CONGRESSES AND CORONATIONS
0 news could bring greater joy to the sick Pontiff than reports of widespread devotion to Our Blessed Lady.' said Cardinal Griffin on Tuesday night when he solemnly crowned a statue of Our Lady in the centre of London.
Part of the splendid story from this country--Our Lady's Dowry; —is that this week, on the eve of the Feast of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception, and on the feast day itself. there have been two more solemn coronations. with Pontifical ceremonies, and three new Mary churches opened.
Abroad—in Lourdes. in India, in Peru. in the Philippine Islands and in Nigeria five Papal Legates have been presiding at the opening or closing of immense congresses in honour of Our Lady.
Ireland saw its second solemn coronation, on the feast day, at the celebrated Shrine of Knock, in Co. Mayo. There was another coronation in Africa.
Ca rdinal Griffin. on Tuesday night. before Benediction, crowned the statue of "(Jur Lady of Warwick Street" in the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Gregory only a short distance from Piccadilly Circus: the singing in the church could he heard in Regent Street.
The new churches
in the Pro-Cathedral of St. George at Southwark. Bishop Cowderoy crowned the first statute of Our Lady to he publicly exposed in this country since the Reformation — the statue which is to he enshrined in the Lady Chapel when the restored St. George's Cathedral is completed.
This week's new Mary churches were opened with Pontifical ceremonies at Epping. Essex, at Seacroft, Leeds. and at Frimley. near Camberley. in Surrey—the last a former barn. now the "Queen's Chapel," since it is dedicated to "Our Lady. Queen of Heaven." commemorating the newly instituted feast day.
Many of the Archhishopt and Bishops celebrated evening Mass cm Wednesday. and in. a great number of churches, too, Mary's Year in Our Lady's Dowry ended as it began. with evening Mass.
See pages 7 and 9.