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DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION Published By The Catholic Laymen's Ass'n Of Georgia Serving Georgia's 88 Southern Counties OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH Vol. 38, No. 21 MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1958 10c Per Copy — $3 a Year fPfit "Come Follow Me" Watchword 01 Diocesan Drive For Vocations “The words of Our Divine Master, ‘Come follow me’, assume tremendous proportions,” said Bishop Thomas J. MeDonough in a recent letter to the pastors of the Diocese, “when we think in terms of the apostolate to souls in the Diocese of Savannah. !l®§f 111 ' MSI i£ , - - —. A PRIEST CAN LEAD US TO HEAVEN—This timely display at St. Mary’s Seminary was - —(The Voice photo) a feature Vocation Exhibit. Only 7 From Georgia 21 Studying For Savannah Diocese SAVANNAH — Seminary fig ures recently released by the Chancery indicate the great need for Vocations in the Dio cese of Savannah. According to a recent report the Diocese has only 11 seminarians studying in the United States, and although ten Seminarians studying for the Diocese at Seminaries in Ire land swell the total to 21, only 7 of that number are natives of Georgia. The month of March has been designated by his Excellency Bishop McDonough, as Vocation month, and it is hoped that an intensive drive aimed at inter esting the youth of the Diocese in the Secular Priesthood will increase the number of native vocations. Beginning on March 10th Dio cesan Priests began visiting all the schools of the Diocese ad dressing boys from the 0th to 12th grade, on the subject of vocations to the Diocesan Priest hood. The talks are directed toward giving to the boys a keener awareness of what a vocation to the priesthood involves. The talks are followed by a question and answer period and by pri vate counselling, if so desired. Two Priests • To Be Ordained SAVANNAH — Ft e v. Mr. George James of Valdosta, Geor gia and Rev. Mr. Joseph Stranc of Philadelphia will be ordained for the Diocese of Savannah in the spring. Rev. James will finish his studies at St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, Maryland and will be ordained on May 24t,h. He will be ordained by the Most Reverend Thomas J. McDon ough, Auxiliary Bishop of Sav annah, in his home parish of St. John the Evangelist, Valdosta. Rev. Mr. Stranc, who is study ing at the Josephunium in Cin- cinnatti, Ohio, wil be ordained by the Most Rev. Amleto Gio vanni Cieognanni, Apostolic Delegate to the United States. Date of the ordination has not been released. Vocation Director Visits Seminaries ALBANY — Rev. Marvin J. LeFrois, Pastor of St. Theresa’s Church, Albany and Diocesan Director of Vocations visited three Seminaries in Massachu setts, New York and Maryland recently as part of a Diocesan Drive to secure more vocations to the Secular Priesthood in the Diocese of Savannah. Father LeFrois spoke to the student bodies of St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, Mass., St. Bernard’s Seminary, Rochester, N. Y., and Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Mary land. At the present time the Savannah Diocese has no stu dents at St. Bernard’s, but the Rev. John F. X. Fallon, Assist ant at Holy Family Church, Co lumbus, was recently ordained from St. John’s, Brighton. Mr. Perot Fiero, in the third year theology class at Mount Saint Mary’s, Emmitsburg is studying for this Diocese. In addition to his address to the Seminarians of Mount Saint Mary’s, Father LeFrois was also able to speak to a group of col lege students who are consider ing studying for the priesthood, but who have not yet been “adopted” by any diocese. Fa- the LeFrois expressed the hope that he had “created some in terest — as it were, planted the seed — and with God’s grace maybe some of these young men may be working in the vineyard here in Georgia.” Bishop McDonough called for concentrated effort, through prayers and sacrifice, toward de veloping a greater number of native Georgian Seminarians. “From our Catholic homes must come candidates for the priest hood. From our own Diocese; from the soil of Georgia we look for other Ambassadors of Christ to bring all men to a knowledge of the truth,” he said. Bishop McDonough referred to statis tics which emphasize the tre mendous tasks which face the Secular Clergy of the Diocese. “Statistically, the Diocese of Savannah has only 21 Diocesan priests, yet' geographically we cover an area much larger than Ireland. In the 88 counties which comprise this Diocese there is an overall population of 1,700,- 000, of which number less than 25,000 are Catholics. Indeed, the phrase “The Harvest is great, but the Laborers few” is filled with meaning for us. Unless we obtain more priests,” said the Bishop, “we shall be largely de- terrred in our efforts to bring Christ, our Divine Savior, into every county under our spiritual jurisdiction. Our most critical need is priests.” The month of March has been officially designated as Voca tion Month in the Diocese of Savannah and Bishop McDon ough’s letter urges. all priests, Sisters, parents and children to pray fervently during this month for vocations to the sac red Priesthood, especially to the Diocesan Priesthood. Special prayers compiled in a leaflet for congregational use have been published and distributed to all parishes and were used in the special Triduum conducted throughout the diocese early this week. Since this is the centennial year of the apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes, His Excellency has placed the Vocation Cam paign under the patronage of “Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, the Mother of the Great High Priest.” The Vocation Campaign will continue throughout the re mainder of the month and will be highlighted by vocational talks in all the. schools of the Diocese and by special youth programs. In answer to a query, the Chancery reports that at the present time there are only eight Diocesan Priests who are natives of Georgia and only seven of the Savannah Seminarians are Georgians. Archbishop Extends Best Wishes To Holy Father SAVANNAH—On the occasion of the anniversary of our Holy Father’s election and of his 82nd birthday, His Excellency Archbishop O’Hara sent his Holiness a. telegram in the name of all in the Diocese of Savannah. The telegram extended our felicitations and best wishes together with an expression of devotion and affection for his august person. The following cablegram was then received: “His Holiness grateful for the fervent and filial best wishes offered by Your Excellency, also in the name of the Diocese of Savannah. Cordially reciprocates your good wishes and sends to all His paternal Apostolic Blessing. DELL ’ACQUA, Substitute. Georgia Born Priests Serve In Home State IT'S NOT ALL WORK—Seminary life is not all work as this photo clearly shows. Included in this seminary band are Mr. John Fitzpatrick and Mr. Lawrence Lucree, students from the Dio cese of Savannah. The priestly careers of the eight members of the Diocesan Clergy who are natives of the state have taken them into ev ery region of the Diocese. Father Thomas A. Brennan, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church in Savannah, was or dained in 1923 and since that time has been stationed in At lanta, Albany, Augusta and Sav annah. Father Brennan was pas tor of St. Theresa’s Church in Albany and the far-flung South west Georgia Missions for fif teen years. The Right Rev. Msgr. T. James McNamara, Rector of the Cathedral is a native of Savan nah and was ordained by Bish op Keyes in 1924. Plis first as signment was as assistant rector of the Cathedral. From 1932 until 1937, Monsigrior McNamara was Administrator of Sacred Heart Church, Milledgeville and the large missions of middle Geor gia. He is also Vicar Forane of the Savannah Deanery. Father Herman J. Deimel, pastor of Holy Family Church, Columbus, claims Fitzgerald as his home. Father Deimel has seen service in many parts of Georgia and was for four years the Administrator of the Mis sion at Willachoochee. After his ordination by Bishop Keyes in 1928, Father Deimel was as signed as Assistant Rector of the Cathedral at Savannah, and HOW MANY OF YOU ARE GOING TO BE PRIESTS? — His Excellency The Most Rev. Thomas J. McDonough, Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah, asked this question of the seventh and eighth grade students of Cathedral School. Pictured with the Bishop, are The Rev. Robert J. Teoli, assistant at the Cathedral, and The Very Rev. Andrew J. McDonald, Chancellor of the Diocese. —(Photo Andrew Bunn) SEMINARIANS School Year 1957-1958 ' NAME George C. James Joseph L. Stranc E. Perot Fiero Walter Di Francesco John J. Fitzpatrick Lawrence A. Lucree Joseph T. Mackle Louis Padavan William J. Sullivan SEMINARY St. Mary’s, Baltimore Pontifical College Josephinum Mt. St, Mary’s, Emmitsburg St. Mary’s, Baltimore St. Mary’s, Baltimore St. Mary’s, Baltimore St. Mary’s, Baltimore St. Mary’s, Baltimore St. Charles, Catonsville CLASS 4th 4th 3rd Theology Theology Theology 3rd Theology 2nd Theology 2nd Theology 2nd Theology 1st Theology 1st Year High HOME TOWN Valdosta, Ga. Philadelphia, Penna. Philadelphia, Penna. Ardmore, Penna. Savannah, Ga. Savannah, Ga. Philadelphia, Penna. Pringle, Penna. Port Wentworth, Ga. STUDENTS IN IRELAND SEMINARIANS School Year 1957-1958 since that time has been station ed at Willachoochee, Atlanta, Valdosta, LaGrange and Colum bus. Father Deimel is Vicar For ane of the Columbus Deanery. The Pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, Dublin, is another Savannahian, Rev. Rob ert F. Brennan. Father Bren nan was ordained in Rome in 1940 and began his priestly ca reer as Assistant at the Cathe dral. After assignments as As sistant at St. Joseph’s, Athens and Immaculate Conception, At lanta, Father Brennan was ap pointed Pastor of St. Peter’s in LaGrange, and before going to Dublin served as rector of St. Joseph’s in Athens. Father John D. Toomey, born in Augusta, was ordained in At lanta in June of 1941 by Arch bishop Gerald P. O’Hara. After serving two years as Assistant Rector of the Cathedral, Father Toomey was appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Milledge ville and remained on the mid dle Georgia Missions for tnirteen years until his appointment as Pastor of the newly established St. James Parish in Savannah. Father Toomey is also Spiritual Moderator of the Diocesan Coun cil of Catholic Women. Since his ordination by Bish op Emmet Walsh in Savannah in 1948, the Very Rev. Msgr. Andrew J. McDaniel, born and (Continued on Page 8) NAME Kevin Boland Jarlath Burke John O’Rourke Stephen Connolly Timothy Ryan Gerard Campbell Michael P. Fingleton Noel Cawley Donald P. O’Sullivan James Fahy NAME Reaville Brown Joseph Schou William Simmons Robert Wilkenson Francis Nelson SEMINARY All Hallows, Dublin Ail Hallows, Dublin All Hallows, Dublin All Hallows, Dublin All Hallows, Dublin All Hallows, Dublin All Hallows, Dublin All Hallows, Dublin Mungret College, Limerick Mungret College, Limerick CLASS 3rd Theology 3rd Theology 2nd Theology 1st Theology 2nd Philosophy 2nd Philosophy 2nd Philosophy 2nd Philosophy 2nd Philosophy 2nd Philosophy MINOR SEMINARIANS SEMINARY St. Bernard, Cullman St. Bernard, Cullman St. Bernard, Cullman St. Bernard, Cullman St. Thomas, Bloomfield, Conn. HOME TOWN Savannah, Ga. Savannah, Ga. Columbus, Ga. Augusta, Ga. Philadelphia, Penna. ST. MARY'S SEMINARY—Pictured here is St. Mary’s Seminary, Roland Park, Maryland. Many of our Diocesan students for the priesthood are studying here.