonder that he is well beloved by his people.

Of course there will be masses every morning during the three days of the jubilee. On Monday evening the people of the congregation will assemble in the large school hall to congratulate the venerable jubilarian. John T. Garraghty will speak for the married men, Michael F. Hill for the single men, Mrs. John Stuckenborg, for the married women, and Miss Ella Francis for the young ladies. Between the addresses there will be musical selections by the best vocal and instrumental talent in the city. B. J. Mann will preside during the exercises and will present Father Bax, who will respond to the congratulatory addresses. Before dispersing all will unite in singing the Te Deum.

On Tuesday evening the members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Catholic Knights of America will assemble to congratulate Father Bax. John A. Doyle, Secretary of the Particular Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, will deliver an address in behalf of that society, and W. C. Smith will speak in behalf of the Catholic Knights of America.

On Wednesday morning, the real anniversary of his ordination, the members of St. Vincent de Paul Society, 114 in number, will form an arch from the pastoral residence to the church door. Under this arch the Bishops and clergy will pass in solemn procession into the church. The Vincentians will follow the clergy into the church and take seats in the middle aisle. After they are seated the individual members of the congregation will be admitted to the church. Father Bax will be celebrant of the mass. His nephew and grand-nephew will be deacon and subdeacon respectively. The nephew and grand-nephew of the venerable Father Bax arrived here yesterday. They came across the ocean from Holland to assist at the jubilee of their kinsman.

Following the jubilee mass Wednesday morning the visiting Bishops and clergy will be tendered a banquet in the school hall. Rev. Charles P. Raffo will preside as toastmaster, and responses will be made by a number of distinguished priests. The banquet will be on a most elaborate scale.

Messrs. E. J. Mann, Ben Hund, Albert F. Martin and Attorney Joe Conkling have labored early and late for the congregation, and to them much credit is due for the success that has attended every undertaking connected with the jubilee.