The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-09-16
THE GREAT EUCHARISTIC
CONGRESS.
All Sections of the World Will
Be Represented.

The eyes OF the Catholic world will be
turned from now until the close Of Sep
TENDER toward Montreal, the S.. Law
renee. Quebec and the shrine Of S. Anne
de Beaupre. Montreal, the Rome of
Amerca, Is 10 Be the scene OF the Worlds
Eucharistic Congress. and Cardinal Glib
bons, as the head and front OF the Cath
ole Church in America. will be one OF
the most prominent figures OF the con-
gress. Cardinal Gibbons represents more
literally than any other ecclesiastic Of the
church the democracy OF which, in Cathol-
iciSm, he IS the leader, and his views in
the settlement Of questions peculiar to
American affairs will be of immense I'M
portance in the convention Of clerics.
The representation at the congress will
be the most comprehensive in the church's
history. For one thing, the church, in
its many countries, has been brought
closer together by international relations.
the wide opening OF commerce and the
great dependence OF one people upon
another thousands Of miles away. Today
there are transportation facilities such as
have never before been possible, and
delegates 10 the congress will be carried
by train. boat and trolley over roads
A-AANA4 AAOA - A-4Gl4N ACLdt4CS G&O were
beaten and worn with the Flooding foot
prints OF thousands in weary pilgrimage.
From the train windows the journeyers
to the Worlds Eucharistic Congress will
see the very roads over which these pill
gr1mages toiled, and al some points the
railroad crossties are laid exactly over
the footprints OF earlier devotees. Some
OF the points are marked for the Benefit
OF tourists So great IS the modern pill
grinage that railroad line from Quebec
to ST. Anne de Beaupre. past the magnifi-
cent Montmoreacy falls, IS maintained
almost exclusively for those VINO go to
throw their burdens al the feet OF the
Mother Of Mary. Tourist business over
this road IS negligible. It is maintained
by the patronage OF pilgrims.
While the big congress will be held in
81. James Cathedral and Nore Dame.
Montreal, there will be many side trips
down the St. Lawrence and pigrimages
to St Anne de Beaupre, the shrine which
has attracted pilgrims from all over the
world. This wonderful place Of story
and legend. where hundreds OF cripples
and invalids have left their clutches and
medicines behind after devotions and
sacrifices, was erected on the faith of
sailors who, IN the sixteenth century.
vowed that if they were saved from ship
wreck they would build an altar to Anne,
the Mother OF Mary. They kept their
pledge. The original church has been
reconstructed, and in it are many relics
OF the first shrine. The main shrine is a
wonderful structure, and on any day halt
the benches may be seen taken by pill
grlms, while scores kneel at the altar and
Others form in line to drink the water.
clear from the springs of good ST Anne
The atmosphere OF Montreal. Quebec
and the villages farther north than the
northernmost big city OF the Canadian
provinces IS vibrant with religious fervor.
Peasants walk the streets counting their
beads; sturdy habitants say their PRAYERS
as they drive in from their farms or shoot
the Lachine Rapids, or long along the
swift waters Of the St Lawrence; priests
and brothers. monks and nuns. habiied
as they are elsewhere, seen only in his
torlc picture. go their solitary ways among
the people, Consecrated and apart; tales
OF miracle and visitation are rs current as
ordinary conversation. and in this part OF
Canada are conserved ali the lore and
legend of the days when the church ruled
the world and most of the religious prac-
tee was the chief business OF mankind.