Norwich bulletin., 1916-08-21
Notable Gathering of Roman Catholics
PONTIFICAL HIGH MASS AT ST.
 PATRICK's CATHEDRAL, N. Y.
OVER 5000 IN EDIFICE
Three Princes of the Roman Catholic Church at Opening of Annual Con- vention of American Federation of Catholic Societies.

New York, Aug. 20.-Three princes Of the Roman Catholic church, the apos- tOiC delegate to the United States, the paDaI nunCiO to Brazil scores of bish- ops and other dignitaries several hun dred priests and thousands of laymen participated here today in the ceIe- bratiOn of a solemn pOntificaI high mass at St. Patrick's cathedral. The occasion was the formal opening of the fifteenth annual convention of the American Federation of Catholic so- cIeteS and the siXty-frSt annual con- VentIOn of the National Federation of i German Catholics. Seldom in the his tory of the church has there been so nolaapIe a gathering of ecclesiastics outside of Rome.
 More Than 5000 in Cathedral. It was estimated that more than | 5000 persons crowded into the cathe- dral, while twice as many congregated l ln the streets surrounding the great edit1cc to view the procession which preceded the mass.
 At the opening of the ceremonies i MonsiGnOr Michael J. LaveIle, rector i of the cathedral, read a, message from ] Cardinal Gasparri, papaI secretary of 1 state, in which he said:
 ] Message from PapaI Secretary. 'The holy father will watch with d 1 loving and paternal eye the federation of Catholic societies of the United l States, holding their annual convention i in New York. He sends earnest wishes 1 that their friendly discussions sEAall l accomplish much for the welfare and l honor of the Catholic name in vOlIr ! favored land. And while hoping for ] the most cOnsoIing results from your 1 concord, activity and wisdom, he 1 grants most heartily the apostolic ! benedictiOn to the federation and to all who take part in it."
 Admission Was by Ticket. 
 1 ticket, with reservations in the center { aisle for the lay delegates. American and papal flags were hung above the l cathedral entrance, with great stream CTS Of yellow and white, the rapal col 0rs. suspended from each arch inside High above all the decorations hung the red hat Of the late Cardinal Me i Closkcy, suspended from the arched ceiling over the ChanCeI.
 Three Canopied Thrones.
 Three temporary canopied thrones
 were erected within the chanceI for i Cardinals Gibbons and O'ConneII and Archbishop BOnZanO. the Dapal dele gate to the United States Cardinal
 Farley, who sang the mass, occupied the permanent throne within the chan
 eel.
 Princes Of the Church.
 Each of the princes of the church
 was attended by an assistant priest and i two deacons of honor. The bishops, each attended by two SuTpliced priests, l occupied seats about the thrones. The mCnSiSnOTi remained outside the chan
 seI rail with the Knights of St. Greg : Ory and the uniformed rank of the
 Knights of Columbus.
 Lay Delegates Led Procession.
 The lay delegates led the procession into the cathedral and several hundred priests in black cassOcks and white ' surpEces lined the center aisle while ? the cardinals, archbiShOpS, bishops and mCnSI IgnOrI, with their attendants. filed past. Fifty altar boys and the officers . of the mass attended Cardinal Farley : The cathedral choir of Pittsburgh numbering 150 male voices, assiaGed the high choir of St. Patriclls in chant D ing the ordinary of the mass from the chanel.
 l Bishop Hickey Preached Sermon.
 Bishop Thomas F. Hickey of Roches-
 ter preached the sermon, taking fol ,. his text For this was I born, and fol , this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth
 ] Among the church dignitarleS pres
 i ent, besides the three cardinals, were; II Archbish0ps AVcrSa, papal nunCio tt r Brazil and Bruchesi of Montreal q Bishops CurTicr of Havana, Cuba, De
 Silva of Portugal and Shahan of tht ] Catholic university.
 t. Welcomed by Acting Mayor. 1I Prior to the ceremonies at the ca 5l thedraL the delegates were met ant ' welcomed to the city by Acting Mayo I Bowling.
 'f The annual report of Joseph Frey
 president of the German American .' Catholic Central Verein, made publi 7' today, referred to ''the swaying atti |. tude of our government" with respec ' to Mexico and declared that in tn = opinion of our best thinkers and lead n CTS our so-called prosperity, chief, ' due to traffic in munitions of war, vii
 meet with an abrupt termination whel + peace shall have been established"