The Washington times., 1931-02-12
CEREMONIES
ARE HELD IN
D. c. SHRINE
Apostolic Delegate Present
at Service; Dignitaries Of
Church in America Attend

A message from His Holiness,
Pope Plus XII, was delivered today
to a devout congregation, repre-
senting the Catholic priesthood
and laity of Washington, gathered
in the crypt of the Shrine Of the
Immaculate Conception at the
Catholic University.
The voice Of the supreme pom.
tiff was heard clearly. His first
broadcast was in Latin and the
magic of modern radio carried his
words from the Vatican to the
shrine with virtually uninter.
rupted clarity.
With the apostolic delegate,
Mgr. Pietro Fumasoni-Biondi, sit
ting on the throne to the left of
the altar, the scene in the crypt
as the voice of the supreme pom
tiff came in over the loud speak
ers, placed almost directly in the
center of the crypt, was impress
sive in its majesty.
Dignitaries Present
Directly behind the apostolic
delegates were several tiers of
church dignitaries, including
Bishop Thomas j. Shahan, rector
emeritus of Catholic University;
Bishop John Mcnamara, the Very
Rev. Mgr. Paul Marella, auditor
of the apostolic delegation; the
Very Rev. J. F. Fenlon, of Balti-
more, provincial of the Sulpicians,
members of the faculty of Cath
olic University and of the various
priestly orders represented there.
Mass followed the broadcast
from the Vatican, celebrating the
ninth anniversary of the corona.
tion of Pope Plus. The celebrant
was the Mgr. Marella and the
sermon was delivered by Father
Fenlon.
The congregation in the Shrine
Of the Immaculate Conception
gathered early and by 10 o'clock
the place was crowded to capac-
ity. Direct radio contact was
made between station HVJ, in
the Vatican, and the shrine at
10:15 o'clock, and word was re-
ceived that His Holiness had ar.
rived in the broadcasting station
at that time. He displayed great
interest in all Of the radio instru-
ments and the arrangements for
the worldwide broadcast, accord
ing to the Vatican announcer.
The Pope, indeed, made such a
close study of the radio apparatus
that he was not ready to appear
before the microphone until
about 1885 o'clock.
Introduced by MarcOni
Senator GugIieImO Marconi was
heard introducing the POntiff In
a brief speech in Italian. There
was then a twO-minute pause be-
fore the voice of Pope Plus began
to come in over the loud speak
erS.
His Latin phrases were heard
distinctly, although during the
latter part of the broadcast there
was a slight blur of static. No
translation of the Pope's words
was attempted at the shrine and
the mass followed Immediately.
There was genuine enthusiasm
among the congregation over the
success of the broadcast. Many
of the priests declared it a great
success and said it should be
followed by others. They com.
mended those who first suggested
broadcast to the Vatican, includ.
ing the Hearst newspapers and
a number of Catholic laymen.
The arrangements at the
shrine were made by the Ma
tional Broadcasting Company.
The italian ambassador, Mobile
Giacomo de Martino; the Cuban
ambassador, Senator Don Orestes
Ferrara, and the minister Of the
Irish Free State, Michael Mac
White, were among the diplomats
who were present.
Virtually all the Latin-American
embassies and legations were rep
resented at the mass.