Portraits of Fr. Thomas F. Price and Bp. James A. Walsh,
painted by Bro. Carleton Bourgoin, circa 1980’s
Happy All Saints’ Day!
All Saints’ Day is a Christian solemnity honoring all the saints of the Church, whether they are known or unknown. This feast day has been celebrated on November 1st since the 9th century, though similar commemorations have occurred as far back as the 4th century.
Today, we venerate the many patron Saints of Maryknoll, along with Maryknoll’s Co-Founders Fr. Thomas Price and Bp. James A. Walsh. Both men have earned the title of Servant of God, the first step in the canonization process. This title is given to candidates for sainthood whose cause is still under investigation. We hope you will join Maryknoll in supporting their causes.
Cause for Beatification and Canonization for Maryknoll’s Bishop James A. Walsh
Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Father Thomas Price
We recognize that many of our friends and supporters are unable to visit and celebrate with us. Many of you live overseas or are unable to travel. We don’t want people to be left out, especially when we can make accommodations. Because of this, we decided to bring the Co-Founders’ final resting place to you through our blog. We hope you’ll join us on this virtual tour of the Maryknoll Society crypt.
Directly below the Chapel Sanctuary lies the crypt. The elegant simplicity present throughout the room, from the altars to the statuaries and artwork, stand as testament to Maryknoll’s spirit and love for the Fathers and Brothers that preceded us.
The Tomb of the Founders
At the center of the crypt, the Co-Founders of Maryknoll are entombed in a black and gold marble bower and protected by marble headstones. A Visit to Maryknoll describes it best:
“The tomb is cut from black and gold Port Oro marble, imported from Belgium. A large circular Chi-Rho, the official symbol of Maryknoll, is incised on each of the four panels. The marble headstones that originally marked the graves of the two Founders, in the Maryknoll cemetery, have been placed on the top surface of the tomb. These stones are of Tennessee pink marble.”
Fr. Thomas Price and Bp. James A. Walsh have not always rested here. It’s mentioned in The Heart, Body, and Soles of Fr. Thomas Price that the Co-Founders were buried together in the Society Cemetery on December 8, 1936. Following the Society Chapel’s completion in 1955, Fr. Thomas Price and Bp. James A Walsh were transferred here to their final resting place at the heart of Maryknoll. The ceremony took place on November 9, 1955 with Bp. Raymond A Lane, Superior General, presiding over the occasion. Their distinct pink marble headstones came with them, and have marked their resting place ever since.
Please click on the photographs to get a better view!
Alter of the Holy Spirit
“The panel above the alter of the Holy Spirit is decorated with a three-dimensional bronze carving of a dove surrounded by tongues of flame. The dove symbolizes the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, and the tongues of flame represent the Pentecostal Gifts. Two angels, carved into the Botticino marble, stand on each side of the bronze piece. The verse, Veni Sancte Spiritus Et Emitte Caelitus Lucis Tuae Radium, is taken from a hymn to the Holy Spirit, and is translated: “Come Holy Spirit, send forth the ray of your heavenly light.” This is inscribed in gold leaf on a frontal of verde issorie marble.”
A Visit to Maryknoll
Alters of St. Peter and St. Paul
On the opposite wall are two altars dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. Please click on the photographs to get a better view!
“The alter of Saint Peter has a back panel of verde issorie, with an image of the Prince of the Apostles incised in gold leaf. Peter holds the book of his Epistles and the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. The frontal of red Verona is incised with his Papal coat of arms: the stole of absolution, the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, the tiara of the Papacy, and the inverted cross of his martyrdom.”
A Visit to Maryknoll
“The alter of Saint Paul also has a back panel of verde issorie marble. The Apostle is holding two objects: a book, designating his Epistles, and a sword indicating his martyrdom. The frontal of fleur-de-peche marble is incised with the crossed quills and the book of Paul’s inspired writings. The Greek words XP NIKA are translated “Christ conquers” – a favorite theme of the Apostle to the Gentiles.”
A Visit to Maryknoll
The remaining walls are decorated with plaques commemorating Maryknollers who died overseas in mission. Great pains have been taken to ensure no one is forgotten here.
The Holy Spirit Alter flanked by two columbariums. The headstones of Fr. Thomas F. Price and Bp. James A. Walsh can also be seen here.
The Columbariums
Wait, what’s a columbarium?
Unless you work in the death care industry, you may not have heard this term before. A columbarium is a structure designed to safely house funerary urns and the cremated remains (or cremains) they contain. Columbariums can be free-standing structures, rooms, or whole buildings. The columbariums in our crypt are a smaller variety.
Two columbariums flank the altar of the Holy Spirit (as seen here). These structures contain individual recesses that hold the cremains of Fathers and Brothers. A relatively new addition to the crypt, the first columbarium was blessed in Nov. 2012. The first person to be interred here was Father William J. Coy in December, 2013.
“Following the Mass celebrating All Souls, the community processed down to the crypt to participate in a brief ceremony to bless the new columbarium. Fr. John Kaserow led the prayers and invited those present to extend their hands in blessing. The columbarium has four x eight rows of compartments to house the cremated remains of 32 members.”
Fr. Joseph Veneroso, MM
Feast of All Souls, November 2, 2012
Maryknoll News Nov-Dec/2012
Interested in learning more about Maryknoll?
You can contact the Archives at:
Maryknoll Mission Archives
PO Box 305, Maryknoll, New York 10545
Phone: 914-941-7636
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Email: archives@maryknoll.org
Website: www.maryknollmissionarchives.org
References:
Bishop James A. Walsh. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, July 25). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/bishop-james-a-walsh/
Bishop Raymond A. Lane, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 22). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-fathers-bro/bishop-raymond-a-lane-mm/
Brother Carleton J. Bourgoin, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014b, April 16). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-fathers-bro/brother-carleton-j-bourgoin-mm/
Cairns, M. (2023, February 14). The heart, body, and soles of Fr. Thomas Price. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/the-heart-body-and-soles-of-fr-thomas-price/
Cause for beatification and canonization for Maryknoll’s bishop James A. Walsh. Maryknoll Society. (2011, November 16). https://maryknollsociety.org/cause-for-beatification-and-canonization-for-maryknolls-bishop-james-a-walsh/
Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Father Thomas Price. Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral. (n.d.). https://www.raleighcathedral.org/content.cfm?id=666
Father Thomas F. Price. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, July 25). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/father-thomas-f-price/
Father William J. Coy, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 17). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-fathers-bro/father-william-j-coy-mm/
Maryknoll Publications. (1965). The Crypt. In A Visit to Maryknoll (pp. 34–43). chapter.
Mother Mary Joseph Rogers. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, July 25). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/mother-mary-joseph-rogers/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, July 30). Columbarium. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbarium
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, October 7). All saints’ day. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day
