THE GREAT LOURDES CONGRESS

New Zealand Tablet, 22 October 1914, Page 15

THE GREAT LOURDES CONGRESS

THE GATHERING DAY BY DAY.

A FULL AND VIVID DESCRIPTION.

k- (For,, the N.Z. Tablet, by His Grace Archbishop. i i A Redwood.) . j $%: , '?;.- : ■ • <*.. -•.-■' i • ,\ . Lourdes, France, July 20, 1914.' ; ! Next, the Cardinal Legate came forward to the front of .the platform and read his speech. He, congratulated himself on being chosen to salute France, the privileged land wherein the Eucharistic Congress originated. It was right and proper that the jubilee of these congresses should be celebrated in the land where they were first started. In a fine evocation his Eminence recalled the splendors of preceding congresses. He cited the noble examples of certain sovereigns who deemed it their duty to officially assist at the triumph of the Eucharist.' Lourdes, with lowly surroundings, compared with great capitals, offers to the Blessed Sacrament an incomparable throne which is the heart of the Virgin Mary; and it is she, that to-day welcomes her Son in the name of the whole world. The Cardinal expatiated in lofty and beautiful considerations on the Eucharist, the source of faith, courage, and heroism. He convoked children to that communion so imperatively inculcated by the Holy Father. He delicately but energetically alluded to the. efforts of impiety to dechristianise the family and society, but, added he, to-day, , when the evil is growing apace and disasters are forthcoming, our Saviour proffers His living and irresistible force. ' With the Eucharist,' said the Cardinal, ' we will give to the nations the peace which the world cannot give.' In conclusion, he stated that Pius X. had proclaimed that the salvation of nations will be wrought only by the Eucharist. Pius X. has developed this devotion which he has made the dominant idea of his. Pontificate. Now, said his Eminence, -Catholics must set to work and become the Apostles of the Eucharist, through which will come the reign of Christ on earth. Finally he saluted the Virgin of Lourdes as the Queen of France. ' He besought the Bishop, whose episcopate is consecrated to her glorythe Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes—to outdo all others in devotion to the Eucharist. His last words were a. cry to the surrounding Christian audience: 'Glory to God and peace on earth to men of good will.' Prolonged applause greeted this fine speech replete with rich and lofty doctrine. After the Cardinal Legate, Cardinal Nctto.,. Patriarch of Lisbon, saluted France, and uttered a vigorous vivdt in her honor. Next, Cardinal 'Logue of 'Armagh expressed in English similar sentiments. Then Cardinal Almarcez of Santos, Archbishop of Seville, hailed in the name of the Spanish people the Catholic and hospitable French nation, which still substantially remains a nation dear to God and the Virgin Mary. :He recalled the past glories of France in thrilling language (he spoke in Spanish"), the high deeds of the French in the long course of ages. The audience, "understanding a deal of his speech, owing to his clear and excellent delivery and powerful gestures, received with loud and frequent applause his

Splendid Homage to the French People.

.Cardinal, Farley of New York spoke English words of .very similar meaning. . After those speeches, Bishop Heylen of Namur’ addressed the audience and asked certain speakers to postpone their speeches to another day in order to not unduly prolong the session. Yet, in the name of Germany, Bishop Lansberg, Coadjutor of Cologne^; after expressing the joy of his confreres, reminded the auditory that Cologne had witnessed splendid manifestations in honor of the/,, Eucharist. And, ; in y the .name of .Italy, Bishop Carmel Rejia, Archbishop : of - Santa . Severina, saluted France and the Pope of France. V Bishop Doubrava of Koenig(Austria) ended the series of speeches. ~ Then Cardinal Luson of Reims ascended the pulpit to thank

in the name of France the nations represented and return their most eloquent salutations. He aptly remarked that he was the successor of him who had baptised France, at Reims, in the person of Clovis, and he deemed it. appropriate that he should be the one to have the honor of cordially saluting and welcoming the bishops present. France, he said, thanked the Cathplic Episcopate, and especially Bishop Heylen, for choosing Lourdes as the theatre of a fresh Eucharistic triumph—Lourdes, ' the Eucharistic throne prepared by the Blessed Virgin.' His Eminence, with an eloquence which created great enthusiasm, saluted in the persons of the bishops present, a picture of Catholicity and unity of the Church. The Eucharist, indeed, is the centre and« the supreme rendez-vous of all peoples grouped round the same altar. He evoked the splendors of past congresses, and, with most impressive force and ardor, shouted through the whole length of the Esph'.iiadey ' Frarce hails and thanks you, especially for lecalling so delicately that we are, after all, the nation privileged and destined to the holy tasks of Christ.' It was in France, he added, that the evil of the mind had originated, but it was also her part to organise the resistance. A conflict was raging between France and Satan. Then the Master, from the sacred Host, interrogated us: 'What think ye of Me?' And we bring to Him our answer in these splendid congresses, organised for His triumph. And where can the affirmation of our faith be more eloquent than on this soil of miracles ? Wherefore, this immense crowd comes to again give to God the offering of their hearts, possessions, and fatherland. The speaker eloquently saluted the Cardinal Legate as the envoy of the Pope of the Eucharist, who could not have chosen one more conspicuous for piety, distinction, and dignity.: In conclusion, he conjured the Virgin of Lourdes to receive the act of faith of the nations represented at the Congress of Lourdes. Finally, Bishop Heylen thanked the speakers for their splendid addresses, and invited the people assembled to take part, in the procession "of the Blessed Sacrament, which was just going to wind round the vast Esplanade and the. adjoining , grounds. On other days also the public open air proceedings always ended by a procession of the Blessed Sacrament. On the same day, prior to this general open air gathering, there had been a number of interesting "meetings of groups of ladies and gentlemen and ecclesiastics, in halls . allotted to the various nationalities ; and very remarkable speeches and reports were delivered and road. But space is wanting for a detailed account of them, which will appear in the book printed after the Congress. Thursday, Jaily 23.—There was a meeting of ladies in the morning in the vast Church of the Rosary. . , . •. .' The Session Opened .1 under the presidency" of Archbishop Chasuelong of Sens. He saluted the wives, mothers, and daughters, those guardian angels of Christian homes, and entreated them to give to France valuable Eucharistic fruits. He showed them France falling away more and more into decadence, especially in the last three centuries, for the want of her proper food. All the women of France should be holy workers for the restoration of the Catholic race. Bishop Odelin followed. He spoke for a quarter of an hour on the Apparitions of Mary in France in the 19th century. He pointed out the providential design linking them all together. Whether she appeared in her miraculous medal (1830), or inspired the Abbe Desgeuettes with the idea of forming the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Heart c>f Mary (1835), or announced to the children of La Salette the punishments which have since befallen France, or uttered from the rock of Massabielle the cry, Penance, Penance!' calling for crowds of adorers of Jesus in the Host, Mary always pursued the same object, namely, to bring multitudes to Jesus, and so constitute -His public ~reign *'in the Eucharist. Then came the Countess of St. Laurent, who imparted to Christian, mothers some, practical notions of Eucharistic catechism. In her we heard a mother / speaking with

her whole heart about what \ she holds most dear, the $ soul of her child. She showed the mother bending' lovingly over that opening soul, watching its growth,/ becoming doubly vigilant at the. critical age when the child reaches the age of. fifteen, always* eager to give the child Jesus in the Host, Jesus absolutely necessary to the life of the soul. Bishop N Chasuelong thankedMadame St. Laurent and proposed her as. an example to Christian mothers. Before, teaching her Eucharistic catechism she had lived, and had formed in her';; child the soul of a priest, of an apostle. Bishop Ghasue-/ long exhorted mothers to promise to devote themselves to the Eucharistic education of their children; and to despise - for that purpose any' anV every "surrounding prejudice. At once a loud ery was "heard: Yes, yes, we do so promise.' Rev. Father Seaml, professor fromCork (Ireland) spoke for five minutes about little" Nelly, who at the age of four kept constantly saying, ' Give me the good God.' Mademoiselle Sorin de Borme spoke of the frequent Communion of little children and of the role of the lady who teaches catechism. Seventy thousand volunteer catechists have in 1914 been teaching 300,000 children in 75 parishes, thus supplementing the family teaching, to the great advantage of the catechists, the catechised, and the families. General Meeting in the Esplanade of the Rosary. Fine "weather. The attendance is larger than it was yesterday. At 3.30 p.m. the cardinals and prelates entered the Esplanade. The arrival of Cardinal Amette of Paris was greeted with ringing cheers. As. the Cardinal Legate mounted the steps of the platform, loud shouts of Vive h Legat resounded. Over 100 bishops were in attendance. The session opened by Bishop Heylen remarking that the number of prelates present surpassed that of preceding congresses. Then he announced the adhesion of Cardinal Vannutelli to the Congress and his hearty union with it. The next speaker was Bishop Gauthier, Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal (Canada), who saluted France as the mother of" Canada, and the bishops of France as the models of those who-fight on untiringly for the deliverance. He tendered his ardent homage to the missionary bishops of France in America, whom he called the ' sowers of God.' He also recalled the first priests who landed in Canada and who conquered it for the Blessed Sacrament. -His most thrilling "peroration was greeted with the greatest enthusiasm and rapturous applause. Next came the speech of Bishop Rumeau. The eloquent prelate began by evoking the vision of the Apocalypse in which the 24 elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb that was slain. He compared that vision to that of the Eucharistic Congress. The theme of , the Victim is permanent, and well nigh 200 adorers crowned with the supreme priesthood surround it. Above them one of the- Princes of the Church, who loves France dearly, recalls the presence of Pope Pius X. Then the speaker developed the reasons.which militate for the Kingship of. Christ. He showed how Christianity gave to man his supreme dignity, and he vigorously stigmatised those''who sacrilegiously assail that Kingship. The Bishop of Angers then drew a most' startling picture of the crimes against that royalty, and, with an appropriateness which elicited loud applause, he quoted the famous dictum of a certain politician: ' You think-that religion - threatens you. You are wrong. It is what you supremely want.' The orator showed that the social convulsions have their causes in the expulsion of the Eucharist from nations and society. The work of the Congress- is to - ' , • ' . Repair the Ruins of Nations by the restoration of - the social reign of Jesus Christ. The conclusion of his speech was a fervent prayer to Christ that He may never permit under the sun the existence of a godless France. The land. of the Sacred Heart and of Our Lady of Lourdes must not perish. Then was read < a discourse of. the Auxiliary' Bishop of Turin.- ■ Afterwards, amid great expectation, ; an eminent and most eloquent personage from Canada, Mr. Bourrassa, entered the pulpit. He forcibly proved from past history that Canada- preserved itself as a land of liberty/and prosperity, because it kept intact its Chris-

tion traditions. The immigrants from Franc© 'were guided chiefly by a sentiment of love. That is why Canada owes to France the best of her blood and her unshakable faith. Nor. does she forget her debt of gratitude, and she strives, to pay it to the Church. ‘ Modernism/' said the orator, ‘we know it not.’ All the dogmas of -the Church" were'‘accepted without discussion, and that of the Immaculate Conception was welcomed with the simplicity of Bernadette, listening to the Virgin’s own words. In substance this stirring speech was a

Hymn of Glory in Honor of Catholic Canada. In a magnificent peroration Mr. Bourrassa conjured France to regard"the country issued from her love, and to behold on her brow the ' visible mark of her affectionate kiss.' The audience' went almost wild with enthusiasm. Most of the bishops rose to their feet and warmly shook the orator's hands, amid vociferous cheers, and escorted him off the stage, as a token of his immense effect upon the vast audience. His was perhaps the most eloquent—at least the most stirring—speech delivered throughout the whole Congress. Mr. Franc Muler-Hoberg next dealt with the Eucharist and the peace of nations. Cardinal Andrieu of Bordeaux terminated the session by giving the history of the Lourdes 'Hospitality,' that Order, of Knights serving the sick which recalls the Hospitalers of old, gives a noble example, and assures the most admirable service of charity imaginable. The Hospitalers of Lourdes thus practised charity because they often - came to the Eucharist in order to obtain the strength necessary for their saintly functions. His Eminence aptly quoted the words of General Souis leading the Pontifical Zouaves- in the battle where they died: ' When a man carries God in his heart, he never surrenders.'

Closing Session.

Saturday, July 25. —The Eucharistic Congress closed its practical celebrations to-day with an attendance which from the beginning has. certainly increased'. - French people and foreigners are flocking in from all nations. The number of priests is particularly conspicuous, thus promising for to-morrow (Sunday) an immense and triumphant closing procession of the Blessed Sacrament. In view of this procession, which usually closes Eucharistic Congresses, flowers are pouring in from .all parts in vast loads. This morning (as the other mornings) was taken up with meetings in the various sections of congressists. ' For the first time there was a meeting in which all the speeches were in Latin. The Cardinal Legate opened it with a Latin allocution. M. I’Abbe Rousselot, Professor at the .Catholic Institute of Paris, read a very remarkable report. Other meetings had their reports in;-,various languages as well as speeches. The Archbishop" of Wellington, New Zealand, at the meeting of the English-speaking section, spoke before the Cardinal of New York, and "greatly interested the audience with details about New Zealand from the beginning of its colonisation, and with the progress of religion in the Dominion, especially its devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Eucharist. The general- meeting took place as usual on the Esplanade in front of the Basilica of the Rosary. Father lanvier, the eminent preacher of Notre Dame, Paris, delivered a very fine discourse on the ‘ Eucharistic Miracles’ at Lourdes. The orator spoke at times under difficulties, for a shower of rain hid for a while, under umbrellas, every face in the immense audience. I translate this discourse textually: — ‘ Most Illustrious Prince Legate, Most Eminent Lords, My Lords, and Brethren,—At Lourdes the Catholic religion has known incomparable triumphs. Nowhere has our faith declared itself with a tone of deeper conviction nowhere have the wings of hope carried* souls to loftier heights ; nowhere has the love of man for God ever spoken, in strains more sincere nowhere have. prayer, adoration, .-repentance, and sanctity found truer or , more resounding notes. The vibration of voices and hearts have thrilled the Pyrenees, now bathed in sunbeams, now crowned with snow ; they have filled the valleys and

enchanted' the waves of/ the torrent which re-echoes them from bank to bank. Hither have come; the great and the lowly; here have been lowly bent the toga, the purple, and the sword. Here Spaniards, English, Irish, Scots, Germans, Slavs, Belgians, Dutch, Scandinavians, Italians and French have assembled. The sons of old Europe have met the citizens of the new continents, the children of the desert, of the East, of the remote Islands, and of Barbary-, and all united by the same idea, by the same sentiment, have intoned the hymns and canticles which the creature owes* to its Creator. You have assisted at this spectacle unique in history; altars, sanctuaries, rocks, mountains, firmaments; and you have entrusted to the four winds the task of echoing to the universe the enthusiastic choruses which have chained your souls. O God, Who hast chosen a rock of this territory to there receive this matchless praise, who hast'told the inhabitants of many lands to pass our frontiers in order to offer Thee an incense most pure ; O God Who hast bestowed this honor on no other nation, be for ever blessed ! Thus solicited, the heavens opened and shed on the assembled multitudes at the foot of these mountains the most precious of all benefits —life. From the heights .where the Sovereign Lord of all things abides, a breath has come down, which has restored strength to bodies;' and virtue to despairing souls. Not content with employing its usual means, for the cures of flesh and mind, Providence has been pleased to here reverse all the laws of nature, to baffle all calculation, and all the forecasts of. human science, by restoring to health patients deemed incurable, and to moral dignity souls obstinately steeped in vice and rebellion. At the end of his Gospel St. John said in substance; ‘The whole world, in my opinion, would not contain the books which I should have to write,

were I to report all the graces which Jesus Christ heaped upon us during His sojourn ? in our midst;' With ; due allowance, Vwe might apply these '- words to "si the prodigies of which -.. : Lourdes is proud. Therefore, brethren, do not expect me-' to detail-. the marvels wrought.under this sky and on this earth. I will restrict >niy self' to the spirit of this never-to be forgotten Congress.- , Rapidly I . will ,- speak of the miracles which concern the Eucharist';' then for a moment I will endeavour to arrest your attention to their religious bearing.' :•-.,■ (To be continued.)