Imperial Valley press., 1917-08-08
GREAT GATHERING
OF NOTED PRELATES
ROMAN CATHOLIC MINISTER'S
MEET IN KANSAS ti.N.
THOUSANDS TOATTEND
PAPAL. DELE(. ATE WILL. HEAD
. LIST OF PRIESTS.
viii Discuss Pan. for Helo"g WIN
Great World War at nus
MrS.ing
CRy Associated Press

Kansas City, Mo. Aug. S.--Mon'
I signor John Bonzano, apostolic dele
gate to the United States; seven on
. more archbishops, thirty bishops arc
several thousand priests and laymen
t it is expected, will attend the sixteenth
annual convention of the American
t Federation of Catholic Societies,
which will be held here August 26 to
%.
This years convention, it is de
clared. will be one of the most I'M
portant in the history of the organl-
zation, as it is expected that action
will be taken upon the sO-called "dlo
cesar plan,' under which it is pro-
posed to affiliate al! Catholic bodies
in the country with the American
Federation. There are 100 dioceseS
in the country and~if the plan is put
into effect the Federation officials
say its membership will be increased
from 100000 to about 100000.
To Increase Membership.
The plan was proposed at the con-
vention last year, and it was decided
to take action at this years meeting.
The movement was edorsed at con-
ference of the American archbishops
in Washington some time ago The
American federation is the largest
Catholic body in the country, and a
number of large organizations al
ready are affiliated with it. The dio
cesar plan would bring all of the
smaller societies into affiliation.
| How the Roman Catholics in Amer
ca may help win the war also will
/ be discussed at the convention.
Prelates from all parts of the coun-
| try will be here, it is expected. Among
them. in addition to Monsignor Bon
zano, will be: Archbishops Mundelein.
Chicago; Glennon, st. Louis; Hanna.
San Francisco; Harty, New Orleans:
Moeller, Cincinnati; Christie, Portland,
and Messer, Milwaukee.
Elaborate Program.
An elaborate program for the en-
tertainment of the visitors has been
arranged by the members of the local
branch of the Federation. The con-
vention will open Sunday morning,
August 26, with a pontifical high
mass with Monsignor Bonzano as
cleberant. The sermon will be de-
livered by Archbishop Glennon In the
evening there will be mass meet
ing in Convention hall, over which
Archbishop Glennon will preside. Ad
dresses of welcome will be delivered
by Bishop Thomas F. Lillis of Kan
sas City; Mayor George Edwards
Kansas City, and John Whalen, New
York, president of the federation
The principal addresses will be b.
Monsignor Bonzano and Judge Martin
J. Wade, Iowa City, la.
Monday, Aug. 27, will be devoted
, entirely to business sessions, with ;
"Catholic Day" celebration at loca
park in the evening. Tuesday morn
ing a pontifical requiem mass viii
be said at the cathedral for Arshbish
6 op Blenk, New Orleans; Bishop Jane
A. McFaul, Trenton, N. j., and tn
q deceased members of the Federation
Q In the evening meeting under tn
auspices of the Social Service Com
E mission of the Federation will b
t held. Bishop P. J. Muldoon of Rock
ford, ILL.,, will preside. The closin
y business session is set for Wednes
: day morning. In the afternoon tn
v visitors will be taken for trip abou
$ the city.
Many social affairs are bein
planned for the visiting women b
the women of Kansas City.