Evening star., 1946-07-08
Two U. 5. Colleagues
OF Mother Cabrini
See Canonization
By Jone Moroon
North Ameficon Ne,

NoME, july 6.-Sedted pref
erentially only so feet from Pope
Plus XII, Mothers Paul and Berch-
man from Seattle saw their dream
come true in ST. Peters yesterday.
Their eyes misted with memories Of
their beloved Mother Frances Xavier
Cabrini whom they knew intimately
in the early days of their sisterhood
in the Mission of the Sacred Heart
The founder of their institution was
officially proclaimed saint by the
Pope-the first United States citizen
TO be so honored.
Since the day of her death in 1917,
they had prayed necessarily that it
might be so but never did expect
actually 10 witness it themselves
This Is the happiest dav of my
life" Mother Berchman told me. Il
was able not only to attend the
canonization of our holy mother
founder. but also to see Rome and
His Holiness for the first time The
ceremony was even more wonderful
than I had hoped"
MY FN1otllSi bt4I HCo W
Mother Paul. 1T brought back SO
many memories didn't it? T could
see again today her eyes filled with
piety and goodness as she lay on
her simple iron bed, opening her
porning mail only a few minutes
before we lost her"
Beautiful Ceremony.
Still lingering in the special box
At the right of the Pope's throne
and directly facing that of the dip
lomatic corps accredited to the
Vatican, Mother Paul seemed re-
luctant TO leave the scene of the
splendorous four hour ceremony.
1T was beautiful" she said
~Never did l think l should be able
to witness such a warming testi-
monial and extraordinary honor
which the supreme pontiff has con-
ferred upon our mother-I am
thrilled and moved"
II had been a truly colorful spec
tacle they had seen. At $50 am,
the Pope had been borne aloft by
II ''sediari or grooms in the gesta-
torial chair into the centuries old
magnif1cence of ST. Peters to an
nounce to the Catholic world the
inscription of Mother Cabrini into
the list of saints. Performance of
the canoniza ton with traditional
pomp and ceremony was executed
with precision to the accompani-
nj fa Sc
tine Chapel Choir.
War and blackouts seemed never
b. have happened when the 10000
assembled in the basilica let their
eyes wander over the myriad cam
delabra which lighted the church
In every one of it's carved and gold
encrusted corners
Soldiers Take Pictures.
United States soldiers f1anked by
sisters of charity in huge. white, be-
winged headdreSses and sky blue
frocks. chung to pillars while they
snapped the magnifcence of the
bronze main altar built by Bernini
In the 18th century and as large
as several of their living rooms back
Nome n>.
Members of the Roman nobility
hn full dress sat with their wives dis
Greet in long sleeyed, aoor-length
dresses topped by family heirloom
lace wells. Nearby. bare-legged girls
in cotton dresses evidenced the
loosening Of protocol by the Pope
during wartime. since manv would
be forced TO stay away from church
II the traditional rule of no stock
ing - no entrance had been en-
forced.
Against the far wall of the apse.
enthroned on a red carpeted plat
form. the Pope smiled and nodded
as cardinals knelt before him and
kissed his ring in the traditional
act of obeisance, The pontifical
throne was backed bv silver lame
hangines embroidered in gold f1eur
de lis. Overhead, the velvet canopy
was gold embroidered with cherubs
and bordered by gold tassels.
Americans Honored.
Everywhere in st. Peters S, English
was an open sesame, for it was the
dav of the Santa Americana. 3"
Americans circulated freely in areas
normally forbidden except to Ger
tain orders or privileged persons
Priests cordially explained to wide
eyed American soldiers the various
stages of the ceremony and show
cred them with booklets on Mother
Cabrinis life
Cameramen took bird S. eye view
shots from a ledge bounding the
domed ceiling.
Americans attending the rites in
rluded Mvron Taylor, President Tru-
mans special representative at the
Vatican, Msgr Bernard She'll, auxil-
iary Bishop of Chicago, and Msgr
George j. Casey, vicar general of
Chicago.