The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-09-03
EUCHARIST CONGRESS

EUCHARIST CONGRESS
Oh september 8, the first Eucharist
congress Of the Roman Catholic
church ever held on this continent
VIII assemble in Montreal ana for
nine days will deliberate on nrohIene
OF the church. From a. clerical noint
OF view the event will be the most
important in the history of Montreal
rom ali parts of the world will come
ueiesates and visitors. and there can
De hltle doubt that thousands of Wis
l.oIs oraWn by the prospect OF a gor-
seous spectacle will attend. To cal
culate the mere numbers is very diff
cult, but already accommodation has
peeh arranged in the religious insti-
tutlons Of the city for two thousand
priests. Other thousands will go TO
the hotels or be billeted upon the
IalthfuL Preparations are being
MADE to receive about $4,000 visitors
Many Distinguished Churchmen.
EVERY important and devout Roman
Cathollc in the country Law and &C.
cieslastcal, will be invited to attend.
rom Rome viii come Cardinal Van
nutelh, the representative of. the
POPE, and from ireland. Cardinal
Logue will come This cultured
priest paid a visit to New York a wear
or so ago and on his departure hun
dreds of his faith fell on their knees
to receive his blessing. Cardinal
Logue is acknowledged to be proba-
bly, the most distinguished English
speaking Roman Catholic in the
world. The mere enumeration of the
cardinals, archbishops and bishops
who will attend would fill a newsnaner
column, and the opportunity to merely
see so many distinguished church.
men should draw the curious and the
plouS from all parts of the country
When they are to be seen in the per-
romance of some of the most i'm
pressive ceremonies of their church.
the background probably the most ia
nous fortress of Roman Catholicism
outside of Italy. the occasion may
well be considered as one of the most
memorable in modern church history.
A Citadel of Roman Catholicism.
Montreal naturally is deeply con-
scious of the compliment done her by
the selection Of that city as the scene
of the twenty-second congress. With
the exception of 1893, when it was
held in Jerusalem, the fathers of the
church had never ventured awav from
Europe. 1t was felt, therefore that
the time had come when some spe. cial
recognition of American Roman Cath
olicism should be made. Here there
were conflicting claims On the one
hand stood the vast Roman Catholic
of the United States out
numbering the similar population of
Canada by probably ten to one. On
the other hand, there was to be con-
sidered the fact that in Canada dwell
the strongest of all adherents to the
Roman Catholic faith, namely, the
A little investiga-
ton showed that the Roman Catholics
of the United States would have no
to the choice of Montreal, |
and this fact was laid before the Pom |
tiff by Archbishop Bruchesi, with the |
result that Montreal was honored.
Some Impressive Features.
The first three days of the congress
will be occupied by the ceremonial of |
the distinguished prelates, |
the most important of these prelimina-
ries occurring on Saturday, September |
3, when Cardinal Vannutelli, the Pa |
pal legate, arrives. He will land on !
the BonsecOurs wharf where Mason |
neuve gave thanks to the Virgin for
his victories, and where many another |
ancient worthy made triumphal entry |
TO the city. The official opening will |
take place on Tuesday in st. James |
and on the following day |
there will be a great civic reception tc |
Cardinal Vannutelli in the city hall. !
Two of the most impressive features |
Of the congress will be the mass sung
at midnight on Thursday in the /
Church of Notre Dame, and the pom
tifical high mass on Friday in the |
open air at the altar specially built al
the foot of Mount Royal.
Two Great Churches.
In Notre Dame and st. James
Montreal has two churches not I'M
worthy of the traditions of the con-
gress. he latter, as is we'll known. is
atm exact reproduction, one-third |
size, of St. Peters at Rome. Notre
Dame is the largest and finest church
On this continent, and is classed
lmong the most imposing in the world.
It has a seating capacity of $1,000,
and on the occasion of its farfamed
Horshippers are present. The church
vas built from plans drawn by
lanes ODonnerl the famous Irish,
and its acoustic properties
ire probably unmatched among the
worlds greatest cathedrals. In its nine
,hapels and affairs are to be found
priceless relics and paintings while
he great altar is a masterpiece of
Byzantine art. The congress will be
divided into French and English sec
ions for the hearing and discussion
If papers by some of the most emil
lent lay and clerical scholars of the
Main and Express.