THE WORLD'S NEWEST NATION Catholic Celebration

Traditional Catholic ceremonies, at once solemn and joyful, hailed the birth of the world's newest nation, the Republic of the Philippines. "With grateful and cheerful hearts,” Archbishop Gabriel Reyes, of Cebu, said, " we acknowledge this independence as a signal gift of God's unbounded mercy. It is the realisatiort of hopes cherished by the Filipino people. It is the sublime reward for the sacrifices of our martyrs and the endeavours of our patriots. It is the majestic symbol of American freedom and the altruistic policy of America in dealing with our people."
The Archbishop said that 82 per cent. of the people were loyal children of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic preparation for Independence Day began on Sunday. June 30, with Mass, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and chanting of the Te Deunt in the gymnasium of Santo Tomas University, which had been one of the principal internment camps during the Japanese occupation of the islands.