Church marks 65th anniversary

GUYANA

St Pius X church, West La Penitence, Georgetown, celebrated the 65th anniversary of the laying of its cornerstone Sunday, April 12, Divine Mercy Sunday.

The Mass was celebrated by Bishop Francis Alleyne OSB of Georgetown. The celebration began with all gathered around the cornerstone, which was blessed by Bishop Alleyne, followed by a procession into the church for Mass. Catholic Standard reported that the cornerstone of St Pius X church was laid by Bishop Richard Lester Guilly SJ on Wednesday, April 12, 1961. It stated that the Friday, April 21, 1961, edition of the newspaper reported the ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone began with the blessing of a cross erected in the sanctuary to mark the site where the altar would stand.

Having blessed the site of the altar, Bishop Guilly then went in procession to the main entrance, where he blessed the cornerstone and sealed it in position. “Lastly came the blessing of the foundations of the church; Bishop Guilly went right round the outside of the building, stopping at each door for a special prayer, before returning to complete the blessing of the Sanctuary.”

The document sealed in the cornerstone reads as follows:- “On 12th April, 1961, in the third year of the Pontificate of His Holiness, Pope John XXIII, in the Reign of Elizabeth II, Sir Ralph Grey, being Governor of British Guiana, Most Reverend Richard Lester Guilly, S.J., by the grace of God and favour of the Apostolic See, Bishop of Georgetown, blessed and laid this stone according to the Rites of Holy Mother Church in the presence of Very Reverend P. McCaffrey, S.J., Vicar General, Parish Priest designate, and a large body of the Clergy and Faithful.”

St Pius X church was inaugurated Sunday, September 3, 1961, which at that time was the Feast Day of its Patron Saint Pius X. Since 1969, St Pius X’s feast day is celebrated August 21.