CONGRESSES
245
CONGRESSES
international character. Among the best known of
these assemblies is the "Eucharistic Congress", the
aim of which is to increase and deepen tlie love of
Christ in every way tolerated by the Churcli: by
general communions, general adoration of the Blessed
Sacrament, and discussion of the best means of in-
creasing devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Between
its sessions the Eucharistic League endeavours to pro-
mote and intensify Eucharistic devotion in Ihi^ various
dioceses in which it is organized. Nineteen of these meet-
ings have been held since the first in Lille in 1881 , most
of them being preponderatingly French, the inspira-
tion of the first coming from Mgr. de Segur. The first
to attract the attention of the Catholic world was that
held at Jerusalem in 1803, and they have since grown
more solemn and inlhiontial. A general congress was
held at Rome, 1!)()."), aimther at Metz, 1907, and one in
London 9-13 S. i.tcinlirr, 1908. Both Leo XIII and
Pius X manifivsted threat interest in these congresses.
Less successful, however, was the attempt of Leo
XIII, by means of international congresses, to make
the Third Order of St. Francis once more a great
socio-religious influence. After he had indicated his
plan of Christian social politics in his encyclical
"Novarum reriun", he hoped to change the Third
Order of St. Francis from a purely pious organization
into an instrument for the regeneration of society such
as it had been in the thirteenth century. For a time
efforts were made, especially in France, to carry out
this ambition of the pope. A committee met at Val-
des-Bois, July, 1893, at the call of the Minister-
General of the Franciscans, and under the presidency
of L^on Harmel a plan of action was drawn up: sev-
eral meetings were held in France, and in 1900 an
international congress met at Rome. After this the
movement came to an end. The political-social
scientists, who were too much absorbed in their politi-
cal schemes, were unable to grasp the grandeur of the
pontiff's idea, and the Tertiaries clung to their accus-
tomed exercises and preferred to remain a pious con-
fraternity rather than to transform themselves into a
world-wide religious and social organization.
For a time the Congress of Catholic Savants had nearly as successful a career as the Eucharistic Con- gress. This was also of French origin, and founded by Mgr. d'Hulst, rector of the Institut Catliolique at Paris, in pursuance of a suggestion of Canon Duilh^ de Saint-Projet. The founders meant to prove to mankind that Catholics, instead of being opposed to science, were vigorously active in scientific work; to show the harmony of faith and science, and to stimu- late the slackened interest of Catholics in science. The plan of the congress was, therefore, largely apologetic; it received the approval of Leo XIII, and from 1888 the sessions were triennial. The first two meetings, at Paris, had an attendance, respectively, of 1605 and 2494 persons; the third congress, at Bru-ssels, 2518; the fourth, at Fribourg, in Switzerland, 3007; the fifth, at Munich, 3367; a sixth was to be held at Rome, 1903, but it did not take place. Originally this con- gress was divided into six sections; theology, philoso- I>hy, law, history, natural sciences, anthropology; four more were added later; exegesis, philology, bi- ologj', and Christian art. The character of tlie inter- national congress of Catholic jihysicians which met at Rome, 1900, was largely religious.
International meetings are also held by the "As- sociation catholique Internationale pour la protection de la jeune fille", a society that looks after young girls who are seeking employment, guards them from dangers, and aids in their training and secures em- ployment for thetn. It was founded bv a Swiss lady, Frau von Reynold, 1896-97. Up to 1897 the sessions were at Fribourg, Switzerland; 1900, at Paris; 1902, at Munich; and in 190G, again at Paris. Fribourg, Switzerland, is the headijuarters of the society. Ten countries are represented in it, among them Argen-
tina, South America. Each national society holds its
own annual meeting; the French branch, formed in
1898, alternately in the provinces and at Paris; the
German, founded 1905, at the session of the Strasburg
Catholic Congress in connexion with the Charities
Congress. Among national Catholic assemblages
may be also included the so-called "Social Week"
started by the " Volksverein" (People's Union) of Cath-
olic Germany. Its sessions were held annually, 1892-
1900, with the exception of 1897, in different places.
About a week was given to an introduction to prac-
tical social work. The original attendance of 582 in
time rose to about 1000. The sessions were devoted
not to discussions, but to instructive lectures and the
answering of questions, thus making what might be
called a popular travelling school. But a week was
too short a period of instruction, and the constant
change of place made it difhcidt to obtain good teach-
ers, consequently a permanent home was given to the
association at Miinchen-Ghulbach, and the annual ses-
sion was made a two months' course in political econ-
omy. A limited numljer of men and women selected
by a committee of the " Volksverein" assisted at these
lectures. Since 1904 the shorter courses, in improved
form, have been resumed in addition to the longer
ones, and the attendance has largely increased. The
French Catholics were the first to imitate this ex-
ample, holding a similar assembly at Lyons in 1904;
since then sessions have been hekl at various places,
that of 1907 being at Amiens, and the next at Mar-
seilles. The best of their national economists give
their assistance ; the progranune differs from the Ger-
man in as much as the topics treated are not exclu-
sively practical, but that the lectures include the
philosophical and religious premises of modern social
politics, and the part Christians should take in politi-
cal life. The movement spread to the other Romance
countries during 1906-08, and also to Belgium and
Holland, and made great progress, thanks to the ef-
forts of Professor Toniolo in organizing asocial-science
week at Pisa, followed by a larger meeting at Pistoja in
October and another at Valencia in December, 1907.
In France, Spain, and Italy, this social-science week
will hereafter be held according to a joint programme.
III. N.\TioNAL Catholic Congresses. — France. — Since 1898 the French Catholics have held provincial conventions in place of general congresses, and since the separation of Cluncli and State, these have given place to diocesan conferences. Such gatherings have been held in about half of the dioceses, the most im- portant being those of the Archdiocese of Paris. Their aim is to imite all Catholic social societies, espe- cially those for the young which in many dioceses have a large membersliip. In results they are not as effective as general Catholic congresses, but they seem rather to tend to supply what has hitherto been lacking in France, a steady and even attention to de- tails, as the Volksverein has done in Germany, elo- quent orations giving place to quiet, practical work. This would be an important result. On the other hand, it is possible that the inclination of the French to overburden even socio-political societies with relig- ious issues, to give them a denominational aspect, and place them under strict clerical control, may be kept alive by the diocesan societies. Before this the im- pulse to permanent organization came from a con- gress, whereas now the bisliop or an ecclesiastic com- missioned by him is the head of the diocesan commit- tee, and the parish priest of the parish committee.
Religious Congresses. — In certain French dioceses e. g. at Paris, 1902-1908, special diocesan Eucharistic Congresses have been held. A "Congrj^s national de I'oeuvre des Cat<^chismes " was held at Paris under the presidency of Mgr. Amette, Archbishop of Paris, 24- 26 February, 1908. Seventy dioceses were officially represented, and the attendance was over 2000. It was reported that 20,000 lay catechists, chiefly women,
