GREAT THRONGS OF WORSHIPPERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 23 June 1926, Page 9

GREAT THRONGS OF WORSHIPPERS.

Eucharistic Congress In Chicago. FIRST PUBLIC SESSION. By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cablu Association. (Received .Tune 22, 5.5 p.m.) CHICAGO, June 21. Undaunted by threatening skies, over .200,000 assembled in the Soldiers’ Field on Monday to witness the first public session of the Eucharistic Congress. The day began with a solemn Pontifical Mass at the stadium altar, before the greatest throng of worshippers ,ever gathered for the rite The ecclestistieal procession, headed by the cardinals, could not enter the Stadium until the police struggled for half an hour and cut a lane through the crowd. The communion blessing, given by Cardinal Bonagano, Papal legate, was barely over when throngs of worshippers, with the intention of approaching as nearly as possible to. the prelate and the altar, rushed forward, bringing the ceremonies to a halt. The-.remainder of the programme, consisting of addresses, including one by Dr. Mannix, had to be abandoned.

STUPENDO GS PREPARATIONS. An American writer described the advance preparations for the Eucharistic Congress at Chicago as iollows : Fifteen million dollars are being spent in preparation for the greatest event in the history of Catholic Chicago. The number of visitors expected is a very great one- —two millions. Several cardinals, hundreds of bishops and thousands of priests will take part in the congress. During the five days— June 20-24—thousands of masses will bo offered each day in Chicago by the thousands of priest-visitors to the city. Throughout the city on Sunday morning, June 20, there will be solemn midnight masses at which communions will be offered up in fulfilment of Cardinal Mundelein’s promise to the Pope of at least one million communions as a “spiritual bouquet.’’ Reception of the Sacred Host with this intention, and by so many people, will bo a unique ocurrenco m Church, history, and one calculated to bring God’s blessing in abundance upon the exercises of tbo congress. All the liturgical splendour of tlio church will be witnessed at tlio Cathedral at noon of this day when the Papal Legate is received in formal ceremonies. Simultaneously there will bo .services in churches in all sections of the Archdiocese with pulpit orators of renown in attendance to deliver the opening sermons of the XXVIII. International Eucharistic Congress. On Soldiers' Field, a beautifully constructed stadium in Grant Park, near the Lake front, there will be set up a specially built altar for the celebration of High Masses on succeeding days.

Monday, June 21, a cardinal will celebrate Alass, at which a children’s choir of 60,000 voices from the Chicago Catholic schools, will sing. A distinguished prelate will preach to the 16,000 persons whom, it is planned, will bo gathered into the ainpitheatre. Words of the Mass, as well as the sermon of the speaker, will be broadcast to the largo crowd by a system of amplifiers and “loud speakers.” Tuesday, Juno 22, Mass will he celebrated as the first event of “Women’s Day,” which has been so designated in recognition of the important part played in the Church to-day by religious and active lay women workers. A choir of nuns and teaching sisters will ho assembled to sing the. Mass. In the evening Cardinal Mundelein, one of the visiting bishops and a. laymen of widespread prominence, will address the men participating in the Congress. One hundred and fifty thousand men of tho Holy' Name Society will ho present.

Tho fourth day of the Congress, June 23, will be devoted to the interests of Catholic Higher Education, when tlie largest gathering of Catholic educators ever brought together will assemble for a discussion of the problem"; confronting the leaders m that broad field. Practically every Catholic university, college and academy in tiie United States will semi its - representatives to Chicago to center with the delegates of other schools . both in America and abroad. Each day during the Congress two deliberative assemblies arc to be convened, at which tho foremost thinkers of tho Church will present their views. Auditoriums and meeting hulls, advantageously- located, ’hare been retained tor this purpose. Of these tho famous Coliseum, scene of many national conventions, will bo the central headquarters. In certain of the other places of assemblage discussion will he carried on in tho several foreign languages. Both interesting and unusual will bo the display of Catiiolic art, painting and .sculpture, etc., on tho Municipal Pier. This structure juts out .soinb distance into Bake .Michigan, and is enclosed against the weather. Lovers of the aesthetic and artistic will have opportunity to gratify their fasten in a. collection embracing the best work of a religious character. On Thursday, the closing day of the Congress, the great Eucharistic pro-.-cession, which is always tho outstaml ing event of tlie Eucharistic Congress, will he ‘held, not in tho city, but a few miles outside in the heart of a beautiful stretch of park land, facing a delightfully attractive natural lake. Many nrediet that ir- will bo the most colouri’ll), moving and profoundly impressive demonstration of modern times. It is not unlikely that never before, outside tho citv o.’ Rome, will there have been a greater gathering of clergy and people. I have given just a mere outline of the wonderful religious events that are taking place in America those days. These gatherings -have no other object than that of honouring God and ol bringing before a sorelv-tried and plea-sure-loving wo rid the sweet and winning nersoi alit.v of Christ, our Lord.