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THE BULLETIN, November 28, 1959—PAGE 3 National Shrine Dedicated Before Church, State Dignitaries; Rite Hailed As Marking 'Signficant Epoch' In U. S. Church History IN HOMAGE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD The great upper church of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D. C., was solemnly dedicated on Friday, November 20. It has been built by all the Catholics of the United States under the leadership of their Bishops. One of the largest and most beautiful religious edifices to be seen anywhere in the world, its colorful tile dome and bell tower are already well known sights on the skyline of the National Capital.—Photo by Reni. (NCWC). (N.C.W.C. News Service) WASHINGTON — The Na tional Shrine of the Immaculate Conception was solemnly dedi cated here in a ceremony hailed as marking “a significant epoch in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States” More than 200 members of the hierarchy, including six cardi nals, attended the colorful two- hour dedication ceremony. They were joined by government and civic leaders and thousands of priests and Religious. The shrine ceremony was the national focal point of three days of prayer observeed in 16,- 000 Catholic parishes through out the country. The nationwide observance was planned to cul minate on the day of the shrine’s dedication (Nov. 20) in the consecration of the United States to the Blessed Virgin. The Bishops of the nation had urged all 39 million U. S. Cath olics to participate in these services in their own parishes. Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter of St. Louis, preaching at the Solemn Pontifical Mass of ded ication, hailed the national shrine — largest Catholic church in the United States — as “a majestic and compelling witness not only to the physical and material maturity of the Church in our land, but partic ularly to its spiritual vigor, its dynamic Faith.” The dedication Mass was of fered in the packed shrine by His Eminence Francis Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York. Prior to the Mass the Cardinal officially dedicated the great church. The huge building is the sev enth largest religious edifice in the world. It has been estimated that $30 million will have been spent on its construction by the time it is finally completed. The building was begun in 1922. At present the exterior is largely completed, but the decoration of the interior will not be finished for many years. The shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under the title of the Immaculate Conception. This is the same title under which in 1846 she was named patroness of the United States by the nation’s bishops. The impressive dedication . ceremony began with a proces sion of clergy from the east porch of the shrine to the rich ly decorated main entrance of the Byzantine - Romanesque building. From there, accom panied by an honor guard of Knights of Columbus, Knights of St. John and Knights of St. Peter Claver, the procession moved down the main aisle of the church. Among those in the proces sion were six princes of the Church: Their Eminences Card inal Spellman; James Francis Cardinal McIntyre, Archbishop of Los Angeles; Richard Card inal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston; John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C., Archbishop of Philadel phia; Jose Cardinal Garibi y Rivera, Archbishop of Guada lajara, Mexico, and Thomas Cardinal Tien, S.V.D., exiled Archbishop of Peking, China. As the procession reached the sanctuary area, Cardinal Spell man performed the official ded ication rite. The Pontifical Mass followed. Above and behind the main altar gleamed a huge mosaic of Christ the “Pantocrator” — Al mighty King of the universe. It is said to. be the largest single mosaic in the world. Assisting Cardinal Spell man as officers of the Mass were: Father Raymond J. Hunt, O.M.I., of Boston, Pro vincial of the eastern pro vince of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, deacon; Father John P. McCormick, S.S., rector of the Theological Col lege, Catholic University, as sistant priest, and Msgrs. John J. Reilly of Norwich, Conn., and Patrick J. O'Connor of Decatur, Ga., deacons of hon or. Both Msgr. Reilly and Msgr. O’Connor are former directors of the shrine, which is now di rected by Msgr. Thomas J. Grady. Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi, Apostolic Delegate to the Unit ed States, represented His Holi ness Pope John XXIII at the ceremony. Among those seated in the congregation were U. S. Su preme Court justices, high of ficials of the government, sena tors and representatives, lead ing members, of the diplomatic corps, the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and judges of the courts of the District of Columbia. Following the Mass the Act of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin was recited. The prayer stated in part; “Most Holy Trinity, we put the United States of America into the hands of Mary Immac ulate in order that she may pre sent the country to You. Through her we wish to thank You for the great resources of this land and for the freedom which has been its heritage. “Through the intercession of Mary, have mercy on the Cath olic Church in America. Grant us peace. Have mercy on our President and on all the officers of our gevernment. Grant us a fruitful economy born of justice and charity. Have mercy on capital and industry and labor v “Protect the family life of the nation. Guard the innocence of our children. Grant the precious gift of many religious vocations. Through the intercession of our Mother, have mercy on the sick, the poor, the tempted, sinners —on all who are in need.” Following the Act of Conse cration, a Te Deum was sung by a choir made up of 210 priests and Religious from houses of study for men affiliated with the Catholic University. The congregation, accompanied by organ and symphony orchestra, then joined in the national an them. Archbishop Ritter described the American people in his ser mon as “a providential people,” and said of the shrine dedica tion that it “marks a significant epoch in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States.” “Somewhat like the Israelites of old, we have come today to the promised land of fulfillment after 40 years of planning and preparation, hope and sacri fice,” he declared. “The span of time has tested our people and, as this magnifi cent structure so well demon strates, has brought forth not only their admirable generosity but their universal enthusiasm as well.” The Archbishop, chairman of , the U. S. Bishops’ committee for the completion of the shrine, compared the great church to the famed cathedrals of Europe. As the cathedrals expressed the religious aspirations of whole nations, he said, so the national shrine is “the expression of the Catholic democracy of the Unit ed States and of the Catholics’ love and devotion to Mary Im maculate.” Recalling the nationwide cer emonies being held in Catholic parishes to dedicate the country to Mary, he declared: “What is being done here this morning is, in the truest sense of the words, being done in behalf of, in the name of, and with the enthusi astic approval of the whole Church in the United States.” Archbishop Ritter traced the history of the national shrine, beginning with the decision of the U. S. Bishops in 1846 to con secrate the nation to the Blessed Virgin under the title of the Immaculate Conception. “From that day on, in a spe cial way, she belonged to us and we to her,” he said. “She has protected us, guided us, ob tained for us the means of grace and salvation.” “Is it any wonder then that the bishops, the clergy, the Re ligious and the faithful com mitted themselves to give some tangible and appropriate ex pressions of their gratitude for the past and their confidence in the future with her as their patroness?” Archbishop Ritter paid trib ute to individuals who made significant contributions to the building of the shrine. He re called that the idea for a na tional shrine was first advanc ed by Bishop Thomas Shahan, fourth rector of the Catholic University. He also saluted the first director of the shrine, Msgr. Bernard A. McKenna of Philadelphia, who was seated in the sanctuary for the dedication ceremony, and the late Arch bishop John F. Noll, Bishop of Fort Wayne, Ind., who was an active supporter of the vast building project. Archbishop Ritter then brief ly examined the many links that exist between the Blessed Virgin and this nation. Begin ning with Columbus, the flag ship of whose fleet of explora tion was named the Santa Ma ria, the explorers and colonizers of America were' almost with out exception “steeped in Mari an devotion and love,” he said. He expressed the hope that the national shrine might be a “milestone along the road by which all peoples will advance toward her.” “She is the spiritual mother of all, and she extends a wel come to all to join her in the praise and adoration of her Son,” he said. “At the moment of her acceptance of Divine Motherhood, her halo became interlocked with Our Lord’s, and they can never be separat ed without doing violence to the Christian Faith.” Archbishop Ritter also ex pressed the hope that the shrine might “become the instrument of divine benediction upon D’*r nation and all its people.” “May it stand as the symbol of the union of all men under the headship of Christ,” he said. “There can be no surer or more direct road than by Mary for uniting everyone in Christ.” He continued: “May it be the guiding symbol to that truth which is God and which shall make men free. Mary is invok ed as the seat of wisdom, for she bore Wisdom incarnate in her bosom. Hers will be the mission ever to defend truth — divine truth and its reflected human truth — against the as saults upon the human family by a false science conceived in the minds of the enemies of God and man. “And finally may this temple dedicated to Mary ever remind us that it was through Mary there came into the world the Prince of Peace. Under the queenship of Mary the whole world can be brought to the acknowledgement of Him who alone can give peace to the human family. “Who knows but that in the end it will be the great devo tion of the peasants and people of Russia to Mary, united to the devotion of all men to Mary, which will win for the world an era of peace, prosperity and happiness?” The Archbishop concluded by reminding his listeners that the national shrine is “a perpetual challenge to us to reflect Mary’s life and her beautiful virtues in our own lives.” “To be genuine, our piety toward the Mother of God must spring from the heart,” he de clared. Following the dedication, fur ther special ceremonies mark ing the completion of a major stage in the shrine’s construc tion extended over a three-day period. On the evening of the day of dedication Cardinal Cushing presided at a Pontifical Low Mass in the shrine offered by Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan of Worcester, Mass. On the morning of November 21, a Solemn Pontifical Mass was offered for Religious by Cardinal McIntyre. Archbishop Karl J. Alter of Cincinnati delivered the sermon. Cardinal O’Hara presided at an afternoon Mass for the CLERICAL Wear Headquarters DAN HITE ROBERT A. GENAU "Will Fit You Right" 801 N. Capitol St. Washington 2, D. C. STerling 3-2264 laity on November 22. Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona of Green Bay, Wis., offered the Mass, at which Bishop Charles P. Greco of Alexandria, La., preached. Diplomats, trained in the school of experience ,are al ways worth more than the experiecne cost. Services For Mrs. Annie Thomas ATLANTA—Funeral services for Mrs. Annie Duncan Thomas, were held November 3rd at the Sacred Heart Church, Rev. John Emmerth officiating. Survivors are a son, C. D. Thomas of Atlanta. Parkway Pharmacy ACCURATE, DEPENDABLE PRESCRIPTION SERVICE HE, 2-7441 326 N. Slappey Drive — FAST FREE DELIVERY — ALBANY, GA. HEMLOCK 2-0584 610 NORTH WASHINGTON ALBANY, GEORGIA DAN J. BROSNAN JOHN H. BROSNAN CHAMBLEE CHAPEL Mrs. Geo. V/. Marchman, Licensed Catholic Funeral Direclres* George W. Marchman, Jr., Catholic Funeral Director GL. 7-3101 North Peachtree Rd. Chamblee, Ga. INSTRUMENTS RECORDS MUSIC KEN STANTON MUSIC SCHOOL BAND HEADQUARTERS 430 Broad St. Phone 4-4852 Rome, Georgia ANDREWS MOTOR COMPANY Sales and Service Direct Dealer DeSoto, Plymouth Phone 8567 - 6568 411 Second Avenue ROME, GEORGIA Walter Lee Andrews Great Cars — Fine Service — A Square Deal OWENS-KING CO. Incorporated ?45 BROAD STREET ROME, GEORGIA 1st. 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