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ITHE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
Meuse and the Farm, wherever the fighting was
hardest. They have served continuously in all
forms of military service and hazard. Not only
their line officers and their rank and file, but their
chaplains, Father M. J. O’Connor, of the Mass
achusetts Ninth, and Father Francis P. Duffy, of
the New York Sixty-ninth, have won military dis
tinction as well as the gratitude and affection of
the men. Father Thomas J. Dunne, of New York,
a chaplain of the 306th Infantry, has received the
Distinguished Service Cross. Several other chap
lains of Irish blood have been cited for bravery,
among them Father William J. Farrell, of Newton,
Massachusetts.
The “fighting marines” won deathless glory in
the Great War. One of the most dramatic scenes
in history occurred at Chateau-Thierry where the
American marines opened ranks to permit the
French to retire, then closing their lines once more,
went forward singing: “Hail! Hail! The Gang’s All
Here. It was the invincible courage, the uncon
querable grit, the impetuosity and indomitable per
sistence of the marines and the other American sol
diers that caused the Americans to hold every posi
tion under every conceivable difficulty, to fight
through the Argonne forest, from one shell-hole to
another, from one machine gun nest to the succeed
ing one, and to attack, batter through, consolidate,
hold, advance again and repeat tirelessly, again and
again, and at last break the German morale so that
the final debacle occurred and Germany’s hopes of
world domination collapsed in humiliating surrender.
The chaplain of the marines was Father John J.'
Brady, of New York City.
Catholic Officers.
To set forth even a partial list of American Cath
olic officers would make the reading like that of a
catalogue. Therefore, a few are chosen which are
(Continued on page 13)
THE CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHO
LIC WOMEN
C. - by MRS. E. H. HOWKINS.
Delegate for the C. L. A. of Georgia.
The first Convention of the National Council of
Catholic Women, was held at the Willard Hotel,
Washington, D. C„ from October 12th to 14th, and
a most inspiring, enthusiastic gathering of rep
resentative Catholic women from all over this great
country of ours—these United States—was in at
tendance.
The Convention started with Mass, His Excel
lency, the Most Rev. John Bonzano, D. D., Apos
tolic Delegate, being celebrant, and Rt. Rev. Ed
mund F. Gibbons, D. D., Bishop of Albany, preached
a most eloquent sermon in the spacious, beautiful
church, St. Matthews, so how could our convention
fail to be one of peace, inspiration and great
promise?
Immediately after Mass, we were received by the
first lady of the land, Mrs. Warren G. Harding, at
the White House. She is possessed of a most gra
cious, charming personality, and is far more at
tractive than represented in the movies!
The business sessions were quickly and capably
conducted. While we regretted exceedingly the ab
sence of our President, Mrs. Michael Gavin of New
York, who was detained by the desperate illness of
her mother. Our little, vivacious, capable Vice-
President, Mrs. W. T. Donovan of St. Louis, pre
sided in an able and parliamentary manner.
In summing up the Convention, one is impressed
by the earnest, purposeful gathering of women—of
one faith, for God and for country—eager to learn
and to do, and we were enthused by the fine ad
dresses made by many members of the Hierarchy.
The keynote of this first National Council of
Catholic Women was undoubtedly the importance of
the National Catholic Service School, which is to be
the_ special work of the Catholic Women of the
United States. The plans were incorporated in a
message from our President, Mrs. Gavin, and they
were laid before the 500 delegates by Miss Agnes
Reagan, Executive Secretary of the organization.
The Need For The School.
“The need for the school,” Mrs. Gavin’s message
stated, “has been emphasized by the experiences of
the past, the exigencies of the present and the pro
babilities of the future. The curriculum will in
clude economics and social legislation, household
economics and institutional management; sociology,
social case work, clinical, problems of childood and
ethics.”
Following the message of Mrs. Gavin, Very Rev.
John Burke, C. S. P., general secretary of the Na-
tronal Catholic Welfare Council, and head of the
school s adminstrative board, delivered a short talk
on the objects of the school.
it win carry out the best traditions of the race ”
he said, “by training the strongest to serve the
weakest and by teaching sacrifice of self for the
benefit of the helpless.
“Its objects will be to create instruments to go
out into the world equipped in the modern way for
what tasks may confront them—instruments of
charity, also teachers of practical and the most use
ful charity.”
Five hundred thousand dollars was set as the sum
providing Tor the purchase and three-year main-
tenance of the National Catholic Service School for
Women, at 2400 18th Street, Washington, D. C.
The school has already been purchased, at a price
m the neighborhood of $350,000, and the expense of
ooo enance for the first three years is set at $50,-
Liberal Contributions.
Immediately following Father Burke’s talk, con
tributions were called for. Such was the enthusi-
asm that m less than a half hour $50,000 was
pledged!
It was suggested that a plate be passed, as
many would gladly contribute a dollar or so, but
could not afford to give hundreds, and $13,000 was
collected in a few minutes, so great is the belief
that social welfare work is the great need of today.
It is the great need, because it is designed for the
rebuilding of human society. It is confined to no
particular class or race or group. There should be
no question of the need of the trained social worker.
Social service is today a profession. The Catholic
training school must as a school be equal to the
best training 1 school in the country.
Your representative was asked by the Archdiocease
of Baltimore to give for the Diocese of Savannah
the sum of $500. toward a $5,000 memorial in honor
of Cardinal Gibbons, in the form of the National
Catholic Service School for Women. It is needless
to say the amount was willingly pledged, and now
an appeal is made to the Catholic Women of Georgia
to raise this sum—$500—by the 1st of January. The
work can not be successful without your help. The
National Catholic Service School must be maintained
and we wish it God-speed.