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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
is eagerly taken as true by thousands of Georgians.
That is the kind of thing we Catholics are brought
into disrepute by here in Georgia.
In addition to this Oath there was a direct attack
on Catholics in Wilkes County, but it was not viru
lent and was the kind of assault that is to be ex
pected. It was not mean and was open and above
board. A minister, through the columns of the paper
in Washington, sought to show that the Church was
the enemy of the country and stood for those things
most opposed by Protestantism and, therefore, most
un-American. The editor of the paper was fair and
even liberal, inasmuch as he printed our replies which
were of necessity, we thought, longer than the articles
answered. As Wilkes had been one of the points in
Georgia where least antagonism to Catholics had
shown itself, the bureau devoted much time and at
tention to this incident, and is even yet sending lit
erature explanatory of Catholic position and teach
ing into the county, where, it is pleasing to note, it
has been well received.
The Bishop’s Oath.
Then, our old protagonist, the Guardian of Liberty
leader in Macon, rushed into print with an octavo
volume of some 400 pages rehashing correspondence
had with the bureau more than two years ago and
denouncing as false practically everything we had
told him and making a great to do about the Church
being opposed to the spirit of American institutions.
The book, which we think is made to sell--—a monetary
proposition—it retails at a dollar in paper cover
was advertised in The Telegraph as being published
by “The Patriotic Societies of Macon.” A high-
sounding title of the kind that may be labelled “im
portant if true.” At any rate, the ladies at the head
of two branches of the U. D. C., of the D. of C. and
the Colonial Dames, published a card in both Macon
papers saying they were in no way connected with
the attack on the Catholic Church. The Guardians
thereupon published a card saying the Daughters and
the Dames were not patriotic, but only memorial
societies.
The feature of the book is the Oath taken by a
Bishop at his consecration. The author seems to see
the handwriting on the wall about the K. of C. Oath,
and now claims to find new cause for alarm on the
part of patriots because the Bishops swear to obey
the Pope. Of course, you know, and every sensible
man knows the Bishop and Pope are dealing with
spiritual matters, but the Guardians are terribly upset
about the matter and see all sorts of dangers to the
American constitution in the Oath.
This has also meant much work for the publicity
department. As a matter of fact, these rabid out
breaks do more good than harm ultimately, but for
the time being they disturb programs and cause altera
tion of plans. The Macon book is a current topic
and no report on its effect can yet be made.
Beyond Georgia.
Outside the State a representative of the publicity
committee has explained the Georgia publicity cam
paign in various parts of Michigan, in Illinois, Mis
sissippi, Ohio, Louisiana, and has addressed meetings
upon the subject in Detroit, Battle Creek, St. Louis,
Chicago, Biloxi, Louisville, New Orleans and Brook
lyn.
Below may be found a detailed report by days of
the pieces of literature distributed for the quarter, a
total of about an eighth of a million pieces, or an
average of nearly 1,700 pieces for each working day.
This is a record and represents the bureau at the
height of its activity.
Inquiries have increased until replying to them is
alone a heavy task. There are now about 1,700 cor
respondents upon our active list, and though it would
seem we had run the gamut of questions to be asked,
we are constantly receiving new ones or new phases
of old ones demanding new treatment, so that the
“man higher up,” upon whom the bulk of this labor
falls, is kept pretty busy day in and day out, while
the indexing and filing of replies and data keep one
clerk occupied most of each day. The office force,
in addition to the manager, consists of five ladies,
regularly, and extra girls and boys from time to
time who address wrappers and envelopes and fold
circulars, while a force of volunteers from the Au
gusta Council of the Knights spends part of five
evenings each week addressing. The bureau is in
deed a busy place.
Printed matter received in the three months to
talled 188,000 pieces, of which 25,000 were from
the national office of the Knights of Columbus.
Monthly Distribution.
In April there were sent out 39,331 pieces of lit
erature, the smallest amount being 69 on April 5th,
and the largest 7,200 on the 14th.
In May, 39,332 was the total, the smallest being
29 on May 29th, and the largest day, 10,240 on the
26th.
In June 45,180 was the total, the largest on any one
day being 14,856, and the smallest 29. Grand total
for three months, 126,098.
CATHOLIC FUNERALS AND PARISH
CHURCHES.
The creation of new parishes nearly always brings
up the question of the right or privilege members of
the new congregation have to be buried from the
church where they formerly worshipped. Therefore,
it is not strange that recently the question was asked
the Bureau: Does a Catholic have to be buried
from his or her parish church?”
The answer is that a Catholic adult may be buried
from the church he chooses, but only under certain
conditions. The new code states that this matter
is left to the individual and not to the family of the
deceased. It is required that the request for burial
from other than the parish church be made in writing
by the one who will later be so buried, or that it
be made in the presence of two witnesses who are
likely to be living at the time of the funeral.