Eucharistic Congress of Dublin (1932)
Encyclopedia
The 31st International Eucharistic Congress, held in Dublin 22–26 June 1932, was one of the largest eucharistic congresses of the 20th century.
Ireland was then home to 3,171,697 Catholics. It was selected to host the congress as 1932 was the 1500th anniversary of Saint Patrick
's arrival. The chosen theme was "The Propagation of the Sainted Eucharist by Irish Missionaries." Two days before the Congress, Time Magazine noted the Congress' special theme:
Seven ocean liners moored in the port basins and along Sir John Rogerson's Quay. These were De Grasse, Doric
, Dresden
, Duchess of Bedford, Marnix van Sint Aldegonde, Rio Bravo and Sierra Cordoba. Five others, Antonio, Laconia, Lapland, Samaria and Saturnia anchored around Scotsmans Bay. The liners acted as floating hotels and could accommodate from 130 to 1,500 people on each.
The final public mass of the congress was held in Phoenix Park
at 1pm on Sunday, and was celebrated by Michael Joseph Curley
, Archbishop of Baltimore
. Approximately 25% of the population of Ireland
attended the mass and afterwards four processions left the Park to O'Connell Street
where approximately 500,000 people gathered on O'Connell Bridge
for the concluding blessing given by the Papal Legate
, Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri. The Dundalk Democrat described the event:
The English Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton
was also present, and observed:
Ireland was then home to 3,171,697 Catholics. It was selected to host the congress as 1932 was the 1500th anniversary of Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
's arrival. The chosen theme was "The Propagation of the Sainted Eucharist by Irish Missionaries." Two days before the Congress, Time Magazine noted the Congress' special theme:
Seven ocean liners moored in the port basins and along Sir John Rogerson's Quay. These were De Grasse, Doric
SS Doric (1923)
SS Doric was a British ocean liner operated by White Star Line.Doric was White Star's second and last turbine-propelled ship. The vessel was constructed by Harland and Wolff in Belfast and was launched in 1922. Her passenger capacity was 600 in cabin class plus 1,700 3rd. class, with a crew of 350....
, Dresden
SS Dresden
A number of steamships have been named Dresden., a Great Eastern Railway passenger ship in service 1897-1915, A Norddeutscher Lloyd ocean liner in service 1927-34...
, Duchess of Bedford, Marnix van Sint Aldegonde, Rio Bravo and Sierra Cordoba. Five others, Antonio, Laconia, Lapland, Samaria and Saturnia anchored around Scotsmans Bay. The liners acted as floating hotels and could accommodate from 130 to 1,500 people on each.
The final public mass of the congress was held in Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park
Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...
at 1pm on Sunday, and was celebrated by Michael Joseph Curley
Michael Joseph Curley
Michael Joseph Curley was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. Originally a priest and bishop in the Diocese of St...
, Archbishop of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
. Approximately 25% of the population of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
attended the mass and afterwards four processions left the Park to O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street is Dublin's main thoroughfare. It measures 49 m in width at its southern end, 46 m at the north, and is 500 m in length...
where approximately 500,000 people gathered on O'Connell Bridge
O'Connell Bridge
O'Connell Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, and joining O'Connell Street to D'Olier Street, Westmoreland Street and the south quays.-History:...
for the concluding blessing given by the Papal Legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
, Cardinal Lorenzo Lauri. The Dundalk Democrat described the event:
The English Catholic writer G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG was an English writer. His prolific and diverse output included philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction....
was also present, and observed: