The Document in the Church's Cornerstone

English Translation from the Latin

The church and vicariate of Holy Rosary had its begining in the month of May, 1878, when Rev. Thomas L. Power, O.P., wassent here by the then provincial, Very Rev. Stephen Byrne, at the request of Right Rev. T.L. Grace of the Order of Preachers, and Bishop of St. Paul, in the State of Minnesota.

At the late provincial chapter, the Fathers of this Province of St. Joseph petitioned our Most Rev. Master General to erect this Vicariate into a formal Convent; and he, acceding to their wishes, appointed in the month of March, 1886, the Very Rev. P.A. Dinahan its first prior.

Soon the Fathers saw the necessity of selecting a place for a new and better church, the present one being temporary. Permission was obtained from the Bishop, Right Rev. John Ireland, Pentecost Sunday, May 20, 1888. The cornerstone was laid by RIght Rev. T.L. Grace, a member of the Order of Preachers, formerly Bishop of this diocese, but now, after twenty-five years of hard labor, resigned in favor of his coadjuctor, the Right Rev. John Ireland.

On this occasion all the societies of the church were present, namely: The Holy Name Society, Blessed Virgin's Sodality, Sodality of St. Thomas, the Crusaders, and Father Matthew Temperance Society. Moreover, the societies from the different churches of the city were present, namely: Crusaders, Father Mathew Society, Hibernians, and Irish-American Gentlemen.

The sermon on the occasion was delivered by RIght Rev. John Ireland, Bishop of the diocese, now Archbishop-elect of this province of St. Paul, before an immense audience of the faithful. Our Very Rev. Provincial D.J. Meagher, Very Rev. McFeeley, Prior of our Mother-house of St. Rose in Kentucky, Very Rev. P. Vallely, Prior of our convent of St.Louis Betrand, Louisville in Kentucky, Very Rev. P. Moran, Superior of our church of St. Peter in Memphis, Tenn., and Very Rev. J.A. Bokel, O.P., of Sinsinawa, Mound, honored the occasion by their presence. The Fathers of the occasion assisting at the ceremony were Very Rev. P.A. Dinahan, O.P., Prior, Rev. C.L. Egan, O.P., Rev. W. Quinn, O.P., Rev, G.A. Carr, O.P., and Rev. H. Brewer, O.P.

At the time of the laying this cornerstone, May 20, 1888, Leo XIII is the head of the Universal Church; Most Rev. M.J. Larroca, O.P., is Master General of the Order of Preachers; Very Rev. D.J. Meagher, O.P., is the Provincial of this Province of St. Joseph, and Very Rev. P.A. Dinahan is Prior of this Convent of the Most Holy Rosary. Of these United States, Grover Cleveland is President; of this State of Minnesota, A.R. McGill is Governor, and of this City of Minneapolis, A.M. Ames is Mayor.

On this same day, the new convent in which the Brethren now live was blessed with the accustomed ceremonies by our Very Rev. Provincial, D.J. Meagher, O.P., assisted by the Fathers.