THE POPE WILL SPEAK
TO WEMBLEY
Broadcast during Mass in the stadium
THE Holy Father, speaking into a microphone at Castel Gandolfo, the " little Vatican" in the Alban Hills, will on Sunday broadcast a special message to the Hierarchy Centenary Congress during the Pontifical High Mass in the Wembley Stadium.
The voice of His Holiness will be heard in the Stadium after the singing of the Gospel of the Mass, which, coming after the historical pageant depicting the story of the Faith in England and Wales through the centuries, is timed to begin at 3.30 p.m.
Normally Vatican Radio broadcasts to this country on a wavelength of 50.26 metres, Most of the distinguished visitors to the Congress from abroad had arrived in London on Wednesday.
It was expected that when Cardinal Griffin entered Westminster Cathedral yesterday morning for his Liturgical reception as Papal Legate and to preside at Pontifical High Mass by the Apostolic Delegate, six Cardinals, 12 Archbishops and 46 Bishops would be waiting to receive him in the sanctuary.
Practically the entire Hierarchy of England and Wales were to be present.
Crowds chered Cardinal Spellman -who had flown from New York when he entered Westminster Cathedral to preside and preach at the first Pontifical High Mass of the Congress on Wednesday-a Votive Mass of the Holy Ghost celebrated by the Archbishop of Cardiff, to invoke God's blessing on the celebrations.
Nuns' Mass
When the Cardinal entered the main door he saw the great sweep of the nave filled with nuns-2,000 of them, representing practically every religious community in Great Britain and Ireland.
It was a symphony in black and white.
The habits ranged from the familiar white wings of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul to the stately and striking habit worn by the Sisters of St. Louis-with its tall coif and squared white linen guimp-modelled on the court dress of the France of St..Louis.
The Cathedral was to be reserved for nuns, but there was also a rim of layfolk, men and women, who had found their way in to hear the Cardinal.
The black and white of the nave threw into unusual relief the brilliant colours in the sanctuary-the Cardinal's scarlet. the episcopal purple, and the gold of vestments.
Cardinal Spellman's presence was particularly appropriate at this first Mass for, as he pointed out, his own diocese of New York is now celebrating its centenary, But from congratulations to the Hierarchy and lay people in England and Wales. His Eminence suddenly passed to a grave warning and an urgent appeal-a warning that the world and the people in it arc facing the worst crisis in the history of civilisation ; an appeal to all to pray that a third Satanic world war may be averted.
The Congress had opened very promisingly on Monday with a crowded audience at the first of the lunchtime lectures in Foyles' Art Gallery. given by Mr. Michael Derrick.
Standing only
In the evening-when under the chairmanship of the Bishop of Southwark, Fr. .1. E. Cruise, 0.S.B., gave a remarkable address on the progress of the religious orders and congregations during the century, and Mr. George Glasgow described the part the laity have taken in the Church's activities-there was standing room only for some of the audience.
The good attendances continued when. with the Apostolic Delegate presiding at the Town Hall. Bishop Beck gave an historical review and Mr. A. C. F. Beales reviewed the educational situation in the last and present centuries.
Most of the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops from abroad are staying at convents during the Congress.
Cardinal McGuigan, of Torontoone of the four visiting members of the Sacred College who received the Red Hat with Cardinal Griffin-is to take the Legate's place on Sunday morning by pontificating at High Mass in Westminster Cathedral.
When the liturgical arrangements for the Congress were made it was not known that he would be present, and accordingly no function was allotted to him. Now that His Eminence has arrived. Cardinal Griffin has made way for him at the Mass, after which the Cardinals. Archbishops and Bishops will drive in a procession of cars to Wembley.
Messages
Congratulatory messages to the Hierarchy have been received from Cardinal Lienart, Bishop of Lille, Cardinal de Jong, Archbishop of Utrecht whois represented at the Congress by Bishop Hanssen, Coadjutor to the Bishop of Roermond
Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Rogues, Archbishop of Rennes. and Cardinal Cerejeira, Patriarch of Lisbon. Similar messages have been received also from the Archbishops of Quebec. Baltimore-whose first predecessor, Bishop Carroll. the first member of the United Stated Hierarchy, was consecrated by an English Vicar Apostolic in this country
the Archbishop of Cashle, and 13 Bishops in Ireland and other countries.
The Chief Rabbi, Dr. Israel Brodie. has sent congratulations on behalf of the whole Jewish community.