New Britain herald., 1926-07-29
ARE READY SHOULD THERE BE
 RIOTS IN MEXICO
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of ceremonies conducted by priests. the church authorities have decided to keep places of worship open un- til 10 o'clock each night for the remainder of the week.
 Saturday has been proclaimed a day of prayer and penitence for Mexican Catholics-although every day has been such for a fortnight. It is estimated that between 10000 and 15,00O Catholics, and possibly a larger number, will receive holy communion in Mexico City Satur- day.
 Pontiiical Mass Saturday
 One of the foremost features of the final ceremonies before the governments new religious regula- tions become effective will be a pontitical mass in the cathedral at noon on Saturday. The venerable archbishop of Mexico, the Most Rev. Mora V Del Rio. will pro- nounce the benediction.
 The conviction prevails that clashes may be ayerted Sunday by reason of the decision of the Catho- lie authorities to refuse to sanction any counter demonstrations to the parades of the regional confedera- tion of labor, which are to be held as evidence of labor's support of the governments religious policy, and further by the church authori- ties having authorized the commit tees which will take over the churches when priests depart, to negotiate with the municipal au- thorities, who have been ordered by the government to appoint their own committees to take charge of the churches.
 The belief was held that if the priests had to negotiate direct with the municipal authorities some , friction might arise and there might be some arrests of clergy men.
 May Avert Trouble Now it is thought trouble will be i averted by the committees of Cath olic laymen appointed by priests doing the negotiating in each town i to determine whether the lay com mittees or the mayors committees shall take charge of the churches. Unless entirely unforeseen condi- ! tions arise, all the churches will 1 remain open after Sunday, although | m pers will be able to enter at all 1 times. Under an interpretation given by the archbishopric a sort of modified mass may be conducted by worshippers, although this does l not mean that the laymen can ac- tually take the place of priests.
 Worshippers may congregate and read from the prayer book as though the priest were before the altar saying mass. A secular may
 lead the worshippers in prayer fol , the Rosary, but without taking tn, place of the priest before the altar
 Services to be suspended Sunday
 will be holy communion, comics
 sions, confrmations and consecra.
 tions, all of which would require
 the functions of a priest. But the
 modified masses, marriages ant
 baptisms will be continued by secu
 lars.
 1 Marriages and baptisms so per
 formed must be properly witnessed
 and recorded and certificates issued
 Priests will reafIlrm these cere
 monies when they resume thei functions. The archbishopric ha , announced that while the priest are absent from the churches sincere act of repentance will b considered equivalent to the comics sion necessary for death andN mal
 riage sacraments.
 Thousands Affected
 At the archbishopric it was est , mated unofficially today tn; throughout Mexico there are b. l tween 10000 and 25,OO0 priests l the 12,00O churches. They minist' 1 to probably 1O.000,OO0 parishioner | There are. no accurate statisti | with regard to the actual numb l of priests and Catholics in MeXic | During the present controversy l to obtain this information throu. | the registration of all priests by u 1 municipal authorities.
 | Today the people continued