EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19413, 23 August 1926, Page 10

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

IMPRESSIVE CELEBRATIONS. CHICAGO'S WARM WELCOME. ; ,t' ii ' . REMARKABLE GATHERINGS HELD: can tell yon only fragments of thi story of the : Euchatistjc Congress held at" "CliicagO, for it'was .carried . out 011 duch . a 'scale of and of mag-;, nificence.'/that it. wa§ 'simply impossible for anyone to gather a full picture of tKe cbn'gress- and the effects of its deliberations.!'. This-introductory .sentence <?onyeys' the . impression tbf the ' Dr> Listen,' co-adjutor bishop or Auckland, of the; congress, iyhich he made, the subject of. his sermorf at SiC Benedict's Churcli last evening'.-' ' •<*.-; . • ; • Speaking of I the preparations made for the great Functi'onj Dr.'Xist'on said., the Gity, of Chicago was decorated .'in its main thoroughfares* from end" to end with national «»ntP papal' dags and. tiio shield of'this' congress, ' The" visitors were, led te , expect ' a warm . welcome' from ~ th r o Catholic' population of the city, .but" the, Welcomewas not confined' to " them', for the reception.from the hon-Catholic. people' was," v'e.ry' geheroui; andwas . very " much appreciated by all. The congress was opened on a Sunday morning in perfect 'sunshine. High' Mass "was sfudviC-364 ..churches of-the city, and from between four and five o'clock in the morning, streams of communicants converged on the churches. ..* An appeal had been' made for at least a million communions- at these early services, but reports showed that at least a million and a-half men, women and children had knelt at the altars. Scene 'of Magnificence* 7 The congress was officially opened by the Papal Legate in-the; Chicago,. Cathedral at 10 o'clock. the cathedral, with its magnificent decorations,' our, first thought was ■ that' ; the church :<was clothed in a fabric of gold, M Dr. Listen said, "but the flapping banners broiight. the second impression that'it'was clothed

with a living fabric." ~ i •. i, .. ? J Only about 2500 bishops and -priests wgre able to- obtain entrance ix>; v j fche but- wireless the pulpit, at the' altar and "in; the ;ctipir' gal; lery permitted the transmission-Cofv the service to the- millions who waited outside and listened in throughout the whole of the United States, In New York, a priest explained tofa multitude-of people, Catholic and non-Catholic,.. the details oi the • seryice, as it came - over the air and was heard through "the-loud speakers.. Dr. Liston • said that, as- he. assisted, in. that',.colourful and' dignified ■ service,. he' could not'. help allowing his thoughts to go back: 250 -year^-to" the day/when a Jesuit Father; .from Quebep-landed on-: the .shore of K thelake; where \Chicagq; .now JIe llfst-white man to tread that soil, and one felt that, as he looked down .at the congress, he must have given thanks for the great transformation which had Jtaken place, , '

The out-of-door celebrations of the congress were held in the Soldiers' Field, a stadium which provided accommodation bigh er,^ted'^apd;;before. it the, :.^eisiaging-' o f :.ori; day .loft oh; Dr,: 'iiiton ! s; mind; that' sUrlely-'here ,was something-' almost as sweflt '&i';a. : the: .angels} so sweet" "amd : VQioes of-the children.' , j«" i-v) r jpervonr ol Services, , '*. •

' Dn Listen described the women's day>. . .impressive,, tas the to bpout;,, , m ' tjxe, .men's '"service, .whe# pii^^Ca|ra: recited theiir bf^••. ;A®l was the rule gatherings of men of such a charthe'service:; broke' quietly and ner-vioUsiy,-'?;"the~ •mentappearingto,- be held with the deep religious , fervour' jof'- the .sjsrvice;' v.:4 r ' """" "•; congress Was 'brought to, a • close] : w.ith the celebration of Pontifical High 'Mass a few miles from', the city. Overnight, thousands slept in -the open in* order to beearly for the, service and when the mass was read there was an attendance of at least 800,000 people. A great procession was formed after the mass, Catholic societies from all >partg ' of the world being ..represented. The ~ Sacred Host was carried and as It was borne past the crowd' : knelt in. adoration. .. Dr. Liston mentioned that as the procession was moving a thunderstorm could be ■ -approaching. There were, anxious moments,- for it was possible thatunder the storm the people might become a rabble', with consequent danger to ■ the» many aged men and women who were present. The anxiety was needless, however, for although there was lightning, thunder, hail and rain for nearly lialT an hour the people remained steady With bared heads, and-as 'the Host came ;by they, knelt in the mud. , ,• vS.