The Ottawa Journal, 20 June 1947, Page 11

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Pope Says Congress Memorable In Proud Annals of Canada .VATICAN CITY, June 20. (CT) following is the text of radio speech in. English given yesterdayby Pope Pius to the Marian Congress at Ottawa: Beloved Children in Christ ' Jesus: You have opened a Congress in the proud annals of your country" . This is not the first time that Canadian skies have been pierced by beams of praise to honor her whom the King of Kings has wished to honor. More than three centuries, ago Mary's sweet name was given to river and lake, to mountain' peak and bay' in your land, and devotion to her most pure heart 'was sanctifying the family hearths. ' A .first settlement might be little more than a "few rough cabins along the lower banks of the river, but a chapel was there dedicated to God to honor the Immaculate conception of Mary. Other brave spirits came up the nver and their city was to be Mary's own: Their battle cry was: "Ave Purissima" But those early champions of Mary's honor to the glory of her Son for all their adventuresome fervor could never have imagined the scene that Canada presents today. " In the national Capital before most eminent representative of Church and State thousands have come with their faith in Canada's rich heritage from Old France and to rededicate to Mary Immaculate the country that they love and with whose future are bound up the happiness and welfare of their children and children's children.

Tribute to Archbishop Vachon. With keen joy we feel conscious of our own presence in your midst in the person of our Cardinal Legate Archbishop Vachon. The devoted shepherd, had an inspiration when he planned to commemorate the centenary of the Diocese of Ottawa by the Marian Congress whose sessions and liturgical functions would help you to know better and love more the many creations of your glory and whose crowning act would be the consecration of all, town, city and province, to Mary the Mother of God. Mother of Cod", what an Ineffable title! The grace of the divine maternity is the key which opens up to weak human scrutiny the untold riches of Mary's soul . She alone by her dignity transcends heaven and earth. None among created beings visible or invisible can compare with her in excellence. She is at once the handmaiden and the Mother of Cod a virgin and yet a mother, But when the little Maid of Nazareth answered the message Of the angel' and the word was made flesh in her womb, she became not only the Mother of God in the physical order of nature but. also, in "the supernatural order of grace she became the mother of all, who through the "holy- spirit" would be made one under the head of her Divine Son. - The mother of the head would be the mother of the members. The, mother of the vine would be the mother of the branches. Our love of Mary prompts us to dwell for a space in prayerful meditation with you beloved, but time will not permit us. You will ponder them in your hearts ' and grace which- are beginning for you. - Take Courage Let the sin-laden soul take courage 'and know that a mother's heart filled with mercy is pleading with her Divine Son for the needed grace of repentance and forgiveness. Let growing youth of both sexes know that a loving mother's eyes are always on them. No path of circumstance is hidden from her anxious care.' Go forward then with determination, O dear young men and young women, and vindicate the glory of your Immaculate Mother. In the face of a vicious world prove that young hearts can still be chaste. And oh, how .much depends on the genuine active Catholicity of the home!' We rejoice O most Pure. One, Mother of God, in the holy desires and resolutions of thy children of Canada. They are thine, they wish to cling ever to thy guiding hand. Protect them under the wlngs of thy affection and mercy. Defend them against the peril that threatens the human family and menaces especially those who wish to be faithful to thy Son and His Church. As a pledge of these precious blessings beloved children and as token of our paternal affection, to you and to all who take part in this congress and who have assisted in its preparation we impart the apostolic benediction.

Presentation of Religious Drama Draws 6,500 at Two Performances Attendance figures for yesterday's presentation of the religious drama, "Jesus, Son of Mary", at the Auditorium, reached 8,500, Marian Congress officials reported last night. The evening attendance remained on the same level as on the previous night, when close to 5,500 persons crowded into the Argyle street arena. In the afternoon, however 1.000 adults. some of them accompanied by children, viewed the sparkling penormance as against 4,000 enthusiastic Separate school children on Wednesday. Congress officials attributed Thursday afternoon's slump to widely - circulated rumors that seats were completely sold out and impossible to obtain. The Journal was informed that "plenty of good seats" were still available for the remaining performances this week. In both matinee and evening presentations, however, "the play was the thing" for the pageant's producers, the Cathesplan Guild ot Montreal, one of the foremost organizations promoting the Catholic drama revival in Canada. Fourteen glittering scenes depicted the passion play, with each tableau showing author-director Paul Gury's efforts to "give the Blessed Virgin due honor and show forth her real role in the Passion of Christ". Technical difficulties that detracted from the acting the first night were, In the main, solved yesterday. Lighting and sound effects were well co-ordinated, though the public address system was not quite satisfactory. Perhaps the most interested spectator at the matinee performance, was Miss Ann Roblin, an invalid, who saw the passion play from a bed placed in the front row. Expressing a keen desire to see" this Marian Congress event, she was taken from her home, at 38 Grove avenue, to the Auditorium. "Jesus, Son of Mary", will be given afternoon and evening performances in French today, Saturday and Sunday. '

Spectacle at Midnight Mass Is One of Great in the early hours this morning, a day of the Congress devoted especially to reparation began with midnight masses at the Repository and in the Peace Chapel at Lansdowne Park. Although the evening had been damp, the night grew bright and clear, with stars rivalling the flickering flames of the altar candles. In beauty, the spectacle far exceeded any ceremony previously seen in the Capital, and rivalled anything ever presented in the Dominion. Of the seven Princes of the Church attending the Congress, three attended the midnight mass chanted at the Repository by Most Rev. .Ildebrando Antonlutti, Archbishop of Synnade, Apostolic Delegate to Canada and Newfoundland. One of these, Cardinal McGuigan, Archbishop of Toronto, celebrated a low mass at midnight In the Peace Chapel which ended In time for him to take his place among the hierarchy at the Repository.

The others were Cardinal Tisserant of Rome and Cardinal Stritch of Chicago. Just at midnight, to the music of chimes, the lengthy procession of the officiating clergy preceded by the cardinals, archbishops and bishops, wound its way from the east side of the Respository, down the aisles through the congregation and back up to the magnificent white and scarlet altar. Among the prelates was MarIvanios, Archbishop ot Trivandrum, India, resplendent in flowing robes of white silk with a huge black velvet collar and wearing a crown of scarlet and gold shaped like the' dome of a Russian cathedral, and around his neck a gold chain from which hung the heavy gold cross of this office. .

Then came the cardinals with their brilliant robes with lengthy trains, and escorted by guards in traditional medieval costumes and plumed hats. They were followed by the officiating clergy and the Apostolic Delegate. - At the end walked a guard. of 100 Fourth Degree Imembers ' of the Knights of Columbus of the Ottawa, and Hull Assemblies. They proceeded up the centre aisle to the white steps of the Repository ' covered . with red carpet The white altar was hung with red curtains, and the officiating clergy wore vestments of cloth-of-gold. : The Apostolic : Delegate was assisted at the altar by Msgr. G. D. Prnd'homme, pastor of St Patrick's Church, as archpriest; Rev. Father Mayor, of St Benedictine, Ont. as deacon; and Rev. D. D. MaeDonald. of St Theresa's Church as sabdeacon. Monslgnor Moran, vicar-general of Montreal diocese, was assistant to the Cardinal Legate. The sermons were delivered by Most Rev. Philippe Desranleau, Bishop of Sherbrooke, in French, and in English by His Eminence Samuel Alphonsus Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago. Cardinal Stritch stressed the importance of basing peace on the principles of justice and charity if it were to endure. He reiterated the theme of the Marian Congress, to seek Divine guidance in creating a lasting peace, and asked the people to pray Incessantly for that object ' Just after 'the Gospel of the mass, Many priests began to give out Communion, at the communion tables in front of each block of seats. For the service 50,000 hosts were consecrated. The vast crowd of communicants was so efficiently handled that the Communion was finished Just after the Consecration. During the Communion, Raoul Jobin, Metropolitan Opera tenor, sang a liturgical "Ave Maria", and at the end of mass the beautiful "Panis Angellcus''. After mass the people crowded about the altar steps for a closer glimpse of the Princes of the Church, and knelt for the blessing given by the Cardinals and archbishops as they left the altar. . The next problem was how to get home. Street cars allowed people to board them only in front of the park, and empty street cars were lined around the loop and over the Bank street bridge, and even along Grove avenue. . At four o'clock this morning the last remnants of the crowd were still leaving the grounds

By special request of Most : Rev.Alexandre Vachon, Archbishop of Ottawa, the Quebec Pontifical Zouaves will form a guard of honor June 22 at the pontifical mass of the Marian Congress in the Dominion Capital. They will also, escort the religious floats during the two processions. The Zouaves, numbering some 2,000 in the province, will bivouac in Bayview Park, near the Ottawa River. They will hold their annual convention there, the first since the Second World War.

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