CATHOLIC CONGRESS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13700, 15 September 1908, Page 5

CATHOLIC CONGRESS.

THE ABANDONED PROCESSION. pTesß Association-By Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, Sept. 13. The Catholics wfcre intensely disappointed at the abandonment of the proposed procession, for which many special trains had arrived from all parts of the t country. Archbishop Bourne announced the alterations in the procession at a mass meeting in the. Albert Hall amid a storm of howls and hissing. He added that though it was impossible to carry with them'their Divine Master he trusted that onldokihg Catholics would not only look upon the Cathedral, but the whole of Westminster, as; one great sanctuary of the.Blessed Sacrament. " Fifteen thousand children met at Victoria Embankment and '•■'• marched to the Cathedral to receive Cardinal. Vannutelli's blessing. .-.-'-•: SOME LONDON- PRESS OPINIONS. Received 11.45 p.m.; Sept, 14th. •V: LONDON, Sept. 14. .It Ms announced that slight rheumatism detained "the Marquis of -Kipotfrat his ; County seat,-so that he was unable to attend the Eucharistic" Congress. '-'. f ;Mr Asq'uith, the Prime Minister, sent Archbishop Bourne, through a confidential channel, an expression that.the procession which he .deprecated ■ ought'to be) .abandoned. ■"'."■•-' - -':"'.'' ' v '' ".•.'■•-i"--'v' The 'Chronicle" remarks - that Mr Asqiiith wished .to'give an opportunity, as if he were .acting spontaneously. : The /'Chronicle" is-not convinced; that any. Government;'action was necessary; and holds the -principles of and Vtoleration., '••■■'■ ■" .-. •'- ■ ''-:'■•■■

I "'The "Mail," - "Daily ' News,"' and [ "Standard," think it possible: that an ihf suit to the Host was averted. The " Telegraph" condemns the weakness,, irrescjlution, . susceptibility to pressure, and readiness to;make concessions to a few- extremists' clamour, and says that the.result'will be to needlessly excite ammosities.. '-' : Mr Asquith/ehdea-vouWd- to- in-; ;■ duce Archbishop Bourn© to"' act as if he Had changed his mind arid quailed before the Protestant Alliance.'.' Mr {Asquith would, have "saved, his' ;face had he diverted the Catholics; disappointement to-their own hierarchy h'y d timid 'surrender. The af- [, f air stupidly, mishandled. .... .'. The the promoters of' the procession I ''on : the good sense/of changing' the programme! The Government had blundered' conspicuously, and ought to have' interfered earlier: or hot at all. Why attempt' to stipulate recrecy ? The imminence of the Newcastle election, explaiW-jnuch, but not tactlessness intervention. The "Times," with .several other' holds' that it is high time to put sill religious-; bodies oh of conforming to the police regulations-." ' ' ' i"'." '■'' " ' The "Telegraph's"' Newcastle correspondent states that 4000 Irish electors are deeply, incensed - at Mr Asquith's interference. "■''•' - -■-'■"