THE EUCHARIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3888, 18 September 1928, Page 29

THE EUCHARIST.

SYDNEY CELEBRATIONS. A LESSON IN TOLERANCE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 6. The Eucharistic 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 Eucharistic procession was allowed to be held here. The arrival of the Papal Legate, Cardinal Cerretti, the processions, the unveiling of Cardinal Morans great bronze 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 has been something of a surprise. 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 Rickard, the president, chatting comfortably with the brilliant and highly-educated Cardinal. Along the table, sat Dr Micklem, rector of St. James’s, a foremost Anglican. Then there was the Rev. 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 oratory, his clear crystalline voice, make his pronouncements tremendously effective. “ Even that great monument, St. Mary’s Cathedral, belongs to no church. . . It is an emblem of the faith in 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. The imposing scenes of the opening days of the congress were sufficient to amaze the public. One hundred thousand people watched the Cardinal, in his rich robes, go to mass. Pontifical High Mass, attended by dignitaries of the-church from all over the world; black men and white men and yellow men, speaking more than 40 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 Rome, 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.

There was a demonstration when the Premier, Mr Bavin, a broadminded statesman, after the ceremony of opening the great portal to the 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 aud stately building, the 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 pleasure to all those who love beauty in any of its forms. It stands surrounded by buildings devoted for the purpose of govern-* ment and commerce and other material things of life. It stands a sermon *in stone, silent, but eloquent witness to -the truth that men do not live by bread alone. “ I hope.” he said. “ from here will radiate influences that will .bring not only joy to the individuals who worship here, but a new nobility and" dignity in the life of New South Wales.”

The venerable Archbishop Redwood led the large delegation from New Zealand. He was cheered as he aScended the pulpit-. The cheering seemed strangely out of place in this vaulted temple, but this official opening ceremony was not a church service. “ I deem it a great honour to represent New Zealand at this historic ceremony,” he said. It is just 46 years since the New Zealand prelate preached the opening sermon in the cafliedral which was then only partly completed. He spoke of. this. His graceful manner and his reminiscences commanded attention. A picturesque visitor to the great congress was Chief Mita Taupopoki, who was a member of the Maori delegation. The aged chief, with a “ tiki ” bn 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.

Francis William Fitzpatrick was convicted and fined £11)0 for keeping his billiard saloon at Hastings as a common' gaming house. The evidence was based on a raid made on July 14.