a Million everenice Christ in Sydney Streets
6111alf
A crowd variously estimated by Press and radio from 200,000 to over 500,000 gathered in Sydney streets and parks on Sunday afternoon, April 19, to witness the procession of the Blessed SacraThe official police estimate was half a million, of whom ment. more than 150,000 knelt in Hyde Park and around St. Mary's Cathedral for the Benediction given from the top of the steps at the main entrance of the Cathedral. (From Our Special Correspondent, Sydney).
There a special altar had the time of the sesquicen- try trains, 13 special "Pilbeen erected. The scene tenary celebrations of Aus- grim" steam trains arrived And it was from the country from cenyeas most colourful on the tralia in 1937. broad expanse of steps lead- obvious that the overwhelm- tres like Newcastle to the ing up to the temporary al- ing majority were there to north, Lithgow and Wagga There in the sun, honour Christ in the Euchar- to the west, and Wollontar. On argong to the south. which had smiled on the ist. pilgrims whole week of Congress To get the crowd to the rival in Sydney the meals by free given were ceremonies, the white and Congress the Transport degold of the altar and the partment put on an extra the Congress organisers at ballroom. Papal flag splashed with the 145 trams and 100 buses. the Trocadero scarlet of Cardinals and the Electric train services were Midnight Mass had been of the in many celebrated Bered and purple of almost doubled on all lines. the entire Hierarchy of Aus- tween 2.30 p.m. and 2 p.m., 640 odd country churches of enable to Wales South New tralia, New Zealand, and 130 electric trains reached to get down to Oceania. Wynyard underground sta- the faithful the procession, for On the steps, too, and in tion carrying Eucharistic Sydney In for even in the back counthe road below, were what Congress passengers. Mass must the Sunday try seemed almost hundreds of the same time 80 trains ar- go on, Congress or no Conpriests robed in their Mass rived at St. James station, a gress, as it went on in the vestments of albs and white total of 210 electric trains in days of the Old Mass shanOn 90 minutes in the two unand gold chasubles. the sides of the steps were derground lines leading into drydan. In 135 metropolitan par500 nuns in the contrasting the city. At the same time, blue, in addition to extra car- ishes Midnight Mass was white, colours of celebrated. also counordinary on the riages brown, and black of the
Perth, Thursday 1953 April 23
.The
RECO No. 2,596
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habits of 15 different Orders who had marched in public' 20,000 PEOPLE TAKE 11 HOURS ,procession in the streets of Sydney for the first time in After the Benehistory. Prayerful scene outside St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, when PROCESSION diction and the Consecration TO PASS IN SOLEMN Pontifical Mass was broadcast through loud -speakers on April 12, Holy to the of Australia that, for the procession at Patrick's college, Manly, inSpirit, the Pope spoke, his prayers, the opening day of the Notional Eucharistic Congress. moved off terspersed with The procession words being presaged by the at 2 p.m., along the 14 mile meditations and well-known crash of the bells of St. route from St. Patrick's, on hymns. For one whole Peter's in Rome sounding Church hill, on the site afternoon, therefore, the rose city praying of a Sacrasound Blessed the radio. where ,s over Vatican It is doubtful if ment was preserved in the to God. The whole scene was al- house Catholics lay Davis many of the Charles of most Pentecostal in charac- when there was no Catholic present had ever had such a ter as the soft voice of the priest in Australia. More long uninterrupted session the children came for an Irishman to let the 10 abreast, but actually only Pope breathed over the steps It theAfter and than 700 policemen, assisted of vocal prayer before. hour. The name national groups, many green flag pass without a 6,000 marched. Cathedral the of in than a holy more -wardens was 900 church by of whom were in national cheer even if the devil him- of Western Australia was through the trees of Hyde green and yellow sashes, It was three holy hours. let The biggest sin- self were carrying it, borne aloft as the represencostume. Park. On every side as far route. Down gle group was probably the alone when it is followed tatives of the Golden West - as the eye could see the city controlled the wound the H.N. Contingent the smallest by the green of and the kilts Italians, was filled with kneeling Grosvenor street led the police Mounted went by. then around the the Russians, buf the actual Irish pipers. men and women. And the procession, of George street into procession. They were fol- order in which they marchIf one might be permitted entire Mystical Body of the corner Next came two Children any criticism of the procesas the lowed by altar boys from ed were: Croatian, Czech, as far street Bridge Church was represented Botanic gardens. There it St. Joseph's Marist Broof Mary from each parish- sion it is that perhaps too Dutch, Hungarian, Italian, from the Real Presence of turned ,Macquarie thers' college, Hunter's Hill. Latvian, Lithuanian, Malt- a marching unit of 320 in many Holy Name men into Christ to the Pope. to his Other Children of marched. I do not know until it reached St. Then came the cross bearer ese, Russian, Polish, Slovak, all. Cardinals, Bishops, priests street of the Mary in cloaks and veils whether she was opposed to Then it and the vivid colours James station. and Ukrainian. Slovene, .and nuns, down to the old circled flags, and Papal Australian lined the entire processional the emancipation of men or Hyde Park by way lady kneeling awkwardly on following route on the edge of the not but one woman not far Park followed by the banner of Immediately street, the tram line, and to the of Elizabeth College CathoCaledonian the came Two roadways, a very effective from me sat down on the street, the Blessed Sacrament. Australian street, and smallest New association, and then the looking guard of honour. grass after declaring the until it came to rest at the Army majors escorted the lic child in national dress. They were followed by re- sight of so many men tosteps leading up to St. Australian flag, two Papal splash of green heralding Knights, with swords and the Irish National associa- presentatives of the Third gether to be a dreary thing. Mary's. Mightiest Crowd a brought forth This tion. with uniforms bottle green Order of Our Lady of Mt. The Congress of course was people About 20,000 concourse marched, and they took silver braiding, the Papal scattered round of applause Carmel, a body which I also celebrating the 25th angreat The Benediction only time one and for the for the knelt think is not known in West- niversary of the establishhours to pass a flag. Altar boys from Surry nearly °and later for the Apostolic given point. The result Hills and page boys in during the procession, but it ern Australia. After them ment of the Holy Name Benediction in Cathedral was that it was after 4.30 white escorted the white silk died away quickly as the came the Theresians, and Society in N.S.W., but posstreet, in Boomerang street, p.m. by the time the Mon- banner of the Blessed Sac- solemnity of the occasion then a very large contingent sibly this stage of the proStill there of Catholic nurses in uni- cession could have been in William street, in College strance neared the Cathe- rament, which was flanked was realised. street, banked up as far as dral, where even the last ar- by colour parties of the were Irish hearts in the form from almost a score of lightened by floats of schoolstreet in Park could hospitals. Immediately be- children or the Genesian which Oxford street, rivals among the spectators Grail. The many coloured spectators and, of course, in Hyde had been waiting patiently flags of the Grail were car- scarce forbear to cheer. It hind came the contrast of Players depicting the mys\Park itself. Whatever may for nearly three hours. ried by girls in white blou- was fitting that it should be the green, gold and scarlet teries of the Rosary which or of nave been the actual numses, gold berets, and blue 150th. anniversary of the collars of the men of the Ca- were being recited tableaux bearing on the bers it was probably the Three Holy Hours and gold skirts. first official Mass in Austrasocieties. Friendlly tholic other or some Penal Mass mightiest crowd in Sydney's The proceedings were amThen came groups of 96 lia, celebrated for a body of history that lined the streets plified all along the route, school girls, 15 of them in Irish convicts who bore The came the first pause theme associated with the on Sunday afternoon. I and from just after 2 p.m. all, each representing a dif- weals on their backs as a in the procession, while the Eucharist. I do not know if have spoken to several old- until 5 p.m. (when the Pope ferent teaching Order. Then token of their refusal to at- men of the Holy Name so- such tableaux would be litimers since, and they could spoke) the vast crowd join- came the boys in five groups tend any other religious ciety in diocesan groups turgically proper in a pronot remember a crowd to ed in saying 15 decades of of 288, each again repre- ceremony in Sydney but the swung into view. There cession of the Blessed Sa'equal it. With the possible the Rosary given out by the senting a different teaching Mass. In any case, it seemed an almost endless crament. exception, and only just, of Rev. Dr. Muldoon, of St. Order. (Continued on Page 9) would scarcely be possible stream of them, in ranks of
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