PAPAL BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 289, 6 September 1928, Page 11

PAPAL BRIEF

READ AT EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS GREAT ASSEMBLY AT OPENING CEREMONY PURPOSE OF THE GATHERING (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Rec. September 5, 11.15 p.m.) Sydney, September 5. In a raging gale of wind, 70,000 people congregated around St. Mary’s Cathedral to witness the official opening of the twenty-ninth Eucharistic Congress. The procession which marched from the presbytery to the Cathedral, and composed of prelates of all countries, was highly impressive. Cardinal Cerretti, giving his benediction to the huge crowd as he entered the Cathedral. As cars arrived containing’ multi-coloured robed Church dignitories, the enormous crowds which had been waiting for hours cheered to the echo. It was late in the afternoon when the Papal party, headed by Prince Decroy, leading a solemn march of fifty bishops, entered the Cathedral. A few minutes later Archbishop Kelly entered the pulpit and welcomed the visitors. Address of Welcome, - Archbishop Kelly said: “The purpose of our undertaking is strictly and simply religious—not social, not political, not secular in any sense. We meet in order to profess publicly the Catholic doctrine regarding the greatest of sacraments, the Eucharist, the fountain of supernatural life, and to offer to Jesus Christ, veiled yet truly present, homage and worship in reparation for the affronts for neglect and for sacrileges which He with patience suffers at our hands. To this end congress employs the solemn functions of public processions, conferences and sermons in various languages, congregational singing, general communions and special devotions for the children of our schools.” The Archbishop then extended a welcome to all, which he pronounced “in the name of the brethren of the episcopate here and in New Zealand,” and concluded by begging all present wholeheartedly to join in praising the goodness, mercy, and divine providence. “May Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament be everywhere praised.” . The Papal Brief. After the congress had been officially opened by Bishop Heylen, who is president, the Papal brief was read, which was addressed to Cardinal Cerretti, Papal Legate. After stating that Cardinal Cerretti had been appointed legate to represent the person of the Pope, it said that His Holiness entertained high hope for the success of the congress, and confidently expected a great manifestation of piety and a full harvest of spiritual joy and holiness. The brief continued: “His Holiness looks forward with joy to the remarkable manifestation of reverence and loyalty with which the faithful people of Australia will receive the Vicar of Christ in the person of his legate, and anticipates the splendid tribute of divine honour they will pay to the most holy sacrament in the land where it was so humiliated in olden days, and where priests who are dispensers of his holy mysteries were prohibited from celebration of his unbloody sacrifice.” The brief concludes by bestowing the Papal blessing on all participating in the congress proceedings. Cardinal Cerretti then in an impressive address declared the congress open, invoking God’s blessing on the works and reunions at the congress about to begin. THE POPE SHOWS HIS INTEREST (Australian Press Association.) Rome, September 4. The Pope has asked the Assistant Secretary of State to communicate with him every detail of the Eucharistic Congress. He declares that Cardinal Ceretti is the right man in the right place, and emphatically approves the. preparations and programme. He considers the congress promises to rival the greatest held elsewhere in the world. DEVOTIONAL SCENES DURING WORSHIP OF EXPOSED HOST (Rec. September 5, 7.25 p.m.) Sydney, September 5. The worship of the exposed host, inaugurated at St. Patrick’s Cathedral by the Papal Legate, was a remarkable scene. Outside the church thousands of worshippers unable to gain admission knelt in the street, following the mass with the help of amplifiers outsit’ the church. It was a wonderful scene as the wave of devotion spread from the church to the kneeling crowds outside. Even men driving carts past crossed themselves. It was one of the most remarkable scenes of devotion ever witnessed in Sydney, prelates from all countries participating.