THE EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

New Zealand Tablet, 5 November 1908, Page 10

THE EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS

IMPOSING CEREMONIES AND PROCESSIONS

In our last issue we gave an account of the ceremonies and meetings which took place on the first and second days of the Eucharistic Congress in London. Our Home files to hand devote considerable space to reports of the concluding ceremonies, meetings, and processions. It might be said that no event of recent years has attracted so much attention, this being due in a measure to the great gathering of Church dignitaries from all parts of the world and to the action of the Government in prohibiting the procession of the Blessed Sacrament through the streets of London at the instigation of a few narrow-minded bigots. The. principal secular papers of London devoted considerable space to reports of the Congress, especially the Daily Telegraph, which, in its issue of September 14, gave eleven ' columns to reports of the proceedings on the previous Saturday and Sunday, and in addition had a leading article condemnatory of the weakness of the Government in giving way to the clamor of a few extremists. On Friday morning the proceedings were begun with Pontifical High Mass in Westminster Cathedral, the celebrant being the Archbishop of Utrecht. The sections met at 10.30, and all of these were well attended. The most of the foreign visitors crowded to the one sitting in the Caxton Hall, where the French language was used. The appearance in the streets of so many prelates and priests" attracted indeed a great deal of public attention in Westminster. Reception by the Papal Legate.. On Friday evening the Cardinal Legate held a reception in the Albert Hall, when there assembled in that building the most cosmopolitan gathering ever seen within its walls. A correspondent thus describes the scene : — The Papal Legate .raised his hand to bless the crowd as he went' along, and to some, who knelt to kiss .his ring he smilingly extended his hand. Proceeding to- the platform beneath the great organ, he took' his seat, on a dais, which had been prepared for the occasion. \ •Other Cardinals,.* Archbishops, Bishops," and prelates of every' rank, with great numbers of priests, soon reached the hall and' came streaming in with, the immense crowd of the laity. The scene becomes more" and more brilliant ; the colors more vivid, the movements more lively. Here one might seef black-robed Jesuits such as Father Bernard Vaughan or Father Donnelly recognised and greeted by friends on all sides. Elsewhere a white-robed Carmelite is- in earnest conversation with, a Capuchin in brown. They had been friends in youth, but oceans had separated them for long years. Now" they meet, and their enthusiastic cordiality is pleasant to behold. The aged Cardinal Primate of Spain comes in. Numbers crowd around

to get his blessing. Other dignitaries come along. v Ireland has representatives at every hand. Cardinal Logue as he goes to join the Legate .is besieged by- friends and admirers. In another quatter the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of Ross, is to be fcund chatting w'uh old acquaintances .. French priests abound. , French laymen, too, are here" in plenty. So are' the bright, vivacious French ladies. In fact, ladies from every land are well in evidence. They are attired in unique fashion for a London assemblage^ wearing high-necked dresses and in thi majority of ca«es a black veil or man' ilia. A Distinguished Gathering. They talk in English or French, Italian or Spanish — a few in all four. Some are. quite ready to~ tell that the Spanish Cardinal wears the band of lsabellu the Catholic, the Order of the Golden Fleece and the medal of Alfonso XIII., and that the prelate whose breast glitters with distinctions is, tfcough of Nottingham, a man of military fame; and their opinions of men and things, freely given, are clear-cut and piquant if not always correct. The great Republic of the. West has various representatives, foremost amongst them that popular member of the Sacred College, Cardinal" Gibbons. Round him many assemble, for he is well known in Europe, and ever has something fresh and suggestive to say on events of current interest. Lancashire has sent not a- few of her Catholic sons. The Bishop of Liverpool is accosted' by fellow counlrymen who greet him cordially, and not far off the Bishop of Salford is discussing a point of philology or a literary problem with friends. The Bishop-Elect of Shrewsbury has likewise come to pay his respects to the Legate, and near by is to be seen Colonel Walker, good-humored and jocose as usual. The Duke of Norfolk passes quietly through the great hall, stopping now and again to converse. Soon all the Cardinals are seated, the Spanish Primate, and Cardinals Logue, Gibbons, and Ferrari to the right and left of the Primate. The formal reception takes place. In single file the members of the vast gathering pass their Eminences on the platform, bowing to the Legate, and then descending to the body of the hall. Cardinal Vannutelli raises his hand to bless them one by one as they pass. On Saturday morning there was a celebiation of the Byzantine Liturgy in Westminster Cathedral. The unwonted spectacle drew together an immense congregation. The celebrant was the Very Rev. Arsenios Atiyeh, Archimandrite of the Melkite Church at Paris, the concelebrants and the deacon being Augustinians of the Assumption from Constantinople. The chant was chiefly in Byzantine Plainsong. The rendering by. the choir of this strange music with the Greek text according to a complicated and foreign ritual was a^ great credit to the training of Mr. Terry, the choirmaster and organist. No trouble was spared to render the ancient rite with the dignity it deserved. The concluding meetings of the various sections of the Congress were held on Saturday forenoon. At the close of the meeting in the Scottish Hall, Buckingham Gate, the Cardinal Legate delivered a brief address. He said' he had visited the other sections, and could not neglect to visit this one. He was greatly touched by their reception, as he had been by the welcome extended to him elsewhere. Indeed, he could not trust himself to speak of that accorded to him at the great meetings in Albert Hall lest he should be overcome by his emotion. Sympathy had been shown to him,' not only by Catholics, but" also by the separated brethren and by the constituted authorities, who had shown their interest and good feeling. For all this he -was deeply grateful. He did not, however," intend to keep. all this to himself. It should be conveyed to the Holy Father, whose representative he was, and for whom it was meant. He regarded the Congress as an event remarkable in the history of this country, and he prayed that it might be followed by all the good results hoped for in deepening piety and faith in the Holy Eucharist, The Holy Father had charged him to convey to them his paternal affection and benediction. CHILDREN'S PROCESSION. One of the most interesting, as; also probably the most touching, of all the proceedings^ connection with the' Congress was the Children's Service held at the * Cathedral on "Saturday afternoon, and the procession from the Embankment which ' preceded it. The children came from the Catholic schools in all ' parts of the metropolis and its immediate suburbs, and it' was truly a moving sight which the little ones presented as they marched to the great Cathedral to add their youthful tributes to 'those which their elders had been paying to the 'Holy Eucharist during the week. The procession started from the Embankment, and both here and along the entire line of route to the Cathedral an enormous concourse of people was gathered to see

those Catholic little ones making profession of their faith. The starting point was at the Westminster Bridge end of the Embankment, and from here to past Hungerford Bridge, as well as in the adjoining thoroughfares, the different contingents were massed to the number of fully 20,000. At the head of the procession was a banner of the Guild of Ransom' bearing the motto, ' Jesus, Convert England,' by the " side of which walked the founder of the Guild and the - Chief Marshal of the procession, Father Philip Fletcher. Banners of the Sacred Heart, the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, St. Patrick, and other saints, and bearing scriptural and other' mottoes, were borne in large numbers, and at intervals there were over a dozen bands. A large proportion of the girls wore white f and had veils over their heads, while the boys in most cases ~" wore sashes of- various colors. These, with the multi- - colored banners, went to make up a scene of great picturesqueness. What perhaps touched one most of all was the evident pains which, had been taken by tnt parents that the , children should look as neat as possible, and this was particularly noticeable_Jn* t ftfe case of those from the poorer districts, for, though many of the young processionists bore the sign of poveity in their dress, all were trim and neat. When the head of the procession reached the Cathedral, about half-past 3, an immense crowd had gathered in the vicinity, and received the children with cheers and the waving of hats and handkerchiefs. - It took nearly an hour for the juvenile , processionists to pass along Ambrosden avenue and file into the Cathedral, and as they entered the building they sang ' God . bless our Pope,' which was heartily joined in by most of the crowd outside. When as many as accommodation could be'! found for in the great Cathedral were seated, numbering, it is estimated, between six and seven thousand, the spectacle pre- , sented was highly impressive. The scene in the immense nave was one of great beauty, the white veilings, yellow and white sashes, and chapl'ets of roses worn by the little girls, and the red sashes, roses, and emblems worn by the boys, combined with innumerable banners and bannerettes, giving forth a blaze of brilliant color. Beyond those in charge of the children, including many priests and nuns, no adults were allowed at the service at the Cathedral. The occasional sermon was preached by Cardinal Logue, who, later on, addressed two other gatherings of children, numbering several thousand more, in large halls adjacent to the Cathedral. Benediction was given by the Cardinal Legate, and in the Sanctuary were Cardinal Ferrari, Archbishop of Milan ; the Archbishop of Westminster, and many Bishops and other dignitaries. The hymns were sung by the children, and at the close of the service a*" procession, formed by his Eminence the Cardinal Legate, with, his attendants, Cardinal Ferrari, Archbishops and Bishops, Abbots, and other prelates, and as they went down the processional way in the centre of the nave Tils Eminence Cardinal Vannutelli gave his blessing to the children. Soon after the children filed out of the Cathedral in perfect order and proceeded homewards, all apparently very happy for enjoying the great privilege of taking a leading part in so memorable a celebration. MASS MEETING IN THE ALBERT HALL. On Thursday morning it was announced that the Home Secretary and the Commissioner of Police had given their sanction to the procession of the Blessed Sacrament, which, from an early stage, had been a prominent feature in the arrangements for the Eucharistic Congress. On the same morning the Archbishop of Westminster received a private communication to the effect that the Prime Minister desired the abandonment of the public procession. What followed was summarised by the Archbishop of Westminster. The Albert Hall was the scene of another striking manifestation of the strength of the Catholic Church in London, when the immense building was packed to its. last inch by a magnificent meeting of the Catholic men of the metropolis. It holds, when filled as it was on Saturday night, close on 11,000, but had it been several times larger it would not have contained all who desired to be present, the result being that many thousands had to becontent with "waiting outside, and cheering the Papal Legate, and. other leading dignitaries as they arrived and departed. Not only was the meeting large, but it "was enthusiastic almost beyond description, and it is doubtful if in all its history the famous building ever resounded to such cheering as was heard within.it on that occasion. The reception accorded to Cardinal Vannutelli was almost frantic in its fervor, and repeatedly during the evening the vast audience broke into loud and sustained outbursts, of .cheers.

The chair was taken by the" Cardinal Legate, who was accompanied on "the platform by Cardinals Logue, Mercier, and Ferrari, and a large number of Bishops. When the cheering which greeted his arrival had subsided, Cardinal Vannutelli .requested Archbishop Bourne to conduct the proceedings on his behalf: - " Speech of the Archbishop of Westminster. - The Archbishop, who was most warmly greeted, said : Before we proceed- with the business of the evening I have an announcement to make which will be a source of pain and surprise to you all. On Thursday . last I received private intimation from the Prime Minister deprecating the procession to be held on Sunday. (Loud and angry cries of ' Shame.') I must ask you (he continued), please, to listen to my statement without interruption — and advocating its abandonment. . I replied* at once that I could not act upon a private intimation of- this kind, and Mr. Asquith answered that his communication was purely confidential and must not be published. I insisted that, if.- any change were needed at this late hour, he must take the responsibility of making me a public request to that effect. I quote my message to him sent last night: 'Prime Minister ,. Slams Castle, Port Errol, Aberdeenshire, — Having considered your communication, I have decided to abandon ceremonial, "of which 'you question legality, provided that you authorise me to state publicly that Idoso at your request. You must recognise the extreme urgency and delicacy of the position in which you have placed me. — Archbishop, Westminster.' This "morning he replied as follows : ' Archbishop, Archbishops--' House, Westminster, London, — Your telegram received last night r too late to answer. ' Since your Grace refers matter to ' our- judgment, I have to say that his Majesty's Government are of opifiion that it would be better in the interests of order and good feeling that the proposed ceremonial, the legality of which is open to question, should not take place. They much regret the inconvenience and # djsappointment which its abandonment may cause. — Asquith.' -I-. at once made answer : ' Prime Minister, Slams Castle, Port Errol, — Have received your telegram. All elements of^eccie|iastical ceremonial shall In defe/ence to 3'our wish as^Eejgite-";.. Minister be eliminated from procession. Cardinals and Bishops will walk in full Court dress of their respective ranks. Expect Government to ensure all comfort and courtesy to oiir^ honored guests. Must, of course, explain fully and publicly the reason for the change of arrangements. — Archbishop Westminster.'. I ■ have, therefore (continued the Archbishop), the duty of asking their Eminences and their Lordships to proceed to the Cathedral to-morrow afternoon, not directly, but by the route marked out for the procession, dressed in cassock, rochet, and mantelletta or other garment of their proper rank. The ceremonial procession will take place within the Cathedral walls, and Benediction will be given to the multitudes who cannot enter from the balcony of the Cathedral. I trust that I shall in this way satisfy to some extent the legitimate desire of thousands of our people to have some part in the Congress, and at the same time avoid any action, the legality of which might be called into, question, even by the most captious and capricious. I ask our people to accept the arrangement with the 'loyalty and' respect which are due both to their ecclesiastical superiors and to the civil authorities, and to refrain from any action which might be wanting in dignity or self-restraint. As a loyal Englishman, still more as a Catholic striving in all things to be obedient to our faith, I feel it my duty to conform myself to the publicly expressed wishes of the Constitutional authorities, but I am not prepared to submit to the bigoted dictation of the Protestant Alliance or any similar society. (Great cheering.) I trust that when all the circumstances are known you will approve of the action I have taken. ••' I ought in justice to say that up to this very moment I. have complete assurance from the police that no danger was to be apprehended from even the' ceremonial .aspects of the contemplated procession, and I desire to place on record my appreciation of the courtesy and consideration shown to us throughout by the authorities and metropolitan police. (Cheers.) Also, so : far as I am aware, no protest of any kind has been received from any person living on the line of route chosen Jor the procession. I have only one two words to -add^iX want all the other arrangements of the ■ procession to go- on. as before. I want our people to go to do honor to the "representative of the Holy See, to receive his blessing, God's grace in -their hearts, and that of the other Prelates who honor us by their presence in our midst, and although it is not permitted to us to carry with us ,our Divine Master, I hope and trust that those present, by -the sentiments of their hearts, and by-the fervor of their singing, will make not only the Cathedral, but the whole of Westminster,' one great sanctuary of the most Blessed Sacrament. - - 1

Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Cardinal Mercier then proposed the following resolution :—: — ' This nineteenth International Eucharistic Congress pledges all -who assist at it to promote by every means in their power solid and earnest devotion to the • Blessed Sacrament of the Altar according to the mind and teaching of the Holy Catholic Church.' The resolution was seconded by the Archbishop of Glasgow, and carried by acclamation. The .Cardinal Legate then read in Italian a telegram which he had received " from Cardinal Merry Del Val, expressing the Holy Father's satisfaction on receiving the Legate's account of the successful opening of the Congress and the resolution of devotion to the Holy See passed at the Albert Hall meeting on Thursday night. Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Archbishop of Tuam, who was received with a most enthusiastic welcome, moved the second resolution, as follows : — ' This International Eucharistic Congress proclaims the unalterable fidelity of all its members to the Apostolic See and their desire to conform themselves in all things to the instructions of the Holy Father.' This was also carried by acclamation. High Mass at Westminster Cathedral. .Sunday's ceremonies began with the celebration of Pontifical High Mass at Westminster Cathedral. Writing of the scene within the Cathedral, the Daily Telegraph said : ' Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. ' . And very eagerly they went up yesterday morning, with resolute faces and a determined will. It might have been, said of Westminster Cathedral just then that all nations were flowing unto it. Certainly many peoples were represented in that ever-increasing and excited crowd. The tongues of France and Germany, of Italy and Spain, were audible as one passed along, and it would not have been very surprising had strangers ' from the parts of Libya about Cyrene ' declared themselves. But against this variety may be set a respect in which there was no difference at all. The multitude were unanimous in striving to enter in at the strait gate, and their struggle was made with might and main. They were no respecters of persons. Priests of many orders and grades ; women with mantillas, which are awkward things in a crowd ; young men and maidens, old men, children — there they were, pushing and struggling towards the doors ; while some good fellows of the Metropolitan Police, when a weak person was in difficulties, plunged to the rescue. — The occasional sermon was preached by Cardinal Gibbons, of Baltimore. THE PROCESSION. Fortunately for the procession in the afternoon the weather was fine and mild. Soon after noon the multitude began to gather. The people came from all parts of the Metropolis, s some as guilds and confraternities, with banners, and others arriving in groups by crowded brakes, omnibuses, and tramcars. A very considerable proportion were foreigners, easily discernible " by dress, visage, or tongue. 'The Temperance League of the Cross, a body of men, drew up outside the Cathedral door as a guard of honor, a battalion _of cadets ranged themselves on the left side of the street as a juvenile guard after awakening the echoes of Westminster with their bugles. The B division of Metropolitan Police held all the lines, with strong reserves at the corners and openings where disturbance and disorder might possibly arise. Bands of young men with white - and yellow armlets constituted themselves a further but needless reserve at supposed points of danger. At 2.15 the centres of thoroughfares which were to be traversed by the procession were cleared by the constables, more by persuasion than force, but, the streets not being very wideand the crowds being very dense, there was a good deal of squeezing before the necessary space could be obtained. Everything was in order and in readiness for the procession long before it started. The time of -waiting was beguiled by the singing of hymns and the chanting of the '.Aye Maria by a great battalion of young men, members of the various choirs of guilds, who were marshalled to the-east of the sacred edifice in readiness to bring up the rear of the procession, and by various confraternities largely composed of foreigners, who stood to the west . side, ■ ready to head it. It was a quarter to four when the procession of ecclesiastics issued from the great door of the Cathedral, First came, bareheaded, a great body of Regular clergy gf the Jesuit and other Orders, who having, it was stated,- been forbidden to wear their distinctive habits, carried them over their arms in protest, and

were attired in ordinary clerical garb. Then came the secular clergy, who wore surplices over their cassocks, and were also bareheaded. Next followed a long train of foreign Abbes and Cures in soutannes and buckled shoes, carrying their shovel hats in their hands. With them marched some of the Benedic- ■ tines in black habits, followed by .Dominicans robed in white. They were succeeded by the Monsignori, domestic prelates or Chamberlains of the Pope -in purple, and after an interval .there appeared the Cathedral acolytes in white, and the . Cathedral Chapter. A much noted group of Byzantine clerics followed in black robes, with black, square, broad-topped hats, from which depended backwards some drapery of the same sombre color over their "shoulders. They were heavily-bearded, swarthy men, like nearly all the Greek clergy. , .Large , pectoral .crosses of gold adorned their breasts/ Next appeared the. Bishops -and Archbishops in their resplendent robes of purple, with their birettas, walking t^K by two, and then four Cardinal Logue, Cardinal Mercier, Cardinal Gibbons, - and Cardinal Ferrari. Cheer after cheer had greeted these augu§£,_dignitaries from thousands of throats,- but all these acclamations were outdone when the Pope!s Legate, appeared. He stood for an instant in the doorway, as if awed by the multitudinous shout, glanced around at the crowded streets, windows, and roofs, removed his biretta in a bow of acknowledgment, replaced it on his head, and then descended the steps, blessing the people with both hands. All who could find space for genuflexion, dropped on their knees before his uplifted right hand, while , cheer succeeded cheer as the tall, red-robed figure proceeded : with stately step and benignant smile on his circuit of the densely - packed streets. A number of Catholic noblemen and gentlemen acted as bodyguard to the Legate, namely, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Ashburnham, the Earl of Gainsboro, Viscount Gormanston, Viscount Southwell, Lord North, Lord Clifford, Lord Louth, Lord Edmund Talbot, Admiral l^ord Walter Kerr, Lord Vivian Stuart, Hon. Walter Constable Maxwell", and the Hon. Richard Preston. A train of ushers and officials followed them, -and then the white-robed Guilds, chanting the ' Aye Maria,' and singing hymns. ' Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all,' ' Sweet Sacramen.t Divine,' ' Hail, Jesus,' and ' God bless our Pope* were th« favorites. The clergy, especially the foreigners, found themselves at home with ' Tantum Ergo ' and ' Adoremus,'- and the singing seemed generally in unison. The route was a many-angled one. Starting from the Cathedral, the "procession proceeded up Ashley Place, and struck southwards by Carlisle Place for some distance. Then it turned sharply eastward and southwards " by New Place and north-west-ward by Rochester Row; from there it proceeded round two corners by Artillery Row into Howick Place, thence westward again, and next southward by Artillery Gardens, and southward by Ambrosden Avenue, returning to Ashley Place again, where it came to the Cathedral. Many of the houses along the course of these tho roughfares were . Decorated- with Flags and Festoons ; but the finest display of all was outside the Convent of the Sisters of Charity- in Carlisle Place. There was no serious mishap at any point. An occasional ' boo ' from some protester was soon drowned in cheering; and an occasional rush toobtain a better place was quickly countered by the police. Inside the church, the' procession, which was shorn of so much of its ceremonial outside, was performed in its entirety. The Papal Legate and his suite lost no time in assuming vestments, and the Host was carried in" solemn procession through the sacred building in the order" originally arranged for outside ; but not to disappoint the thousands outside who desired to take part in the ceremony, arrangements were made that Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament should be given to the people outside from the balconies over the great door. An altar was erected % on the balcony, and after the procession inside,, his Eminence, accompanied *by the Cardinals and the Archbishop "of Westminster and a bodyguard of Catholic peers' of the-realm, proceeded thence, and here a scene took place' which for impresssiveness has probably rarely been equalled in--this country in modern •times. A general salute by the buglers of the Catholic, Boys* Brigade announced the arrival of the Cardinal and his suite. A hush fell on those below, and at a signal the multitude sang the • Tantum Ergo.' Kneeling at the altar, his Eminence insensed the Blessed Sacrament, and in solemn silence he carried the Host to a forum, at each side of which floated the Papal flag and the Union Jack. Standing, there in his vestments of white and gold, the Cardinal Legate elevated the Host on- all sides to the worshippers below, the majority of whom stood

bareheaded and in a devotional ..attitude. Then an extraordinary incident took place. As if to give vent to their pent-up feelings, the huge crowd below broke the silence usually accompanying this ceremony by a wild outburst of cheering. Commanded to silence, they still insisted on this unusual demonstration, and" a little hissing only served to foster the cheering, which speedily drowned the meagre counter demonstration. The Cardinal Legate then proceeded to give the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at each side of the great portal to give everybody an opportunity of taking part in the ceremonial. His Eminence and suite .then went inside the Cathedral, and again a scene of great impressiveness was enacted. By this time twilight was darkening into night, and the sombre shadows in the, Byzantine building thrown by the faint twilight that stole through' the windows and the flashes of electric lamps that dimly lighted up the aisles gave an added solemnity. A soft voluntary from the organ, the music of which hardly reached the extremity of its precincts, was a fitting accompaniment to the renewed Procession of the Host, which again marched through the building. His Eminence knelt at the High Altar, tl/e marbles of which were illuminated by half a hundred candles, surrounded by Cardinals in their scarlet robes and Archbishops and Bishops' in appropriate vestments, each carrying a candle. The choir^sang a Gregorian 'Te Deum,' and as his Eminence gave the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to a kneeling congregation the choristers rendered the ' Tantum Ergo.' The Cardinal Legate then gave his blessing, and the ceremony ended. The crowds outside waited for the breaking up of the congregation, and then dispersed without further incident. Reception at Arundel. The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk entertained at a reception at Arundel Castle on Monday some seven hundred guests the majority of whom were visitors to England for the Eucharistic Congress. The principal guest was the Papal Legate, who was received at Arundel Station by the Duke of Norfolk. Cardinal Vannutelli travelled with the Archbishop of Westminster and Cardinal Gibbons, and was accorded a warm welcome by people who had gathered at the station. Many who had obtained permits, for that part of the platform beside which the Legate's saloon was standing knelt to receive his Eminence's blessing as he passed. s In the course of conversation Cardinal. Vannutelli said he thought the action of the Government, in causing a modification of Sundays proceedings had 5n all probability done the Catholic cause no harm, but rather good, seeing it had evoked sympathy on all hands. He was very gratified to see that the tone of the London press generally in regard^ the matter took this direction His Eminence subsequently drove through the town in a landau, with postillions and an outrider, to the Castle, -being warmly cheered en route. The children of the Catholic Elementary Schools of Arundel and district were assembled in the Castle grounds in processional dress, and received the Legate's blessing. Among others present were Cardinals Gibbons, Logue and Ferrari and the Archbishops of Westminster, Paris, Utrecht o^TS' f^ 1 . Hobart, Aquila, and Ephesus ; the Bishops of Valleyfield, Cork, Northampton, Southwark, San Carlos Dancua Middlesbro', Strasburg, Salford, Scissons, Autun iS more, Auckland, Bruges, Ballarat, Newport, Vendrai, Langnes Llsmore and Cebri; Prince Max of Saxony, Earl o Ashbun! ham and Lady C. Ashburnham, Lord Louth, Lady Margaret Domville, S,r Pyers and Lady Mostyn, Sir John Ross of bS burg Sir John and Lady Kniil, Sir Charles and Lady Cuffe Admiral and Mrs. Whyte, Prince Ferdinand de Coy Comte Henry Danville, Viscomte Di Pare and Baron Baude. MibW t nd g S re^hal, m ** "* <«"*™* -re served^ SUCCESS OF THE CONGRESS. nP rJf c T'l 0 " 8 ° f thG VSriOUS Prdates and ecclesiastics connected with the great and memorable Eucharistic Congress iust wards. Cardinals, Archbishop,, Bishops,' and ,h To, *' ,„ Zl eral are graced to the fullest possible extent at the toLty and devotion shown by their HnH- w^u • loyalty and

pected interference at the eleventh hour with the procession which haS previously been sanctioned. That ..which was to have been the glorious termination of the most" successful Eucharistic Congress ever held had perforce to be abandoned. The properly-constituted authorities had so willed and ordered ; therefore the grief-stricken Catholics were provided with an unhappy opportunity of showing their respect for law and order. The Archbishop of Westminster had counselled them in public as. to their duty as loyal citizens, and' his followers accepted the advice without reserve. A greater disappointment could -lot possibly have been experienced by those taking part in the Congress. With that one great exception, the affair has been a huge ' success. Considered from a Catholic standpoint, " the response to the appeal of the Pope to pay homage and adoration to the Blessed Sacrament was prompt and decided. There can be no two opinions as to the fidelity of "Catholics to their religion. How deeply their principles are inculct ed and the warmth with which they are cherished have both been made manifest by the marvellous success of the Congress. The final disappointment was in no way the -fault of any of those taking part in the Congiess, and the opinions here quoted are quite exclusive of tfie heartburnings caused by the- action of the Prime Minister. A prelate from afar, the Right Dr. Lenihan, Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand, was~enthusiastic in his praise, of the Congress, its organisation and general success. He marvelled at the numbers who had taken' part, and" attributed the success achieved to 'the Blessed Eucharist being the life of 'the people, their faith, consolation, and joy. The procession of the children was most gratifying to him. ' Never,' said he, ' will those who walked in it forget the day when as children they marched in procession to honor Our Blessed Lord in the Holy Eucharist. - There may come a timeovhen some of them will- incline to irreligion and ncgligence^ut tlie memory of- that day of days will serve to remind them "in 'after life 5 of their duty to God and of His Church.'