1947 Marian Congress June 18-22, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

1947 Marian Congress June 18-22, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 

 
The Main site of the Congress was at Lansdowne Park although the opening events were held at Notre Dame Cathedral.   

 
My knowledge of the Congress was initially just bits of information I received from my parents. My father attended many of the Congress events including, I believe 1. The opening ceremony which took place at Notre Dame Cathedral and the 2.closing Mass at Lansdowne Park  that was "packed to the rafters" 

( his own words.)  I think he had few hot dogs in between. 

 
As I grew up, I began to take an interest in history, especially local history, and I often wondered why we never heard anything about this part of Canadian History at school or at church even. When I was young, I didn't care that much, really, but as I grew older, I wanted to know more about the events of that week.  An Internet search wasn't very helpful, so I took my search further and went to the archives of several newspapers including the Ottawa Journal and the Ottawa Citizen to see what I could find out. As I read article after article, I was absolutely amazed at the magnitude of this event. I was moved by the sincere and heartfelt hospitality shown to the pilgrims by the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament, Governor General, the Mayor etc. The more I read, the more I wanted to know, so I kept on going on and I discovered a myriad of information. I can't even begin to imagine the preparation that went into organizing the Congress. 



3 On the 20th of June 1947 the Catholic Herald reported At least 200,000 pilgrims were present in Ottawa for the opening of the Congress and that included Nine Cardinals: Cardinal McGuigan, Papal Legate, Cardinals Spellman, Samuel Stritch and Mooney from the U.S.A., Cardinal Arteaga y Betancourt of Havana, and, from Europe, Cardinal Gerlier of Lyons, Cardinal Frings of Cologne, and Cardinal Mindzenty, Primate of Hungary, with the French-born Cardinal Tisserant, Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of the Eastern Churches. Viscount Alexander of Tunis, Governor-General of Canada, welcomed the Papal Legate, Cardinal McGuigan. 


Among the other distinguished members of the Canadian Government who will assist at functions during the Congress, apart from Viscount Alexander of Tunis, are McKenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada,, Minister James Joseph McCann Minister of National Revenue. Minister of Justice. Louis Saint Laurent



The Pope, in a letter of good wishes to the Papal Legate, Cardinal McGuigan, said: 
" Make liberty the keynote of your address. It is not liberty," the Pope added, " if one envisages unbridled powers to achieve all ends: It is not liberty that iniquity should go unpunished. Truth is the mother of liberty. Truth is light and glory." He invited all participating in the Congress to fight against those who would " adulterate " liberty, the hope of salvation of the human race."


4 At 3 p.m. on Wednesday the Cardinal Legate arrived at the Cathedral in Ottawa and the Congress opened with an address of welcome read by Mgr. Vachon, Archbishop of Ottawa. 

 
The week concluded with a Mass at Lansdowne Park and ended with what the Catholic Northwest Progress newspaper called “the greatest fireworks display ever held in Canada” depicting scenes in the life of the Blessed Virgin.   

 
5 And in between There here was unforgettable splendor as at the great dinner Saturday night at the Chateau Laurier.  And there was the beautiful simplicity of so many families having picnics in their cars while stuck in traffic or picnicking and resting amid the June foliage of the parkway and on boulevards. Many slept under the stars at Lansdowne: some because they had no accommodation, others because they wanted to be close to the morning celebrations . There were scores of volunteers and all across the city there are numerous stories of people helping one another. 


Although it rained early on in the week, the weather was magnificent later on and for the spectacular closing ceremonies. On Wednesday in a special statement to the Ottawa Citizen The strong faith of the archbishop was evident when he said “I am confident Almighty God will bless us with fine weather” One might have been skeptical of this statement because it had been raining every day for a month before the Congress began. 


Sunday’s procession of the Blessed Sacrament preceded by 26 beautiful religious floats and 1,000 maids of honor were viewed by spectators exceeding 200,000 in number along a route extending from MacKenzie Avenue via the Driveway to Lansdowne Park . Anxious crowds had lined both sides of the driveway two hours previously. One RCMP officer estimated that more than 20,000 people had surged unto 

 
6 A few days after the conclusion of the Congress, J. Frank Williams (Canadian Correspondent , N.C.W.C News Service The Catholic Northwest Progress, Seattle Washington ) reported that Ottawa doubled in size as a tremendous throng of Pilgrims, led by members of the Hierarchy from five continents, assisted in the Marian Consecration (This act of consecration was recited before a great crowd at the 155-foot- high Lansdowne Park outdoor altar during Sunday’s closing Pontifical mass. ) Louis St. Laurent, Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs read the Act in French and Minister James Joseph McCann Minister of National Revenue., read it in English His Holiness Pope Pius XII spoke to the Congress from Vatican City. and his message was carried across all the major radio networks across Canada. The Pontiff described the consecration of the country to Mary as its crowning act. In his closing remarks the Pontiff recalled that Canada had been the home of intrepid missionaries since the days of Jacques Cartier and he called on the people of Canada to continue their traditional work of charity to other countries and to maintain their traditions of faith against all who would seek to undermine these traditions. 

 
Fast forward to six years ago, when Ottawa Resident Dennis Girard came across a French French Documentary  Congrès Marial, Ottawa, juin 1947  on YouTube.  He was quite surprised by it because he had never  heard about this Historic Event.  He had been searching for something entirely different when he came across the video, which, just a year or two before ( Nov 3, 2014 ) had  been uploaded to YouTube. French Documentary  Congrès Marial, Ottawa, juin 1947 BAnQ Films d'archives 


Dennis and his wife  Angelina met with the Archbishop of Ottawa, Terrence Prendergast as well as Bishop Tremblay from Cap de la Madelaine.  Before you know it, an English video was in the works, and put in motion were plans to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Congress in the year 2017 


On Mother's Day, 2017 the pilgrim statue from Cap de la Madeleine, subsequent to a series of seemingly Divinely orchestrated happenings, was installed at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Ottawa and the Archdiocese of Ottawa began to commemorate the Congress with a series of special celebrations 6 


For more information visit 



References  

 

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