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6 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA must co-operate with the home in rounding out and completing what has been started. “If the Church and home do not do their part in handing down religious inheritance, we will be on the road to a return to paganism. There is no other power. “Indifference can block sometimes more effectively than opposition the onward march of an idea!., for opposition rouses the fighting spirit. We are now face to face with opposition and the more powerful indifference.” After speaking of the feeling of optimism prevalent, and labeling it as unjustified without effort on our part, Dr. Butler continued: “Any machine will run down if neglected. The human machine will do likewise in a few centuries unless we transmit the Word. We are all trustees. We pass through the world and have entrusted to us the great moral, intellectual and religious aspira tions. We may abuse or neglect our trust. If we do, the generations to follow will know it and suffer. “If some Chancellor Kent, 500 years hence, ex amine our people, it depends on us whether or not he can say that Christianity is part of the common law of the United States. We have it in our power to make it possible.” THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF GEORGIA By Rt. Rev. Benjamin J. Keiley, D. D., Bishop ol Savannah. On the evening of February 17, 1920, a dozen ladies met in the basement of the Cathedral in Sav annah and listened to a talk from Miss Joanna E. Walsh on the great need of the Priests on the Missions in Georgia. An organization was formed, and thus was established The Catholic Missionary Society of Georgia. Its membership has increased rapidly be cause its purpose appeals to every good Catholic woman. Its sole object is to help the priests on the missions in our diocese. The help they give is varied. They send money for expenses, furnish altar linens and- send papers, catechisms and other Catholic literature to Catholics living in the country, whose names are given by the priests. I am convinced that very few Catholics have any idea of the difficulties and troubles of our priests who spend their time on the missions. Let me give you some idea of the conditions here in Georgia. There are not quite 20,000 Catholics in Georgia and over 17,000 of these are found in Savannah, Augusta, Atlanta, Macon and Columbus. The rest are in the Missions. Some statistics will be interesting: The South-west Mission, with headquarters at Albany, has two priests, embracing 41 counties, con taining 15,000 square miles, with 34 stations, and only 950 Catholics. The priests everage every year 14,000 miles to travel. The North-east Mission, with headquarters at Athens, has one priest, has 19 counties, containing 11,500 square miles, 19 stations and 518 Catholics. The average mileage of the priest on his mission’s journey is 18,500 miles. The North-west Mission, attended by the Marists ol Atlanta, has 19 counties, with 7,000 square miles, 6 stations and 158 Catholics. The average mission ary travel is 9,600 miles every year. The South-east Mission is attended by Marists froir Brunswick, has 7 counties, with 5,000 square miles, 8 stations, and 570 Catholics. The priest travels 12,989 miles every year on his work. The Central Mission embraces 17 counties, witf 7,000 square miles, 10 stations, and 182 Catholics. The Mission is attended from Milledgeville. A few Catholics at Rocky Ford, Claxton and other places are visited from the Cathedral. When you see the number of miles which these Priests have to travel every year, you will readily see that this is the heaviest expense of the missions. Of course one must not forget that they get the muni ficent salary of $400.00 a year. Now the Missionary Society was established for the sole purpose of help ing these priests in their hard work. The dues of the Society are a penny a month, or whatever one wishes to give. They have collectors, and have besides installed mite boxes in the Parochial Schools. Starting with twelve devoted Catholic women a year ago last February, this is the report read at the first annual meeting in February of this year. RECEIPTS Dues for members $ 989.53 Donations 266.73 Mite Box in Girls’ School 80.75 Mite Box in Boys’ School I 69.63 Penny Collection A. O. H 13.19 Mite Box in Church 71.95 Sale of tin foil and paper 126.73 ‘ Total $1718.51 EXPENDITURES For the Missions attended from Albany.$ 380.00 For the Missions attended from Athens. 375.00 For the Missions attended from Bruns wick 160.00 For the Missions attended from Mill edgeville 150.00 (Continued on Page 12.)