By Marian Curd THE next International Eucharistic Congress scheduled to take place in Bombay, India, in 1964, has now been definitely fixed for November 28-December 6.
The date was officially announ ced this week by Cardinal Gracias currently in Rome for the Vatican Council, "In early December," says the Cardinal, "the climate is ideal throughout the country". To requests by the Congress Permanent Committee in Rome to hold the Congress during the European Summer Season, when people can more easily get away, Cardinal Gracias pointed out that these months in India are both hot and rainy. On a European tour undertaken
a few months ago. Cardinal Gracias booked up the Vienna Boys' Choir to sing at the Congress.
Observing the techniques em ployed by the organisers of the International Eucharistic Congress at Munich two years ago, Cardinal Ciracias says he hopes to send two of India's principal workers on the Congress to Germany next year to be
,f' iiorv„iefed". ever, ,f' iiorv„iefed". ever,
added the Cardinal writing in the "Bombay Examiner", "When I took note of the splendour of church furnishings— the vestments, candle-sticks, monstrances, and so on, I must confess that I began to get cold feet. "For I asked myself, what has Bombay to show in this line that would be worthy of a Eucharistic Congress, unless we arrange to scour the whole of India and transport to Bombay the best that is available in t h e different dioceses. even though it rosy mean shining in borrowed feathers". Meanwhile, in Europe a n d America plans are already being made by travel agents, shipping and air lines to carry pilgrims to Bombay and accommodate them in hotels there. But because hotel accommodation is always short in India's capital city, the possibilities are being explored of having ships anchored in the harbour to serve as floating hotels for visitors, and also for hoarding pilgrims with Catholic and non-Catholic private citizens.
First off the mark with bookings in Britain is Air India which has been officially co-opted to the Congress Travel Committee.