DAY OF THE PERSECUTED

Prayer for victims at a `Consistory' gathering
A FTER the joyful Week of Consistory, Sunday ilk in Rome was the Day of the Persecuted.
New Cardinals and other members of the Sacred College, with numerous Archbishops and Bishops, the Diplomatic Corps and some 10,000 clergy and laity, went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray for all the millions of the "Church of Silence" behind the Iron
Solemn Pontifical Benediction was given by the Holy Father's Vicar General, Cardinal Micara.
This special service was held in response to the appeal made by the Pope in his recent Encyclical Letter to the Catholics of the Eastern
Rites.
Uppermost in the minds of all, of course, were the two new members of the Sacred College who had been unable to go to Rome—Cardinal Stepinac and Cardinal Wyszynski, Archbishop of Warsaw.
Most of the new Cardinals, some of them obviously tiring after numerous receptions which followed the Consistory, are now back in their dioceses—facing another series of ceremonies and receptions.
Child guests
Everyone admired the courage of Cardinal Saliege, Archbishop of Toulouse, who, though nearly 83, and ill, went to Rome to accord the new Cardinals the honours he 'himself received when he joined the Sacred College in 1946. In a wheeled chair he went to the Secret Consistory for their nomination, and he waited an hour alone by the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's on the day they received the Red Hat.
Happiest of all the home-going Cardinalatial parties was probably Cardinal Lercaro's. It included His Eminence, some priests—and 13 children. The children lost their parents in the Po Valley floods last year. The Cardinal "adopted" them, and they now live with him at his residence in Bologna.
Tragedy came upon Cardinal McIntyre, Archbishop of Los Angeles. His Vicar General, Mgr. John Cawley, died at the Geneva airport on Friday night. He had attended the Consistory and was hurrying back to spend a few days in Ireland, his birthplace. He was 71. For the second time fog frustrated Cardinal McIntyre's wish to go to Ireland. On the outward journey his airliner—with a party of more than 40—had to fly over Ireland and on to Paris, after having been turned back when half-way across the Atlantic. Last week-end again a crowd waited for him in vain at Shannon airport: his plane was diverted to the Azores.
Next Consistory
A few hours later Cardinal Spellman—completing a round-the-world flight—also had to miss Shannon and go to the Azores.
One of the last to leave Rome was Cardinal Griffin. One reason for his waiting was to attend a reception on Monday at the Ven. English College in honour of Cardinal D'Alton, Archbishop of Armagh.
And now Rome is looking towards another Consistory. In March or April the Holy Father will confer the Red Hat and other insignia upon Cardinal Roncalli, Nuncio in Paris —newly named Patriarch of Venice— Cardinal Ciriaci, Nuncio to Portugal,
Cardinal Cicognani, Nuncio to Spain. Cardinal de Arriba, Archbishop of Tarragona, and Cardinal Quiroga, Archbishop of Santiago de Cornpostella,
General Franco conferred the red biretta upon the three new Cardinals in Spain at a ceremony on Monday in the Palacio de Oriente, to which they had driven in three State coaches. The Cabinet, the Council of the Realm and the Diplomatic Corps were present.
The ceremony was followed by Mass in the former royal chapel.
The Holy Father has appointed each of the new Cardinals to be members of three or more Sacred Roman Congregations.
Cardinal D'Alton is a member of the Congregations of the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Council and Ceremonial. Cardinal Leger, Archbishop of Montreal, has been appointed to those of the Sacraments, the Rites and of Seminaries and University Studies.
Bombay's Archbishop, Cardinal Gracias, is a member of the Congregations of the Oriental Churches. the Sacraments and the Propagation of the Faith.