Evening star., 1946-12-09
Bishop NoII Outlines
Completion Program
For Shrine al {. U.

The Catholic hierarchy Of the
United States has authorized COM
pletion of the National Shrine OF
the Immaculate Conception at
Catholic University, the Most Rev
John F. Noll, Bishop of Fort Wayne,
Ind, announced yesterday at the
shrine during his sermon in OBJ
servance of the patronal Feast OF
the Immaculate Conception.
Bishop Noll spoke at the solemn
pontifical mass which followed the
investiture of the Right Rev. Msgr
John j. Reilly, national director OF
the shrine, as domestic prelate to
His Holiness Pope Plus XII. The
Most Rev. Amleto Giovanni Cicog-
mani, apostolic delegate to the
United States, was the investing
prelate and also celebrant of the
mass.
The investiture ceremony took
place at the Mary; altar in the
shrine. Wearing purple cassock
and carrying the rochet and man
telletta, Msgr. Reilly knelt before
Archbishop Cicognarli. The apos-
tolic delegate blessed the robes and
formally invested the new mon
signor.
Msgr. Reilly, native of Hartford,
Conn, was ordained in 1923 by the
late Cardinal Mercier Of Belgium
He has been director of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Concep-
ton for six years. His appointment
as domestic prelate to Pope Plus
XII was announced October "a.
Drive Starts Mothers Day.
Bishop Non said the first Ma
tion-wide collection to raise money
for completion of the edif1ce will
be held on Mothers Day, May IL,
1947. Observing that the cost OF
erecting the superstructure and the
campanile and of embellishing the
interior will be millions Of dollars
Bishop Noll said, Divided among
all Mary's devotees, the burden on
each will be extremely light"
In May, 1S46, the Bishops of the
United States petitioned the Holy
See to declare Mary Immaculate the
patroness of this Nation, Bishop
Noll recalled, adding formal papal
approval by Pope Plus XII was re-
ceived in February, 1847.
Rumors that a National shrine to
Mary Immaculate was to be built
were current as early as 1846, the
preiate said. It was not until Au-
gust IS, 1918. he noted, that Bishop
Thomas j. Shahan, then rector Of
Catholic University, petitioned Pope
Plus x that shrine be built on the
university campus.
Cornerstone Laid in 1920.
September %, 1920, the corner
stone of the edifice was laid by Car
dinal Gibbons in what was his last
official public act.
Bishop Noll further declared "on
this feast we think Of Mary as the
Queen of Peace, OF such peace as
the world cannot give, of peace
which only her divine Son can be-
stow upon mankind" In renewing
"our individual conservation to her
Immaculate Heart" the prelate
continued, we must pray that her
prayers may enlighten the minds,
soften the hearts and stir the con-
sciences of those who now sit in
Judgment over many nations in
order that they may think and act
according to the mind and viii and
heart of the Prince Of Peace"
The Very Rev. Thomas E.
Mitchell, dean of the school of social
work at Catholic University, was as
sistant priest to the apostolic dele
gate at the mass. The Rev. Pascal
Parente of the school of sacred
theology and the Rev. Frank p. Cas-
sidy of the graduate school Of arts
and sciences of Catholic University
were deacons Of honor to the apos-
kr1fn <5a1onofo