ERECTION OF STATIONS OF THE CROSS AT FORD CATHOLIC CEMETERY

Yesterday the Right Rev Dr Goss, Catholic Bishop of Liverpool, attended at the new Catholic cemetery at Ford to erect and bless 13 crosses, intended as stations in connection with the Catholic devotion called the Via Crucis. The procession, consisting of about ten carriages, that of Dr Goss being drawn by four grey horses, with postilions in red livery, left St Patrick's Chapel at two o'clock. The route having previously been announced, at some places a large number of persons had assembled to greet the bishop as he passed. At St Patrick's Chapel, when the procession started, there was a large crowd, some of whom cheered as the carriages drove off, while a few others gave marks of disapprobation. The persons assembled on the ground could not number less than five thousand: and two or three hundred conveyances, including carriages, cabs, omnibuses, and a large number of spring carts were stationed outside the ground. On arriving at the cemetery the Bishop met with an enthusiastic reception. He was accompanied by the Rev Canon Kenrick, Rev Provost Cookson, Rev Canon Wallwork, Rev Messrs B O'Reilly, Tobin, Egan, Vanderpitte, Holland, Bridges, Duterte, Balbeck, Sheridan, Anderson, Nugent, Sinnott, Corrie SJ, - Badinoe, Arrowsmith, Cook, Hughes &c &c The Bishop opened the proceedings with an address, taking for his text the words of the creed, "I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic church, the communion of saints." He commenced by asking that if any person not a Catholic should be guilty of any indiscretion, those who had come there for another object should not retaliate. It had been said that what they were about to perform was an idle ceremony, but it was a means of showing respect for the dead, and veneration for the dead was felt by every one, of whatever country or creed. Speaking of the indulgences attached to the Devotion of the Way of the Cross, he explained that indulgences were an application of the merit of the saints to the living, on certain conditions, the Pope being the key of the treasury. The devotion originated in the practice of pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem, and with meditation and prayer treading the footsteps of the Saviour, from his condemnation by Pilate till he was laid in the sepulchre. When the Holy Land got into the possession of the Turks, who had been the most ruthless enemies with whom the church had had to contend, it became difficult and at last next to impossible for this devotion to be continued; and then the indulgences which had been attached to the journey of the real way of the cross were transferred to the stations, which were representations of the incidents of the last journey  of Christ, and which might be set up in churches or elsewhere. Having at some length explained the devotion and also the foundation for the use of prayers for the dead, his lordship concluded by urging his hearers to go home peaceably, and show that their object was not to make an impression by their number, but to perform a sacred duty. His lordship then proceeded with the erection and blessing of the stations, and, followed by the crowd, he repeated the Devotion of the Way of the Cross. When the ceremony was concluded the bishop gave the blessing, and the crowd separated in an orderly manner.

LIVERPOOL MERCURY Monday 26th September 1859

Yesterday morning the chapel in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Ford, near Litherland, was consecrated by the Catholic Bishop of Liverpool, the Rev Dr Goss. High Mass was celebrated in the open air, about 5,000 persons being present, and subsequently Dr Goss addressed the congregation. He said he could not, in contemplating that great assemblage of the faithful gathered together for the purpose of assisting in that solemnity, but feel a regret when he reflected on the religious differences which separated various bodies of Christians from each other: but great as were those differences, and great as were their political differences, and wide and deep as was that chasm which separated one degree of social life from another, yet there was, he believed, one point in which all men, let their creed, or let their nationality, or let their social position be what it might, were agreed, and that was in paying respect and reverence for the resting-place of the dead. In every age and in every country the dead had been treated not only with that affectionate care which was due to them when in life, but also with some faint belief in the immortality with which we were yet gifted, and in the hope that the day would come when those who were thus taken from them would be in a future state united to them both body and soul. Having described the various modes of burial adopted by the Persians, the Scythians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Parsees, the rev doctor proceeded to say that truly it was a matter of rejoicing that the benevolent laws of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ had taught us that the dead must be consigned to the earth from which they sprang, and that we were thus saved the repetition of the disgusting scenes witnessed by Pagan nations. It was happy for us that we had not recourse to any of these inhuman means, in order that we might decently inter those who had shared our joys: and we therefore treated them with respect not merely because we loved them when they were in life, but at the same time we bore in mind that their bodies had received the holy sacraments of the church. That consoling doctrine taught them how reverentially they ought to conduct themselves towards the dead and all regarding them; and, therefore, when the living passed away, let the survivors not make the house of mourning the scene of riot and dissipation, but let them pray for the blessing of God upon the souls of their dead. Even the Pagans were accustomed to pray for their dead and to offer up solemn sacrifices in order that the anger of an offended God might be appeased. Let not Christians be afraid to follow their example, and let them pray for the repose of the souls of their departed friends. Let them have a sacrifice of the body of Christ, who stretches out his hands to the Eternal Father imploring forgiveness for the sinner and mercy for those who have made themselves unworthy to receive His help and forgiveness. And, after all, let them bear in mind that they had one day to die: they were, as it were, gathered together in the City of the Dead. In the distance was the town in which they lived, with its docks not to be surpassed in the world - with its magnificent Free Library - its gorgeous St George's Hall - its splendid Town-hall - a city rivalling in its splendour the gorgeous places of Pagan antiquity, where the merchants toiled to obtain fortunes to hand down to prosperity: but how long would they enjoy it? - "here to-day and gone tomorrow:" and he might say there were many of those who were that day listening to his words who might, ere another year had passed away, be consigned to the grave. How many that would never traverse that road again till their bodies were brought to their final resting place! Why then should they strive and cater from morning until night as if their ever-all depended upon their success and prosperity in this life? Why not recollect that they were but passengers, - travellers on their journey to another and greater world. Therefore, let them live mindful of this, and at the same time let them order their lives so that they might make their future end happy. Why strive for accumulated wealth? Why not dispense it now to appease the wrath of God? for by fasting, prayer, and alms deeds, we were told the Lord was appeased. In conclusion, he would remind the congregation that there was a heavy debt on the church and on the ground, the latter having been purchased at great expense and risk. That cemetery had been established because Catholics held that those who had received the sacraments of the church should be buried in the same consecrated ground. They naturally shrank from having their bodies laid by the side of persons how had never known the efficacy of the sacraments of the church: for there were many who denied the doctrine of baptism - many blasphemed the faith Catholics professed, and therefore Catholics wished to be buried where they could sleep side by side with those who had received the holy sacraments, and who, through those sacraments, hoped to raise to a glorious resurrection. There were many people trying to raise an outcry against Catholics in Catholic countries for their bigotry: but the day once was when Catholics in the neighbourhood in which they were now standing could not be buried in those grounds that had been established by the piety of their ancestors for burial purposes. In 1611 a furious persecution arose against the Catholics in this county, and even in Sephton people were refused Christian burial. A woman was brought from a considerable distance, and was eventually buried in the high-road. On the next day it was found that some hogs had rooted the body out, and devoured it. A neighbouring squire, feeling for such a state of things, generously gave a piece of land for the burial of his Catholic fellow-subjects. This Christian act was made known to the Star Chamber, and he was summoned for giving a place of burial to those who were refused sepulchre in their parish church-yard, and was fines �2,300. He paid the fine, and he prospered, because God blessed him as he blessed Tobias on account of the work which he had done - for there was a blessing that came on those who were instrumental in the burial f the dead. The reverend prelate concluded by paying a warm tribute to the great devotion and decorum that had characterised the conduct of the assembled thousands, and called upon them to redeem their sins by prayer and almsgiving.

LIVERPOOL DAILY POST Monday 9th September 1861