The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-08-19
Continued from Page d


arranged that the enormous and
prominently elevated altar could
be seen from any section. Over
flow crowds lined the streets and
avenues for most of the events
and the windows OF the numerous
adjacent public buildings. offices
and hotels were jammed with
"opera-box" spectators.
The Congress
The Catholic Times has already
given an excellent account of the
principal events of the Congress
the reception of the Cardinal
Legate, the Maritime Procession of
brilliantly lighted and festooned
ships which brought the Blessed
Sacrament across the bay from
Niteroi for the first Solemn Bene-
diction; the various Masses sched-
used for particular groups. Out
standing in this category was the
Mass for Women held on Thurs
day at which time some 300, 900
women received Holy Communion.
The Midnight Mass offered by Car
dinal Spellman for military men
was most impressive. Most colorful
were the solemn Masses held in
the Byzantine and Marionite rites.
The Eastern liturgy merits the al
iective gorgeous" and the chant
is a unique experience.
u 10 difficult 10 ansiyre ones
Impressions OF these great man.
ifestsfions of faith and devotion
10 the Blessed Eucharist They
ere similar 10 those experiene.
ed al . general audience given
by the Holy Father in Rome. The
content Of the sxpeEisnee is
largely the same though much
less emofionsi. suppose enc
rnishf ssy that Rome gives .
heady experience Of the sKter.
nal unity OF the Church and en-
empowering sense Of Her Uni.
versalisy. The % Congress left
the sspe impression with
deeper sense Of fhs basic cause
OF this vnisy--the Blessed Sac
Fsmeni. The words OF ST. Paul
kept svrgins up within ma as I
Witnessed the greet events OF The
Congress: Fer we, being many.
are one body - all that psrtake
Of this one eTead."
National groups were not tor
well defined or in evidence. Tht
Americans, French and German
were the only obvious and well or
ganized groups as units go. This
rest seemed to mingie indiscrimi
nately into melange of undefin
ed backgrounds.
The color and pageantry Of tn,
Eucharistic Congress might promp
the nationalist to a reflection o
benign contempt but the chants o
Palm Sunday eminently apropos t
the occasion, with that happ.
phrase "pueriIe decus" spoke
wisdom beyond reason to the faith
ful. The great Eucharistic hymn
of Thomas Aquinas sung in tn
common Latin and Gregorian me
tifS swelled with diapasoni
grandeur over the crowds; "S
Sensus deficit ad fifmandum co
sincerum soIa fides sufficit. Tar
tum ergo Sacramentum Veneri
l mur cernui Quantum potei
tantum audel quia major omr
laude, nee laudare sufficis
Dies enim solemnis agitu. Jesu
nostri. miserere". The stone Chris
of Corcovado was the living Chris
of the Congress. Christus yinci
Christus regnat, Christus impera'
The Kingdom of truth and lif,
the kingdom of holiness and grace
the kingdom of justice, love an
peace spread over the earth burs
forth in Rio with the forth in Ri
with the exuberance of irreprel
ible vigor.
/ other EoehtS
The social and cultural event
held in connection with the Col
gress were, in their kind, no les
brilliant than the religious event
Outstanding amongst these was tn
reception held for Cardinal Spell
man and Cardinal Stritch al th
palatial home of His ExcellenC
Ambassador James Dunn and MIR
Dunn. The Ambassador and h
charming wife we're the quinte
sence of cofdiality and graciou
ness. A luncheon held TO honr
: all the American prelates was q
event sponsored by the America
Colony. II was held at the jocks
!, Club on Thursday. The Americs
: Embassy functioned generally