DIGNITY AND GRACE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 53, 11 September 1928, Page 11

DIGNITY AND GRACE

CHARACTER OF CEREMONY A LESSON IN TOLERANCE (From "Tho Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 6th September. Tho Eueharistic Congress week, which commenced last Saturday and since then has provided the city with a constant spectacle of colour, dignity, grace, and ecclesiastical pomp and ritual, is strangely at variance with those who predicted all kinds of wild and unhappy disorders in the city if the Congress and the Eueharistic Procession were allowed to be held here. The arrival of the Papal Legate, Cardinal Cerretti, the processions, the unveiling of Cardinal Moran's great bronzo statue, the opening of the completed St. Mary's huge cathedral, the Cardinal's levee, the dinners and luncheons, the speeches and sermons, the vestments and jewels, and the wonderfully inspiring music and singing, have been something of a surprise. SECTARIANISM ABSENT. More surprising and of more significant moment is the display of tolerance on both sides—the all-round shaking of hands, which is refreshing after the wave of bitter sectarianism which swept the State a few years ago. At last night's dinner of the Millions Club, for instance, there was Sir Arthur Eickard, the president, chatting comfortably with the brilliant and high-ly-educated Cardinal. Along the table sat Dr. Micklem, Rector of St. James', a prominent Anglican. Then there was the Boy. S. H. Cox, minister of the Congregational Church in Bourke street, and sitting between some of the distinguished Catholic visitors from other countries was Sir Albert Gould, Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. The Papal Legate rose and spoke briefly. He always speaks briefly, it! seems, but has much to say. _ His ora- \ tory, his clear, crystalline voice, make his pronouncements tremendously effective. "Even that great monument, St. I Mary's Cathedral, belongs to no j church. . . It is an emblem of the faith iv all of us. . . It is emblematic of the union between us, irrespective of the faith which we, individually, profess." This fragment from the' speech of Sir Thomas Hughes was greatly applauded. SYDNEY SWEPT OFF ITS FEET. The imposing scenes of the opening days of the congress were sufficient to amaze the public. One hundred thousan people watched the Cardinal in his rich robes go to Mass, Pbntificial High Mass, attended by dignitaries of the Church from all over the world; black men, and white men, and yellow men, speaking mor- than forty different languages. There were Archbishops, and Bishops and Priests, Knights of the Papal Court and shy acolytes, a choir of 400 voices, and a huge string orchestra with a distinguished conductor from Borne, Maestro Pettorelli. The cascade of song swept from the great arched Gothic Cathedral across to the dense throng standing bare-headed in Hyde Park. Wonderful scenes of grandeur swept into Sydney from the Middle Ages, it seemed. COSMOPOLITAN GATHERING. There was a demonstration when the Premier, Mr. Bavin, a broad-minded statesman, after the ceremony of opening the great portal to tho cathedral with a golden key, stepped up to the pulpit and welcomed the prelates of the Roman Catholic Church on behalf of the people and Government of the State. No more cosmopolitan gathering had ever been held in Australia, and there had never been a gathering in Australia which included representatives of so many of the civilised nations of the world. It is a special pleasure to us, said the Premier, that the occasion of this great gathering should be the opening of this beautiful and stately building, tho most beautiful cathedral built in the world during the past 200 years. It is the possession of all of us no matter what class or creed we belong to. It will be an inspiration to our architects and artists and a source of joy and pleasuro to all those who love beauty in any of its forms.' It stands surrounded by buildings devoted for tho purpose of government and commerce and other material things of life. _ It stands a sormon in stone, a silent but eloquent witness to the truth that | men do not livo by bread alone. I hope, ho said, from here will radiate influences that will bring not only joy to the individuals who worship here, but a now nobility and dignity in the life of New South Wales. ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD. Tho Venerable Archbishop Redwood led-the large delegation from New Zealand. Ho was cheered as ho ascended tho pulpit. The cheering seemed strangely out of place in this vaulted templo, but this official opening ceremony was not a church service. "I deem it a great honour to represent Now Zealand at this historic .ceremony," ho said. It is just 46 years since- the Now Zealand prelate preached the opening'sermon in the Cathedral which was then only partly completed. He spoke of this. His graceful manner and his reminisences commanded attention. A picturesque visitor to the great congress was Chief Mita Taupopoki, who was a inombor of tho Maori delegation. Tho aged chief, with a tiki on his breast and a mere in his hand, aroused much curiosity. Indeed, with all these visitors from far lands, all the' ecclesiastics and nobility, it seemed that the world had flooded into Sydney.