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March 3, 1878
“ESCAPE FROM THE LIBRARY”
On March 3, 1878 the members of the Star of the Association of St. John’s gathered at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (now Basilica) to celebrate the seventh anniversary of their founding in 1871.
The day of celebrations began with a High Mass at 11:00 am and also included Vespers later in the day lead my Father Ryan. The day also included a “resplendent dinner.”
The Roman Catholic Bishop, Bishop Thomas J. Power in his diary reported that the day was also significant because a disaster was averted. He wrote “The members of the Star of the Sea came to the Library after the High Mass. There were about 900 assembled. All did not get in the room. The priests of the Palace and College, with the Christian Brothers were present…”
After a few words from Bishop Power he reported that “he retired from the library.” Bishop Power wrote shortly aftyer he left the library “a beam supporting the floor cracked - there was some confusion and great fear for awhile. It might have been a serious matter. It could have been a “deplorable calamity “ but thank God that all escaped.”
The following day the Bishop Power wrote in his diary “I did Mass in thanksgiving to God for the almost miraculous escape of the many individuals in the Library yesterday.”
Bishop Mullock’s Library (The Basilica Museum)
The library that Bishop Power refers to is the library that was established by his predecessor Bishop John Thomas Mullock in December 1859. In a letter to the House of Assembly, Bishop John Thomas Mullock, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Newfoundland (1850-1869) stated that “the library now in the course of erection will be for the use of the Public as well as the (St. Bonaventure’s) College.”
This was the first official announcement about what today is better known as the Mullock or Palace Library, home for some of the oldest and rarest books in the province. The books, approximately 5000 volumes, date from 1524-1869.
In 1869 Lt-Col. R.B.McCREA, a Battery Commander and later Garrison Commander at Fort Townsend (now the site of The Rooms.) wrote a book about his experiences in Newfoundland entitled 'Lost Amid The Fogs: Sketches of Life in Newfoundland, England's Ancient Colony.' He described the library as “his (Mullock’s) noble library, the finest room in the Colony.”
In 2009 the 150th Anniversary of the establishment of the library, now the home of the Basilica Museum, take some time to visit and enjoy our exhibits and enjoy the” Finest Room in the Colony”.
See also: http://www.stjohnsarchdiocese.nf.ca/archive_moment79.asp
Archival fonds: Bishop John Thomas Power fonds 105/2
Church Term: High Mass: an elaborate Roman Catholic Mass in which a choir sings much of the service. It is usually celebrated by more than one priest.
Church Term: Vespers: Is the sixth of the seven canonical hours of the divine office; early evening. In the Roman Catholic Church they are seven, canonical hours: of prayer “Seven times a day do I praise thee” (Psalm oxix. 164).
For more information on this and other related subjects contact the Archives of the R.C. Archdiocese. www.stjohnsarchdiocese.nf.ca
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Larry Dohey
Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s
P.O. Box 1363
St. John’s, NL
A1C 5M3
709-726-3660
E-mail: archives@nf.aibn.com
We hope that you have enjoyed this archival moment.
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