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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 1 1 and is of colonial design, with a seating capacity of about 200. The Church, which will be a temporary one, will be complete in every detail and fully equip ped for the Divine Services of the Catholic Church. Holy Thursday, March 24th, was chosen as the day on which ground was broken for the new build ing, as on that day the Church commemorates in an especial manner the Institution of the Blessed Sacra ment. There was a short service Holy Thursday af ternoon at 5 o’clock, consisting of the “Asperges Me” (Thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord), during which the ground was blessed, while the Priests and Broth ers of the Marist Parochial School chanted the Litany of The Saints. A very impressive and instructive dis course was given by Very Reverend Joseph D. Mitchell, V.G., rector of the Cathedral, followed by a hymn sung by the sixth and seventh grade pupils of the Girls Parochial School. A prayer in honor of the Blessed Sacrament and the blessing of the people present concluded the services. Besides the congregation of the new parish, a large number of Catholics and non-Catholics attended the breaking of the ground. The Sisters of Mercy and Sisters of St. Joseph were also present. Rev. Dan J. McCarthy, the pastor of the new parish, was in charge of the services, and was assisted by Very Rev. Joseph D. Mitchell and Rev. Thomas P. Hayd en, of the Ca thedral, Rev. H. A. Schonhardt, of St. Patrick's, Au gusta, and Very Rev. F. Bernard, O.S.B., of the Sa cred Heart Church Savannah. The altar boys were: Cross-bearer, Joseph Sheehan; acolytes, Daniel Mc Carthy and William McDonough; holy water-bearer, Henry Wiehrs; book-bearer, Bergen O’Reilly. REQUIEM MASS FOR CARDINAL GIBBONS AT THE CATHEDRAL. On Tuesday, April 5th, a solemn high mass of requiem was celebrated at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Savannah, for the repose of the soul of the late Cardinal Gibbons. The celebrant of the mass was Very Rev. Joseph D. Mitchell, V.G., Rector of the Cathed ral, assisted by Rev. T. A. Foley, deacon, and Rev. T. J. Hayden, subdeacon. Just before the absolution, Bishop Keiley, who attended the mass, delivered the following eulogy: “On Holy Thursday morning, just at the end of the solemn services, I received the news that Cardinal Gibbons had just died in Baltimore. Holy Thursday is the eve of the Passion of Christ, and to me the ceremonies of the day present a picture of human life with its joys and suffering, and the sad end. We enter the Church to find the altar ornamented with lights and flowers, and as the very beautiful service goes on, the Priest vested in white and gold, we hear the Christmas hymn of the angels chanted by the Priest, and then answered by the choir with the ma jestic accompaniment of the organ and then the Priest chants and the choir sings, but the organ is mute, and not even the familiar bell calls the attention of the people at the moment of the solemn consecration. Other and beautiful ceremonies follow, but at their close the lights and flowers are taken from the altar and even the coverings are removed and we chant the old dead march, whose strains tell the dreadful story. “The sacred day saw the conclusion of the wonder ful career of Cardinal Gibbons. Though we all should have been prepared for the blow because of his age and serious illness, yet with that strong, yet common, fatal blindness, we kept on hoping against hope. We knew that he had far surpassed the limit which Providence seems to have placed on the bound of human life, for he had seen and passed the three score years and ten and had entered upon the four score years. Yet despite all this his death took us by surprise. Fie had been with us so long and his name and work had become so identified with the Catholic Church in our country, that it will take us some time yet to accommodate ourselves to the new conditions confronting us. “What a wonderful career was his. Sixty-one years ago he was ordained a Priest by Archbishop Kendrick. Fifty-three years have passed since at the hands of Archbishop Spalding he received Episcopal Consecra tion, and five and thirty years ago he received the red mantle of a Cardinal in his Cathedral. He was the best beloved of all American Bishops. What a confirmation of that statement is found in the fact that though the Holy See appointed two other Car dinals here during his life, yet to nearly all Catholics he was OUR Cardinal. “Protestant, Jew and those of no religious convic tions loved and admired him, and the most beautiful tributes to his character have been penned by those not of our faith. “It is told of St. Charles Borromeo that he hurried to Rome to the bedside of his uncle, the Supreme Pontiff, who was dying. Entering the bedroom of the dying Pope, St. Charles bade him remember that though he was the Supreme Pastor of Christ’s flock and the Vicar of Christ on earth, yet now he was only a penitent sinner seeking mercy and pardon from God and basing his hope of salvation on the priceless merits of the Precious Blood shed on Calvary for all men. “And that is why today the Divine Services, not alone a reminder, but a true repetition of that of Calvary, has been offered here for a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church. On Holy Thursday he stood at a bar and before a Judge with whom neither rank nor dignity nor honors count, but the Judge’s just judgment founded on the fruit and works of the one judged. “He led a busy and a most active life and we plead for him that Eternal Rest may be his portion. He fought a good fight for the Church. May God now grant him the Peace of Christ. Darkness of intellect and weakness of mind are some of the sad heritages from the guilt of our first parents. We beseech a merciful God that on him may fall Eternal Light. May the soul of James Cardinal Gibbons, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.’’ INFORMATION FREE. Catholic Belief. Catholics and Marriage. Catholics and the Bible. The Pope and the War. Catholicism and Politics. Catholics and The Pope. Knights of Columbus Oath. Catholics and the Public Schools. A Plea for Peace. The above booklets giving information about Catholics and their attitude towards questions of the day will be sent you gratis upon request. All questions about Catholics and belief answered. their Address, THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA. Augusta, Georgia.