The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-07-23
Waterburians Taking Part in Pilgrimage
Over l 1000 Catholics From All Parts of New England to Meet at Quebec for Observance of St. Anne's Day Friday

The greatest pilgrimage in Amer ican religious history started yes terday morning, when the first contingent of more than 1000 Catholics from New England, under the personal leadership of His Excellency. the Most Rev. Rich ard J. Gushing, DID. Archbishop of Boston. entrain from Boston to take part in the annual Feast Day cere- monies at the Shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre, in Canada.
 About 50 members of St. Ann's Parish of this city were included in history making delegation.
 Archbishop Gushing assumed leadership of the movement at the invitation of His Eninence, Car dinal J. M Rodrique Villeneuve. O. M l. Archbishop of Quebec, and will preach the Principal Annual Iridium at the basilica All ar arrangements for the trip are under the supervision of American EX- press-Catholic Travel League
 Because of the great number of participants in this official Boston Archdiocesan Pilgrimage, two itiner- aries have been arranged by Amerl- can Catholic Travel League, and speciat trains will convey the pilgrims. The group leaving yester- day morning will spend Tuesday in Montreal. visiting sites of relig- ious and historic interest, prior to proceeding to Quebec for the cere- monies at the Shrine of Ste. Anne on July 24, 9 and 26 This party will return to Boston Saturday, July 27
 Second Group Leaves Today
 Another group will leave Boston on Tuesday July 23J going direct ly to Quebec. Members of the lat ter party, following the three-day celebration at Ste. Anne, will spend full day in Montreal before re- turning to Boston on Sunday, July 29
 - Since it's founding in 1850, more than 17000,000 persons have jour neyed from all parts of the world to worship and pray at the Shrine l of Ste. Anne de Beaupre, long re- garded as the most famous basilica l on the North American continent The present pilgrimage includes parishoners from the entire Pro- vince of Boston, which embraces the Archdiocese of Boston and the seven dioceses of Burlington, Vt Fall River, Mass; Hartford, Conn; Manchester, N. H; Portland, Me; Providence, R. I, and Springfield Mass.
 The religious program at Ste Anne will be inaugurated with the Annual Iridium Exercises on Wed nesday. July 24. On Thursday, July 25. the Iridium Exercises will Dc combined with the long g-aWaltec ceremony Of the Blessing of the New Bells. recently delivered iron France. These bells will be solemn ly blessed in full ritual by five pre- lates, headed by Cardinal Villeneuvt and Archbishop Gushing. The Mos Rev. Edward F Ryan, DID. Bishop of Burlington, Vt., will also partl' cipate in this ceremony.
 Feast Day Friday
 The observances at the Shrine or Friday. July 26. the Feast Day O. Ste. Anne, vii lstart with a solemn Pontifical Mass, with Cardinal VII IleneuVe presiding at the Throne ant Archbishop Gushing as celebrant Communion will be distributed a this and all other morning Masses The Solemn Closing Devotions, helt Friday afternoon, with Archblshol Gushing officiating and preaching will be broadcast by network O. New England radio stations
 Through special dispensation O His Eminence. the Cardinal Arch