The
following excerpt is taken from the memoirs of Archbishop Vachon
pages 136 -137
`The solemn consecration to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary took place at 5 o`clock. No previous ceremony at the
Repository had been so imposing. The sun still seemed to be at its zenith. It beamed down its heat upon this open air cathedral.
Nine cardinals including the Cardinal legate took up their positions on the central
section of the Repository. All the Archbishops and Bishops present in Ottawa,
Monsignori, Canons and thousands of priests, dignitaries of all ranks occupied
the two long wings spreading out from the central section of the Repository.
The crowd was immense. It was estimated to surpass 500,000. The 85,000 seats in
front of the Repository were occupied. Thousands and thousands of persons stood
in the aisles. The greatest number of Congressists, those who could not gain
admittance to the overcrowded Stadium, open sky seats and aisles listened
religiously from all parts of the park to his impressive ceremony which was
brought to them by means of loud speakers installed throughout the grounds and
in the various buildings.
The words of the consecration, read
in English by the Honourable James J McCann, Minister of National Revenue and
in French by the Honourable Louis Saint Laurent, Secretary of State for
External Affairs, Members of the Federal Government, were heard through the
loud speakers and by radios by the people in the Park, in the city and
throughout the country. In a great silence, all eyes and all hearts tended with
ardour toward the Mother of God and of men. It was with profound emotion that
the people listened to the words of the Dominion of Canada to Mary in the text which
had served as the prayer of the Congress for months past, and which was an
extract of the consecration of mankind to the Immaculate heart of Mary written
by Pope Pius XII. Here is the text:
O Queen of the Most
Holy Rosary, Help of Christians, who art
victorious in all God`s battles, we humbly prostrate ourselves before thy
throne, confident that we will receive mercy, grace and bountiful assistance and
protection in the present calamity, not through our own inadequate merits, but
solely through the great goodness of thy Maternal Heart
`It is in Thine Honour that we
prepared the Great Congress to celebrate the centenary of the erection of this
Diocese with the hope that you will be moved to pity by the sight of the
widespread material and moral ruin. O Mother of Mercy, obtain peace for us from God, and above all, procure
for us those graces, which prepare, establish and ensure the peace! O Queen of
Peace, give to the world the peace for which all men long, peace in the truth,
justice and charity of Christ.
“Obtain for the Holy Church of God
peace and complete freedom ; stay the rising flood of modern paganism; enkindle
in the faithful the life of purity, the practice of Christian virtues, and an
apostolic zeal, so that the servants of God may increase in holiness and in
number.
“Lastly, as the Church and the entire
human race were consecrated to the Sacred Heart of thy Divine Son, so that by
placing all hope in Him, He might become for them the pledge of Victory and Salvation,
so do we now and forever consecrate ourselves to thy Immaculate Heart, O
Blessed Mother and Queen of the World, that thy love and thy protection may
hasten the triumph of the Kingdom of God, and all nations, at peace with one
another and with God may proclaim thee blest and chant with thee from pole to
pole, the eternal Magnificat of glory ,
love and gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in Whom alone may be found the
blessings of truth, of life, and of
Heavenly Peace, Amen “
The provincial promotional office
Ciné-Québec presents Marian Congress in Ottawa,
June 1947
Tribute to His
Excellency Archbishop Alexandre Vachon Archbishop of Ottawa
A film by Fr.
Maurice Proulx –
Transcribed,
translated and narrated
by Robert Du Broy in 2016.
Hail
Mary!
Ottawa,
16 June 1947
In
this capital, where beats the heart of the Dominion of Canada, mighty arms
projected over the world the triumph of the Virgin over souls and hearts. From
the Shrine of Cap-de-la-Madeleine, towns and villages in five dioceses have made
the ascent to this summit. The seven hundred mile journey of the Virgin was
prepared by a foundation of preaching, and paved by penances and offerings, lined
with prayers and devotions.
O
sing out, night of joy! Ring out to the four winds immense joy with bells and
hallelujahs!
Here
is the protector of day and night, and here is the chapel of peace where for
127 continuous hours,
Mass will be celebrated and Christ given to Man 150,000
times.
Princes
of the Church have come to guide the throng of faithful believers. .His
Eminence, Cardinal McGuigan, Archbishop of Toronto, Papal Legate, accompanies
His Excellency, the Apostolic Delegate, Antonio Bagnoli.
There is a clear
sky over the dawn of Marian Thursday.
Archbishop Vachon greets the morning
as it breaks over the centenary of the Ottawa diocese.
This eve of the jubilee
prepares the pilgrims for the sublime days to come.
Cardinals,
archbishops, and bishops, extraordinary ambassadors of the only truth, have
come to celebrate your triumph, O Virgin. They come to lay at your feet the
pain over which dominates faith, the misery that is made tolerable by hope, and
the sacrifice that is called forth by charity.
Civil
authority joins religious authority and the splendour of its receptions befits
the occasion.
Viscount Alexander, Governor General of Canada, receives the
leaders of the Church, spiritual governors of the Catholic world. Among them,
on the right, is Cardinal Mindszenty, who will suffer persecution.
Night-time
renews the fervour of the day.
O
Star whose rays reach us with forbearance, we glorify you in our humble light
shows.
Friday morning
consists of offerings and reparations.
Bishop Vladimir Ladyka, apostolic
eparch to Ukrainians in Canada, celebrates a pontifical in dull white robes. The
Christian East and West find at the feet of Mary a united expression of prayer.
Cardinal Tisserant, of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches. His
Eminence Betancourt, Archbishop of Havana. Cardinal Frings, Archbishop of
Cologne. Cardinal Mindszenty, martyr for the Hungarian church that will one day
be free. From India comes Archbishop Ivanios, who along with all his church
converted to Catholicism.
In
the afternoon, the eloquence of religious speakers attracts crowds and dignitaries.
In the evening, the great film Our Lady of Fair Love which chronicles the life
of the Blessed Virgin with a sincerity of expression that makes it a work of
faith.
From
Quebec, the Catholic province, comes Premier Duplessis. Cardinal Gerlier brings
with him the presence of France, eldest daughter of the Church. The deep
religious convictions that are rooted in Quebec in her priests and French
school system qualifies Mr.Duplessis for the honour of introducing the eloquent
prelate.
The
Marian celebrations in Ottawa would be incomplete without a religious
exhibition. The universality of the reign of Mary is the most beautiful and
true of stories. An international fresco of one hundred and six kiosks is a
witness to that.
Half
a million visitors have walked through this incomparable book of apologetics. Most
interested and perhaps the most notable of the pilgrims were the Dionne
quintuplets and their families.
Saturday, fourth
chapter of the Congress and a day of worship.
With
all the vigour of their devotion, young Canadian schoolchildren sing in participative
Mass. Bishop Langlois of Valleyfield speaks to them about religious vocations. Before
their eyes are the most worthy sons of the Church. Archbishop Roy of Quebec. Cardinal
Spellman, Archbishop of New York. Bishop Cody, apostolic missionary eparch. And
the cornerstone faith of the children, which is the highest tribute that the
Blessed Virgin will receive, in this spiritual treasure they give to Archbishop
Vachon. They have asked for only one touching favour: good weather for the
Congress. In the Marian procession, the most beautiful symbols and the most vibrant
colours glorify Our Lady. The vast ribbon of people and floats have spread over
three weeks the glory of the Queen of Heaven and Earth.
To Jesus through
Mary.
Our
Mother of Perpetual Help, we pray that you open the heart of your Son to us.
Our
Lady of the Snows, Queen of great expanses, protect our land.
Without
knowing the glorious destiny of their daughter, Joachim and Anne dedicated Mary
to the service of God.
The
archangel Gabriel said, “Hail O full of grace. The Lord is with you.
You
are blessed among all women. And Jesus, the fruit of your womb, is blessed.
”Fearing
a newborn said to be God, Herod slaughtered the innocents. The Holy Family fled
to Egypt.
Sorrowful
Mother, hope of those who weep, here you give us the Son who desires to be our
brother.
Comforter
of the afflicted, lower your gaze on those who suffer.
Morningstar
to mariners and Queen of the elements, shine in my lonely night.
Queen
of the Apostles and Mother of wisdom, give your Church many labourers for God's
harvest.
Queen
of Peace, grant that our children never know the futile atrocity of
battlefields.
Mystical
Rose, who poured out the perfume of blessings, allow our temples to flourish.
Immaculate
Mother, distance from hearts defiling corruption.
O
spotless lily, guardian of every virtue, let us rejoice in His glorious
Ascension.
The
Mother of God thrones above the choirs of angels. And the Eternal Father
receives her as his beloved daughter.
He
made her the most glorious of queens and her reign will never end.
Look
with love on the banks of the great river, where live a still young people who
desire to grow in faith.
Grant
us your favours. Preside over our destinies. O Mary, Our Lady of Canada.
O
you, from whom the day receives the day without end, light of the world, give
to Man, from the well of your loving and fraternal sorrows, Mother of the
infinite and Mother of the humble, give eternal love.
Sunday, summit of
the Congress, day of consecration.
On
this last day of these pious manifestations, in one gathering will assemble all
the crowds, all the princely processions, all the pageantry, and all the
devotion that the first days had witnessed.
Once
again, before us pass the noblest personages of the Congress.
His
Excellency Alexandre Vachon, Archbishop of Ottawa, and organizer of the
Congress. Cardinals Frings and Mindszenty, who are leaders in their countries
tormented by communism. Cardinal Betancourt, who will preside over the
consecration ceremony. Cardinal Spellman of New York, spiritual director of a
stronger Catholic minority than the massed population that surrounds it. Cardinal
Mooney, Archbishop of Detroit. Cardinal Gerlier, Archbishop of Lyon, who will confer
upon Archbishop Vachon the Officer of the Legion of Honour Medal.and Cardinal
Tisserant. Cardinal McGuigan, Archbishop of Toronto, Papal Legate.
The
great serenity instilled within countless faithful by preaching and prayer will
never be known. The anonymous face of this throng will never reveal the
individual exaltations of consciences, the hidden, intimate shared joy. Transcending
the divisions of languages and borders, the universal Catholic Church here
offers the comfort of true faith and many are they who come to draw from it. The
Heads of State whose daily task is the life of a nation. The great and the
humble, the weak who no longer feel tired, the sick who smile in the blazing
sun, the pious and the reluctant who ask for strength, the strong who seek
prudence, the unbelievers who are surprised at being shaken, the skeptics who
look on astonished and cannot avert their eyes, the curious or the sincere,
they all wanted to go to the Virgin, and grace lined their way.
Of
the committees that surround Archbishop Vachon, the most noble is that of good
weather.
The
tireless Archbishop finds a rare moment of leisure to receive his family and,
among those with whom he stops for a moment, is a very proud father of five
daughters. With the greatest stage artists of merit, the Dionne quintuplets
sing praise to the Virgin at the solemn consecration of the Blessed Sacrament.
At
the altar is a living Mother over which passes a great breath of joy.
This
last religious ceremony of the afternoon is the consecration of Canada to Our
Lady.
Night
falls and the Marian Congress comes to a close. For five days and five nights,
one and a half million pilgrims have come to kneel at the foot of the altar in
Ottawa. For five days and five nights, the Mother of men poured out her grace
throughout the earth. Light in the darkness, Mother of the Son of God, our
Mother, may the praises of your people be sweet.
