GREAT ASSEMBLY OF CATHOLICS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 105, 27 January 1940, Page 13

GREAT ASSEMBLY OF CATHOLICS

Eucharistic Congress FUNCTIONS TO COVER NINE DAYS The coming week will see the greatest assembly of Catholics in the history of New Zealand when, from all parts, archbishops, bishops, deans, monsignors, priests, brothers and laity will gather for the National Eucharistic Congress. By tomorrow thousands of Catholic lay visitors and approximately 150 visiting clergy will be in Wellington. Commencing tomorrow there will be nearly 200 Masses said daily in the various churches and convent chapels during the nine days of the congress. The principal ecclesiastical figure will be the Papal Legate, Archbishop Pajiico. Other high diguatories will be Archbishop Mannix, Melbourne, known throughout the English-speaking world, and the Most Rev. Janies Duhig, D.D., Archbishop of .Brisbane. There will be six bishops present: The Most Rev. J. Bach, titular Bishop of Eriza and formerly Vicar-Apostolic of the Gilbert Islands, now living at Bowral, New South Wales; the Most Rev. Edmund Gleeson, Bishop of Maitland; the Most Rev. T. Fox, Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes; the Most Rev. Al. J. Brodie, Bishop of Christchurch; the Most Rev. J. Al. Liston, Bishop of Auckland; and the Most Rev. J. Whyte, Bishop of Dunedin. The clergy have been accommodated at the various presbyteries, colleges and in hotels and private homes. The task of making suitable arrangements for visiting laity has occupied the attention of the congress authorities for six months. This has been a difficult problem because of the general accommodation position. Those people who became congress members had a special tear-off accommodation slip on their membership cards which, if they wanted accommodation, had only to be sent back to the congress office to ensure arrangements being made. Months ago appeals were made in the various churches in Wellington and the Hutt Valley for those willing to act as hostesses to visiting Catholics to make themselves known to the congress office by the filling-in of a form which was distributed. In this way hundreds of names were submitted and filed along with details of the accommodation offered. Mr. .R. A. Clarke has acted as congress accommodation officer.

Another provision to be made was of a spiritual rather than a material nature. This was the allocation of times and churches at which the large number of visiting priests could say Mass. As many as six Masses will be said daily in some of the larger churches which have more than one altar.

Apart from the various functions of the congress, .some outstanding features will be the addresses of the Papal Legate,'the special broadcast to New Zealand by his Holiness, the Pope, the broadcast address of his Eminence, Cardinal Hinsley, Archbishop of Westminster, who would have been at the congress had it not been for the international situation, and the sermons of Archbishop Duhig and Bishop Gleeson. Though the Congress will not open officially till Thursday next, various Congress functions will be held- every day, commencing tomorrow with the Propagation of the Faith rally at the De Luxe Theatre. This gathering, which will commence at 8.15 p.m. will ,be addressed by the Papal Legate. The gathering will be prefaced by remarks by the Rev. Monsignor Delaney (Dunedin) national president of the Propagation of the Faith Society. A lecture will be given by the Rev. Dr. O'Neill (Dunedin), national organizer of the society. The Rev. Dr. Hannan, national director of the society in Australia, will also speak. There will be items on the organ by Mr. Maxwell Ferule and also the showing of a Missionary film. Other fixtures in the Eucharistic Congress programme are advertised in this issue. Visiting Clergy. Among the visiting clergy will be the following Very Rev. Deans W. J. Murphy (Auckland), J. R. Holley, S.M. (Blenheim), and T. P. Davis (Kingswood) ; the right Rev. Monsignors Holbrook (Grey Lynn), W. J. Ormond (Newton), V. G. Delaney (Dunedin), V. G. Cahill (Onehunga), Cullen (Hawera), McManus (Palmerston North), Ramm (America), Howard (Invercargill), Reverend Doctors J. A. Kennedy (Christchurch) and Buxton (Auckland) ; Rev. Fathers L. C. O’Connor (Carterton), J. Downey (Auckland), F. J. Duffy (Otahuhu), W. B. Flynn (Te Awamutu), T. Guinane (Dannevirke), W. O. Dunphy (Auckland), D. Phillips, C.M., (Mosgiel), G. H. Duggan, S.M., (Greenmeadows), M. J. Fogarty (Geraldine), Al. J. Lyons (Queensland), J. P. Gilbert, AI.S.C. (New South Wales), E. O’Shea (Tahapau), D. H. Campbell, S.M. (Blenheim), Al. Kennedy (Ponsonby), W. J. Walsh (Opunnke), W. Dore (Tuakau), F. Finlay (Oamaru), G. E. Bergeron (Sydney), L. E. Jansen (Palmerston North), B. Courtenay, C.M. (Mosgiel), A. H. Hyde (Dargaville), O. R. Marlow (Oamaru). E. O’Connor (Frankton Junction), A. McKean (Parnell), P. B. Breen (Manaia), Muleaby (Greenmeadows), V Courtney (Huntley), F. B. Seward (Lincoln), C. H. Seymour, S.M. (Nelson), V. J. McGlone (Ohakune), P. J. Minogue (New Plymouth), N. Rossiter. C.M. (Mosgiel), Rasmussen, S.M. (Greenmeadows), J. D. Cullinane, S.M. (Taradale), L. Mullany (Essenden, Victoria), Al. Scanlan (Laurence), O. P. O’Reilly (North Adelaide), Heagby (Hastings), Wanders (Rotorua), Bradley (Remuera), Ryder (Auckland), M. A. Murphv, S.M. (Wliangarei), T. McCarthy, Hannigan (Australia), Moynahan (Australia), J. O’Connor (Kaikohe), A. Doherty (Wairoa), J. J. Garrahy (Motueka), Buckley (Otaki), C. J. Outtrim, S.M., Vincent, Larsen (Wanganui), Yuen Liu, Joyce, Cashman (Pahiatua), Long (West Coast), Forestal (Inglewood), Cullen (Australia), O’Neill (Dunedin). Butler (Westport), R. J. Morrin, S.S.S. (Melbourne), W. Heavey (Hawera). Brother O’Driscoll. Fathers J. J. Kennedy (Stratford). Sweeney. Duggan, S.M.. S. Conloy (Tauinarunui), Hallev (Dunedin), O’Rorke (Australia), tvalls (Oamoru), Murphy (Invercargill), Fouhy (Jerusalem), Eccleston (Tauranga), Dillon (Masterton), S. O’Brien, Steinberg (Cincinatti, U.S.A.), Hayes (Auckland), Joyce, J. Murphv, Herlihy (Westport), McKay T. Halley (Mosgiel), McDairtli (Dunedin) Henley. Sweeney. Pearce, Doolaglniy (Taihape), Fathers Lyons. Gilbert O'Connor, Dean Davis. Fathers -Mullaney, Rminc. O’Reilly, Moynihan and Morrin (Melbourne),

PUBLIC PROCESSION

Traffic Arrangements BIG CROWDS EXPECTED Only on one occasion during the pending National Eucharistic Congress at Wellington will it be expedient to close Cambridge Terrace to vehicular traffic. That will be ou the occasion of the procession and final benediction, which has been arranged to take place on Sunday afternoon, February 4 The corporation’s chief traffic officer, Mr. L. S. Drake, said yesterday that on account of the numbers that will be engaged in the procession and the large concourse of onlookers anticipated, it would be necessary to close Cambridge Terrace for possibly two or three hours on the Sunday afternoon in question to avoid any possibility of accident. Incoming road traffic would have to traverse Buckle Street and Tory Street to reach the city. As the procession was to march through city streets trams and cars, from 2 p.m. on, would not use Courtenay Place, Cuba Street, Manners Street, or Willis Street. Through trams from Wellington East and South would, however, be able to reach the city and return by using the waterside route — Wakefield Street, Jervois Quay, and Customhouse Quay. Big Crowd Anticipated.

It is estimated that the grounds of St. Patrick’s College, now extended to the corner of Buckle Street and Cambridge Terrace, will accommodate between 12,000 and 13,000 people, and that on the afternoon of February 4 it is likely, if the weather is favourable, for another 7000 or 8000 to assemble in Cambridge Terrace, from which position they will have a full view of the altar during the benediction that will follow the procession. The procession is to be assembled in the vicinity of the General Post Office, and is timed to move off, probably headed by the band of St. Patrick's College, Sil verstream, at 2.15 p.m. Those taking part will be the students of both colleges, St. Patrick’s, Wellington and Silverstream, the Children of Mary, the members of the Holy Grail Society, Catholic Girl Guides, Catholic nurses, members of the Holy Name Society, a Maori contingent, returned soldiers,- the Catholic members of the Second Echelon, and the members of the hierarchy and clergy. ' ’ The duties of marshal will be carried out by Lieutenant-Colonel R. Everett. Another feature of the congress will be the closing Masses to be celebrated at 7.30 a.in. and 11 a.m. on Sunday, February 4, in the grounds of St. Patrick’s College in Cambridge Terrace. On that occasion it has been decided to provide breakfast for the men who are to attend the 7.30 a.m. Mass. The visiting Maoris are also to be catered for. It is expected that these will number about 600, so the task is one of some magnitude.

TOMORROW’S CONGRESS PROGRAMME

2.45 p.m.: Broadcast address through 2YA by Rev. Dr. Walsh. Subject: “Bisljop Pojnpallier.” 8.15 p.m.: Propagation of the Faith Rally at the De Luxe Theatre, Courtenay Place, screening of a mission film and film of the Coronation of the Pope; report of the National Council to be presented by Rt. Rev. Monsignor Delany, national president; missionary address by Rev. Dr. H. JI O’Neill, national organizer and editor of “Catholic Missions.” Address by the Papal Legate.