Pontifical Mass at the Basilica

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3qsuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JtwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6425%2C4231178

Ottawa Canada Thursday June 19, 1947

Voice of Pope Echoes in Vaulted Building during colourful ceremony ( page 1 and 16 ) 

pg.1

Visibly demonstrating the deep humility and reverence of all their followers, regardless of ecclesiastical rank or position, five scarlet clad cardinals stood for more than twenty five minutes in solemn dignity this morning in the Sanctuary of the Basilica, while the Pope's message to the Marian Congress was broadcast from Rome. As His Holiness'  voice was carried throughout the great vaulted Cathedral over a specially installed public address system, the colourful assemblage of cardinals, archbishop, bishops and members of the Monsignori, cam to their feet to hear the Holy Father's words which were uttered in both French and English.

At Landsdowne Park

At Landsdowne Park where another great crowd of  congress pilgrims attended mass and moved about the grounds viewing many religious exhibits, the Pope's message was also heard over loud speakers and the vast park was wrapped in silence throughout the broadcast.

As on Wednesday afternoon when the liturgical reception at the Basilica opened the Marian Congress, crowds again jammed the streets outside the Church long before 9:30 o'clock when the pontifical High Mass chanted by His Excellency Archbishop Vachon, was scheduled to begin.

The five cardinals including His Eminence James Cardinal MacGuigan, Papal Legate, drew up in sleek open cars a few minutes before 9:30AM, and as each moved into the cathedral, people knelt. on the pavements to receive a blessing.

During the solemn celebration of the mass His Eminence the Cardinal Legate occupied the throne on the Gospel side of the altar while directly opposite him sat four other princes of the Roman Catholic Church, their Eminences, Cardinal Stritch, of Chicago, Bettancourt of Havana, Cuba, Frings of Gologne Germany and Mindszanty of Hungary

On the same side of the altar the most Reverend Ildebrando Antoniutti, Apostolic Delegate to Canada and Newfoundland occupied a place of honour.

Archbishop Vachon was assisted by very Reverend Canon R. Limoges as assistant priest with Rev. Father Simon Chartrand as sub-deacon

pg 16

Two sermons were originally scheduled for the mass, one by most Reverend John D'Alton, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland and the second by Most Reverend Norbert Robichaud , Archbishop of Moncton New Brunswick who was to have spoken in French. Archbishop D'Alton's sermon however was the only one delivered as the time scheduled for the Pope's message was almost at hand when the Irish Prelate stepped down from the pulpit.

Archbishop D'alton's was an inspired and touching sermon on Mary, the Mother of God, in which he pleaded for a deeper devotion to the virgin on the part of all Christians. Many baneful influences were tending to undermine the foundations of the Christian families, he said, and home life had been pervaded by the modern spirit of restlessness and indiscipline which was helping to weaken parental authority.

During the ceremonies which lasted until 12 o'clock noon , a special guard of honour composed of Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus stood stiffly at attention in the center aisle of the Cathedral. They formed up in two lines on either side of the aisle when the Cardinal Legate and other dignitaries were leaving after the service. Following the mass a brief informal reception was held in the Archbishop's Palace at which more than 125 Archbishops, Bishops and lesser dignitaries paid homage to Cardinal McGuigan and his four fellow Cardinals.

Thousands of pilgrims to the Congress were at Landsdowne Park this morning, bright and early, and determined to take advantage of the morning sunshine.

Highlight of the morning was the broadcast to all parts of the grounds, through powerful loud speakers, of the special message of His Holiness Pope Pius XII. Unfortunately, transmission was not sharp from Rome and most of the Pontiff's message was blurred.

Those who realized however that this was a special message to the Marian Congress from the Holy Father stopped and listened with reverence . Quite a few priests, nuns and other religiously garbed st down and then kneeled during the latter part of the address.

The climax came when His Holiness bestowed the Papal Blessing. All Catholics who recognized it immediately dropped to their knees and remained kneeling til the AMEN

From the time a person stepped on the street car this morning bound for the Exhibition Grounds and the Congress, the atmosphere was different. In place of the usual early shoppers returning home to the Glebe or Ottawa South, in mid-morning you had a tram full of pilgrims.

There was for instance the Ottawa lady who tried to persuade a German American Catholic that she ought to read an Ottawa French language newspaper. The poor woman could not pronounce the name of the newspaper, let alone read French.

There were the priests and nuns belonging to orders never seen here. Perhaps the most outstanding were the White Fathers of Africa in their white tropical robes with the large red fez hats.

All types in crowd

In the grounds were all kinds of people, from real pilgrims to civil servants playing hockey. You found big business men, nervous people trying to buy hot dogs with too little English and clerks who couldn't make their high school French work. There were the inevitable American tourists whodidn't know what it was all about but came for a look-see .

Underneath the stand the caterer was doing a land office business. The firm fed 50,000 people yesterday and is geared to handle all that can come. Mountains of food, ramparts of pop, rivers of coffee are all there.

Little boys make half a cent a bottle picking up empties. At the counters all items cost 10 cents, and when English is lacking, barter is by finger and pointing.

Workmen with a job to do calmly went about the business of setting the stage for tonight's play in front of the grandstand. They toiled away oblivious to the Pope's speech and occasionally the sound of a hammer drowned the syllables of His Holiness. Thus you had the contrast of pious pilgrims on their knees and shouting labourers trying to get on with the job.