THE GREAT LOURDES CONGRESS

New Zealand Tablet, 5 November 1914, Page 13

THE GREAT LOURDES CONGRESS

li. \ THE ; GATHERING : DAY BY DAY. pi s .- * ;;V.• v * ,*j. ■•->* &*>'•: \i*.% A FULL AND VIVID DESCRIPTION. (For the N.Z. Tablet, by His Grace Archbishop ■ 1 Redwood.) j ' * ■ ■- p ' p (Continued.) ? ■ . ' ; ■’ CONGRESS. ■ ■ Lourdes, France, July 20, 1914. How can we help feeling somewhat saddened on 4 behplding the swift termination of this jubilee Congress of the International Eucharistic Congresses? It is so good to be here, under the maternal eyes of the Virgin immaculate, all living like brothers, united by the bonds of Divine charity, in the atmosphere of sweet peace, engrossed with one thing alone: .to love and adore Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament,, and to endeavour to spread abroad its reign of peace and love in our societies and on the whole earth. Quam honum et quam jucundum habitare fratres in- ununi. (Ps. r 132.) How consoling it was for us to witness the vitality of your faith and the burning accents of your prayers, which uninterruptedly, 1 night and day, have mounted upward to the throne of God, to bring down upon this Congress the most copious blessings. Jesus Christ in the Eucharist has hearkened to your fervent supplications; we know that the Congress has been blessed. The holy union of souls with Jesus Christ has' been consummated in countless Communions. Your sessions in the sections have been carried on with admirable zeal you have there heard men of authorised science, with a saintly passion* for the Eucharist, who have striven in reports founded on solid documents, in enlightened discussion, by wise ‘desires and proposals, to excite your' zeal to spread far and wide in various practical works the Eucharistic reign of Jesus Christ. In the general meetings, you have heard sacred orators, in noble language, with lofty elevation of thought and deep knowledge, set your hearts aglow in a harmonious love for the Divine Guest of our tabernacles. To-morrow will be the great crowning of all the edifying and consoling . things we have witnessed during these days, and Lourdes, the town of the manifestations of faith and 'piety, will contemplate the grandest manifestation she has ever beheld. And Mary, from the height of her throne, will look down with joy on that spectacle of congressists praying, adoring, • proclaiming in the face of the world the triumph of her Son in the Sacrament of His love. * Glory to God in the highest,’ to Him be honor,- praise, and blessing to-day, and for evermore. Glory also to Mary Immaculate. It was she that led us to Jesus, and that laid before His throne and on His heart your prayers, your , labors, ;your deliberations, and your desires, beseeching Him to make them fruitful and blessed. With confidence, therefore,, we should leave this sanctuary, assured that the benediction of Jesus and of His holy Mother will accompany us into our respective countries, and remain with us to sustain our efforts, and further everywhere the realisation of the desires of‘ this Congress, and ‘ the 1 extension of the Eucharistic and social reign of Jesus Christ in the • world. - / , : : , . ' % M The Union of the Faithful., • After lifting our feelings of gratitude up to heaven, let us lower our eyes , upon", the earth, and' before all others let Our hearts be turned to him who ?s for us the most venerable personality, the highest figure, and the holiest authority, the Vicar of ; Christ, our beloved Pontiff Pius X. His prayers, his mind, and his fatherly " heart, the heart of the common Father of the faithful, ] have been with us during the Congress which we preside over in his name and by his authority. - It will be a great joy for me to tell/ him > what a lively ,-faith- what ; ardent devotion, and what t perfect , unity have ever prefsided over this imposing Eucharistic gathering. United

here at ; the Holy Table; united in the determination do render more intense in every form the devotion to Jesus - in the Host; let us carry away this will of perfect unity into our countries and our homes, realising among us the prayer of the Divine Master on the eve of returning to Heaven: ‘Holy Father, ‘preserve in Thy name those whom Thou hast given me, so that they may be one as we are one’ (John 18-11).- ‘I have communicated 'to! them the glory Thou didst give me, that they may remain united, as ■. Thou and I are united (John 17-22). Let us be united with Jesus at the foot of the altar, in purity of life, and frequent Communion. Let 'us be united with him ■who is the Vicar of Christ , on earth ; let us be united, not only in fact, but in heart, soul, and sentiment. • ; , ■ / : ’ The Legate’s Thanks.' : It is therefore with a heart overflowing with joy that I thank you all in the name of ' the Holy Pontiff whom I represent. After the Pope, it .is to you my heartfelt gratitude goes, illustrious members of the Sacred College. Most excellent Archbishops and Bishops, who.have been brought together in such large numbers at the feet of the Virgin of Massabielle, and who, despite the many cares of your pastoral ministry, have flocked from all parts of the world, to increase by your presence the splendor of this Congress, and to take part in the imposing triumph of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I would frustrate your hopes did I not address most particular thanks to the Most Rev. Bishop of.Tarbes and Lourdes, who has been the soul of this vast and holy enterprise,; whose heart must overflow with gratitude to-day towards Her who shelters him under Her mantle, whq has so visibly blessed his efforts, and whose illustrious and indefatigable /champion he has proved. To the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, and to his devoted organising committee, our congratulations and thanks are tendered. Thanks also to the members of the permanent committee and to their eminent president, the Bishop of Namur, for the considerable part that this committee have taken in the ; ever-increasing development of this.praiseworthy and.; holy institution. In setting fool on this blessed land of Lourdes, we have been greatly touched:: and edified at the cordial and courteous welcome extended to us by the First Magistrate of this city, surrounded by his council. We wish particularly to thank them ■ with, all our hearts, in our name and that of the Congressists who, like us, have ascertained how far broadness and elevation of mind are harmoniously united here with Christian sentiments, to promote both the. glory of Mary, and the Eucharist, together with the wisely understood interests of the city. , ' . To all, in fine, clergy and laity of all ranks and conditions, representatives of that illustrious and learned French Academy, members of the French Parliament, various delegations, pilgrims from all parts of the world France, Europe, America, Asia, Africa, and Oceanica —to all of you present in this blessed spot of Lourdes, to invoke Mary Immaculate, while you acclaim her Son Jesus in the Sacrament of His love, I address, with all my sold, my most sincere thanks for your participation in this grand Congress. -.;•!.•>(<;. ■ The Duty of Congressists. ' 41 ; . • Return to your various countries, with your soul superabounding in supernatural consolation at what your eyes have : seen and your heart felt.' s Return stronger in your faith, more ardent in, your, charity, more impassioned for the Eucharist. And do not keep that treasure only Jin yourselves share it with others, •• and become the apostles of the reign of ..Jesus Christ in the world. Set the attractive example of a perfect Christian life, of tender devotion to the Blessed Sacra ment, and feed your I souls - daily, it possible, with the divine food which makes the strong. ' Bring your little children to this heavenly banquet even from the tenderest age; loving Jesus will protect their innocent souls and keep them pure. ; This Communion, the first of their lives, is and 'must remain for them the ! great act fof their lives. ,Let nothing attendant on this; apt be ot a nature to -lessen its importance: in x their eyes. But

remember that if your children, are fed, even . daily, with tßis heavenly bread which impacts .supernatural strength a no less grave duty is.imposed them, under your responsibility, that of Christian education by the teaching of the Catechism; There they will learn *to know :the. truths of our holy | religion, to be permeated . with Christian principles to be their rule of. life,, and,, insure for them that entirely Christian spirit which proves itself in thoughts, words, - judgments, and acts. * | To you, - my- brethren in the priesthood, whom with great joy .t have seen so numerous throughout this Congress, to'you belongs j more than to others ; the duty of ' working like the Apostles of ? Jesus Christ; whose ministers you are, ’ in order that‘the fruits of the Congress may hot be prematurely lost’. Return to your people more replete than ever with the tenderest devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. Promote among your people , daily Communion, and carry out thereby the wishes and prescriptions of our 'Holy Father the Pope. For this purpose spare no pains or fatigue let your zeal prevail over everything.: Bring to the feet of Jesus so often forsaken in our tabernacles, numerous • souls to- Him by their daily visit in our churches where He awaits us day and night. To the love of the Heart of Jesus we are indebted for the Blessed Sacrament?; be f you the apostles of devotion to the Sacred Heart, and by it bring the faithful to Holy Communion. Found Eucharistic devotions and the confraternities of the Sacred Heart, where. they do not yet exist; develop them, renew them, if need be, with untiring persevering zeal where they exist'; make them centres of loving and active piety, for all the practical concerns of ; a Christian and sanctifying life, and promote to ; your utmost this movement of association which is spreading in the world for the universal reign of Jesus in the Eucharist. Again, let us not leave this sanctuary of Lourdes, where Mary declared herself Immaculate, this land of the supernatural principles of grace and love, where the Queen of Heaven seems to have concentrated her treasures of maternal goodness, without depositing at her feet - our desires and prayers, that she may ‘offer them to her Son and bless them. Let us promise her to honor her still more, to make her loved still more, and to proclaim her in our families and societies the effective Queen of our hearts, since she is the Mother of our Saviour, the King of our hearts and of the world. Strong with this love of the Eucharistic Jesus and of Mary Immaculate, your zeal will become efficacious and permanent; for your only object will be the welfare of souls and the glory of God. - . . . i-i. The Need of Works. Jn the course of my career, iff a country where I ■ spent Several years, I remember to have-there found most admirable, organised, and teeming with perfect vitality, an assemblage of various, corresponding ' to the miseries of humanity in every age and condition, and comprising a network of institutions such that all. physical and moral ailments were largely benefited? bf on© or other of the works; so much so that it was true to say that- man, from' ’the cradle to the grave, could not escape the advantages of the charity of the Apostles . of - Jesus ; Christ. ■ .1 there saw these -works,- annually . united- in congresses where the charitable balance sheet N of .each was exhibited, where charity filled every, road, and was ready at a moment’s notice to carry assistance whithersoever it was needed' by the suffering "members of ‘ Jesus Christ.’ On ; leaving this Congress of Lourdes, when the- Virgin Immaculate has begun the dispensatin% of the.mercies of her Son, let us carry away with us the memory of the secret of such a zeal as shall ever draw souls to devotion -towards Mary and towards Jesus in the Eucharist.' In the radius of action within ,our reach, let us create and f support with our resources and personal devotedness similar works adapted to ill the ailments? of.?' the \temporal and spiritual life, and let ns see that * no species v of suffering escapes our charity derived from the source of f divine . love. Let us bind up . all thfese miseries in the bonds of divine charity: * MOs in viucutis cavitcitis. ’ Let us .create various works, pious and charitable, works of preserva- , tion , works for the laboring classes, works of social ad-

vantage, catechisms, . rituals, etc. A Thereby ? you ■•,will* ;; bring about the charity of the Master. You will be the ,’, conquerors of hearts, you will be the apostles of pepee, of • that peace of jbhe children of God unknowns to the world; peace which surpasses all understanding/ which ' is o the principle of 1 union, - of . the holy brotherhood of souls, in your homes, in your families,' in your societies, A n y our countries, which will set up the universal reign . of the Heart of Jesus Who has loved men so much, the Cfeight •of Jesus . Christ, .our . Redeemer, the King jof /• Heaven and earth.’ These great and noble words were listened to with rapt attention, and created, at the conclusion, a genuine enthusiasm. - And so the working Congress closed. :;... rd- vw. -v.. : % . : ' ' . . (To be concluded.)