Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-16
CATHOLICS IN SESSION
Archbishop QuigIey Welcomes
Missionary Congress.
PRAISE FOR PROPAGANDA
Mgr. Falconio Pronounces Pope's
Blessing on Assembly.
FOREIGN MISSIONS DISCUSSED
Meetings Mark Epoch of Church in
America-Change From Mission
to Heirarchical Unit.
FOREIGN MISSIONS DISCUSSED

| CHICAGO, November 16-In the pres
ence of archbishops, bishops, mitered alb
bots and priests, and a multitude of lay
men, the first session of the first Roman
Catholic Missionary Congress in this
country opened today in the First Regi-
ment Armory.
! To the communicates who thronGed the
! assembly room the occasion had an
added significance from the fact that it
marks the passing of the church in
America for the position of mission
field to equality with the nations organ
| lied as herarchCal unities in the Roman
| Catholic Church.
| The morning. session, presided over by
Archbishop Qu:cley of Chicago. was de-
voted to foreign missions, and was pre-
ceded by an opening chorus by the
students of the Cathedral College.
In his address of welcome to the visit
ing delegates who represent practically
| every parish and church in the United
States and Canada. Archbishop Quigley
outlined the reason and object of the
missionary congress- declaring the event
marks change in the church in Amer ca
from missionary conditions to full share
In the activities of tie church and should
crystalline the missionary spirit in the
clergy and people.
Missions Under Propaganda.
Tracing the history of the missionary
work of the church. Archbishop Quigley
told of the countless ramificatons by
which the congregation of the propaganda,
the body under which the church in
America has heretofore worked. has sent
its missionaries into all parts of the world
and planted the standard OF the church in
strange lands, as well as caring for the
faithful in countries which had laps Il
from thc rule Of Rome.
! In his closing paragraphs the arch
bishop paid tribute to the work OF the
congregation OF the propaganda in TIL
! United States and Canada. saying:
| 1T found the present territory OF the
| United States a hundred years ago a mere
outpost of civilization. 1t cared for the
infant church and breathed new life into
it, never despairing of its glorious future,
| through century of expansion IN
paralieled in the history OF the religious
world.
| Whatever the Catholic Church is in
America today--and it is something-it
owes, under God. to this sacred congre-
| CATION de propaganda fide.
In his addr SIS of welcome special en-
phasiS was laid by the archbishop on
he presence of Most Rev. Dionede Fail
COMO, Archbishop OF Larissa, and spe-
c!al legate OF the Pope Plus Y.
Pope's Blessing Conferred.
Archbishop Falconio delivered an ad-
dress in which he pronounced the blessing
o. Pope Plus x on all taking part in the
congress and predicted a glorious growth
for the church under the new conditions.
Papers were read by Right Rev. Joseph
| Freri, Del. of New York, director gen.
| eral for the United States of the Society
| Tor he Propagation of the Faith: by the
Very Rev. John Williams. C.S. Sp., Pitts
| burg director general for the Uni ed
States OF the Association of the Holy
Childhood, and the Very Rev. A. f..
Burke, president of the Catholic Church
| Extension Society of Canada.
| The presentation of papers was followed
| by a general discussion of the subjec,
| of foreign missions.