Pope Pius XII and the Ottawa Marian Congress

Welcoming from Cardinal McGuigan, Representative of Pope Pius XII

My dear friends in Jesus Christ

I am happy to be this medium of addressing all who have come to take part in this National Congress and to represent a great act of Divine Movement. It is God and God alone whom we worship in all the religious events of this Marian Congress. Every honor and every tribute paid to Mary is because she is the mother of Jesus Christ, the Divine Son of God. Devotion to Mary is still today as it has ever been a mighty witness, which maintains belief in the Divinity of Christ.

The Gospel of St. Luke tells us, how 1900 years ago a young girl climbed a mountain to visit her cousin in the city of Judea, and her cousin was filled with the Holy Ghost and cried out to her visitor: "Blessed art thou among women and blest is the fruit of thy womb." And Mary, for such was the young girl's name, replied: "My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid, for behold from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed."

Our National Marian Congress is one more fulfillment of that prophecy., Mary is called blessed in her Divine Motherhood and even more in the virtues which by God's Grace adorned her soul so that she might be worthy to play her part in the Incarnation and Redemption. Mary, alone among human creatures represents moral perfection. We say with Wordsworth:


" Mother whose virgin was uncrost with the least shade of thought to sin allied woman, above all women glorified Our tainted nature's solitary boast"

The honor paid to Mary has reflected on all of her sex. It inspired all that is was best in the ideals of chivalry and it has rescued woman from the contempt and degradation which it was her sad lot to experience under paganism.
Dying on the Cross our Divine Lord gave Mary to His beloved disciple John to be his mother. St. John there represented us all. She is our Mother. She is still intercessor for us as she interceded with her Son for the host at the marriage feast of Cana. Our Lord, though His time had not yet come then worked a miracle in answer to her prayer. We hope that our prayers at the Marian Congress will move Mary to intercede with her Son to save the world from evils that threaten it., and to bless Canada and all nations with a just and lasting peace

Wishing you God's abundant blessing, I am, very devotedly, yours in Christ
James C Cardinal McGuiganLegate of His Holiness to the Ottawa CongressArchbishop of Toronto