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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 5 THE FIRST LAYMEN’S RETREAT IN GEORGIA Twenty Catholic men, representing four Georgia cities, gathered at St. Stanislaus’ College, Macon, Thursday, July 7, to make the first retreat for lay men ever conducted in the Diocese of Savannah, or, for that matter, in any of the Southeastern states. Sunday morning, July 10, these twenty men left St. Stanislaus’ College, resolved not only that they would come back for the second retreat next sum mer, but would see to it that the twenty of 1921 will be doubled and tripled twelve months hence. The retreat was conducted by Rev. J. J. McCreary, S. J.. president of Immaculate Conception College, New Orleans. From every point of view, it was a huge success. The Georgians who have had expe rience in retreats in other parts of the United States declare that the Macon retreat was the finest and most profitable one they ever attended. Father McCreary was an ideal retreat master, one whose eloquence was not his only asset. The Jesuit Fath ers, especially Rev. J. M. Salter, S. J., Master of Novices at St. Stanislaus’, left nothing undone that would add to the comfort and convenience of the re- treatants. One half of the men who made the retreat came from Macon. Augusta was second, with seven. At lanta, with two, was third, and Milledgeville sent one retreatant to swell the total. Those present were: Jack J. Spalding and D. J. Hayes of Atlanta; Pat rick H. Rice, Mathew S. Rice, James B. Mulherin, T. P. Kearney, Hugh Kinchley, Stewart Cashin and Richard Reid of Augusta; J. G. Weisz, G. E. Marsh, Jas. L. McCreary, W. T. McCreary. F. A. Huthnance, M. L. Ryan, Martin J. Callaghan, F. K. Scull, Albert E. Sheridan and Ed. A. Sheridan of Macon, and R. W. Hatcher of Milledgeville. The retreatants entered the College Thursday eve ning, Julv 7. From that time until the end of the retreat Sunday morning, silence was observed, ex- cent for two hours a day, one after dinner and an other in the evening. There was a regular order of religious exercises daily, meditation and Mass in the morning before breakfast, meditations, conducted by Father McCreary at 10 o’clock in the morning, 5:30 in the afternoon and at 9 o’clock in the evening, and at other times in the day private devotions, Benedic tion, the Stations of the Cross, Recitation of the Rosarv. and other devotions. At meals extracts from a work by the great Cardinal Manning were read. There was an earnestness about the retreatants that increased with the hours. They had banished from their minds all thoughts of the troubles and cares that are part of their life in the world. Their thoughts were of their Creator and of the end of man. They returned to the world better men mor ally. mentally and physically for it. The retreat ended at breakfast. Sunday morning. After the meal, on motion of Mr. James B. Mulherin, Mr. Jack J. Spalding of Atlanta took the chair, and resolutions thanking Bishop Keiley for his assistance and interest in the retreat movement, and Hie Jesuit Fathers for making it possible for the retreat to be conducted this year, were adopted by an unanimous vote. Mr. Spalding voiced the thoughts of all the men when he told how the retreat had affected him. He said that it was but the beginning of greater things, merely the foundation. “I never had so much work to do at one time in my life before, it seemed to me, as the day I left for Macon and the retreat.” he said. “I just shut up the desk and came, and I can not tell how pleased I am that I did.” Mr. Spalding has for years been advocating re treats in the Diocese of Savannah. Mr. R. W. Hatcher of Milledgeville, who also delivered a short address at the breakfast, has been another staunch advocate, and he expressed his pleasure at being able to be present at the first one. What the men themselves thought of the retreat is best expressed by the following resolutions, adopt ed at the meeting, with instructions to the secretary to send copies to Bishop Keiley, Father McCreary, Father de Potter, Father Salter and Father Ryan: July 10, 1921. We, the undersigned beneficiaries of the first Laymen’s Retreat ever conducted in the Diocese of Savannah, wish to express to the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, who made the Retreat pos sible, our sincere and lasting appreciation. We wish also to thank Rt. Rev. Benjamin D. Keiley, D. D., our be loved Bishop, for his interest in the movement, and his valuable assistance. Rev. Father de Potter, S. J., President of St. Stanislaus, for the use of the college building and numerous other courtesies. Rev. Father Salter, S. J., for the elaborate preparations made for our comfort and enter tainment and for his untiring assitance in other directions. Rev. Father Ryan, S. J., for his generous ef forts in behalf of the promoters of the Retreat. The young men, Novices and Scholastics of the Society of Jesus, who saw to it that our every want was satisfied. The Brothers of the Society, who labored un ceasingly in our behalf during our stay at St. Stanislaus. The pastors and priests of the Diocese of Sa vannah, for the generous publicity they gave the announcement of the Retreat. We are particularly indebted to Rev. Father McCreary, S. J., who conducted the Retreat. His spiritual guidance and his eloquent, scholarly instructions have sent our souls soaring to heights never before reached by them, and have given new vigor to the spiritual life within us, a vigor we shall endeavor to nourish by the con stant practice of the exercises recommended bv him. Our sojourn here has convinced us that speech is not "Hie medium of communication in Heaven, for words are powerless when summoned to ex press the gratitude that is in our hearts this morning. We shall try to express our thanks rather in action, and therefore pledge ourselves to return to St. Stanislaus twelve months hence if it be God’s holy will, and in the meantime to acquaint our fellow Catholics, not by word alone, with the great and salutary effect of the 1921 retreat on us, to the end that our number may be doubled and even tripled when we gather again. Signed: Patrick H. Rice Jack J. Spalding J. G. Weisz Denis J. Hayes G. E. Marsh Jas. L. McCreary W. T. McCreary F. A. Huthnance James B. Mulherin Stuart A. Cashin M. L. Ryan T. P. Kearney Martin J. Callaghan Mathew S. Rice F. K. Scull Hugh Kinchley Albert E. Sheridan Richard Reid R. W. Hatcher Ed. A. Sheridan.