EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1926, Page 2

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] NEW YORK, June 22. In Chicago to-day, in connection with the Eucharistic Congress, there was an enormous gathering, even larger than on Monday, assembled in the open air cathedral, the so-called Soldiers’ Field, to take part in the Eucharistic Congress ceremonies. Tho day was set aside for the women, who formed a great majority oftho two hundred and fifty thousand Y people that were in the congregating; V while it is estimated that one hundred thousand more people waited outside the Soldiers’ Field, hearing the ceremonies as they were broadcasted. •Six thousand nuns and six thousand additional lay women, members of Chicago Catholic Churches, intoned Carneralis “Rosa Mystiea” Mass, after which there was a brilliant procession of the Cardinals, archbishops, bishops, monsignors and priests, who moved on to the Soldiers’ Field to the strains of the American National Anthem, sung by the whole gatlieiing. The Austrian, Cardinal Piffi, opened tho proceedings with an address in the German language. Mr Justice Pierce Butler, of t.io United States Supreme Court, follow- ’ ed with an address. Then came Cardinal O’Connell, of Boston. The assemblage was greatly moved —-• with emotion. Many of the women were weeping. It is described as tho greatest assemblage of women ever gathered in any one enclosure in North America, while Archbishop Hanna, of San Francisco, terms ,the occasion as “ ’ ,K> greatest honour paid to womankind in history.”