ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

New Zealand Tablet, 15 July 1909, Page 1087

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

PILGRIMAGE TO ROME

The president of the Particular Council of Christchurch, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, through the Superior Council of Sydney, has just received a copy of a communication from the Hon. L. F. Heydon, M.L.C., giving an account of his recent travels and particulars of the pilgrimage to Rome in connection with the Holy Father's Jubilee. The following extracts will prove interesting to the general reader : —

' The St. Vincent de Paul Pilgrimage to Rome, on the occasion of the Pope's Jubilee, closed this morning (April 20), and my brothers in Australia, whom I represented here on the occasion, will naturally expect my report of the proceedings. On the way here I lost no opportunity of interesting myself in our society's doings. In Colombo I called on the zealous priest on whose initiative the conference there has recently been founded. He was most co*dial, and explained to me the special difficulties which had to be overcome in inducing the various ranks of Catholics to meet and work together, and the brilliant success which the conference has achieved. Staying for a few days at Nice, en route from Marseilles to Rome, during Holy Week, I was present at a conference meeting there, and saw the French methods. . . I may say that I was surprised at the piety of the French people in Nice. The churches were thronged at all the Masses from an early hour. And on Holy Thursday a vast crowd circulated between the numerous churches of the city. I fancied that Nice might be exceptional, but I have beSn assured by French members of the society here on the pilgrimage that all the cities of France are the same now, and that it is the peasants in the country parts who have lost the faith.

'Arriving in Rome, I at once called on M. Calon at his hotel, and was received most cordially. He was surrounded by able assistants, leading members of the Council General. He is 73 years of age, and a little infirm. In personal appearance he very much resembles our old founder in Australia, Charles O'Neill. He is affectionate, sagacious, and devoted to the society. He told me with delight of the excellent standing of our society at headquarters in Rome, because of its staunchness to its principles,- and of the magnificent welcome they had received. The offering for the Holy Father already to hand amounted to £3500, and he felt 'sure of the total reaching £4000. I was pleased to learn that Australia's contribution averaged more per conference than most other countries. ' The of the pilgrimage commenced by Benediction at the National French Church, of San Luigi dei Francesi, given by a French Bishop, on Thursday, April 15,/ in the evening. Next morning, at ' the Church of St. Mary Major, we all went to Communion together, . at a Mass celebrated at 8 o'clock, by Cardinal Vicent Vannutelli, phe Cardinal Protector of the society. The crowd was large, about 1200 of \he society, including their relations male and female, came to Rome for the pilgrimage, and most of them were there. That was the day of the audience, and at 11.30 a.m. an immense crowd assembled in the Cortile di San Damaso, at the Vatican. I was summoned by an officer in the Pope's uniform from the throng, and joined M. Calon and the special group who went in first to the Holy 'Father, and were presented to him by name. Then we accompanied him, as a guard of honor, amongst, his Noble Guard and officials in various uniforms, to the room, where the main body of pilgrims wn? assembled. There, after saluting the pilgrims, he took his seat on a throne, and M. Calon read the address of our society and made the presentation of cur offering. The address was in French,, and the reply also, and this was read for the Holy Father accordingly by one of his attendant clergy. Interestingly enough, this was a priest

named Bailly, son of the president of the first conference and our first President-General. The assemblage was splendid. The three French Cardinals were there, Cardinal Vannutelli, and many Bishops. After the address and reply, the Holy Father gave us his blessing, and the audiezice terminated.

'On Saturday, in the afternoon, a General Assembly and Congress of our memliers took place in the great Hall of the Palazzo della Cancelleria, presided over by our Cardinal Protector. The Congress consisted of a discourse by Cardinal Vannutelli, a statement by M. Calon, a study on Ozanam by a Mr. Faulquier (a member of the Council General), a statement by Prince Luigi Boncompagni (President of the Superior Council of Rome), and a discourse 'by Mgr. Amette (Archbishop of Paris). The Archbishop of Paris's speech was magnificent; one of the most perfect displays of oratory in every respect that I have ever heard. Then came on the celebrations of the Beatification of Joan of Arc. There were 40,000 French people in Rome for it; and St. Peter's, which holds 75,000, was densely crowded (Here Mr. Heydon describes the ceremonies in connection with the Beatification of the Maid of Orleans, an account of which has already appeared in our columns.) Continuing, he says : 'At dinner at M. Calon's and at our reunions I met many interesting members of our society, and made friendships which I hope will be useful in the future. I met a Father Ozanam, nephew of our founder, Mr. Maignau, the head of our society in Canada, and brothers from New York; and, in particular, Count de Torre Diaz, next to Lord Ripon in England, and uncle to Cardinal Merry del Val, was specially kind to me. I have seen something of the working of our society in the conference, and of boys' clubs here in Rome. I shall attend the annual meeting in London in July, and I hope to visit our brothers in Manchester and in Dublin. So I should learn something which may be of use to me when I am back amongst my Australian brothers.'