Bulletin (Monroe, Ga.) 1958-1962, April 05, 1958, Image 1

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L Pubiished By The Catholic Laymen's Ass'n Of Georgia DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH Serving Georgia's 88 Southern Counties Vol. 38, No. 22 MONROE, GEORGIA, . SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 1958 10c Per Copy — $3 a Year ! v TO BE REPLACED—Historic St. Teresa’s, Albany, will short ly be replaced by a new church. When the new building is fin ished the early part of 1959, this church will have served Ca + h~ olics 6i Albany for 100 years. St Teresa's Boasts Long, Colorful Past Tin: Bulletin presents a history of the parish of St. Teresa s, Albany. This history is repro duced from the pages of the AL BANY HERALD. ALBANY — Plans call for the completion of the new St. Tere sa’s around the first of 1959. By that time, the structure at 315 Residence Ave., will have been in existence and in use as a Catholic Church for 100 years. The -first recorded history of Catholicity in Dougherty Coun ty dates back to 1844, when Al bany was but an eight-year-old village. At that time, Georgia was in the Diocese of Charles ton, and the few Catholics of this county were visited by mis sion priests who made the long journey by horseback to say Mass in the homes of the Cath olics of this section. In 1859, a plot of land on Resi dence Avenue was given to the local Catholics by Albany’s founder, Col. Nelson Tift, and the congregation began work on the building, using hand-made brick manufactured by the slaves of a nearby plantation. However, before the building was -fully completed, Georgia se- ceeded from the Union, and a local historian writes that “a young plasterer, Tom Churc hill, laid down his trowell and rode away to follow Lee in Vir ginia, and to die at Malvern Hill for the lost cause of the Con federacy.” The little church was an in complete shell during the war, and was for a time used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Religious services were held be fore the completion of the church, a group of young people being confirmed there in 1860. After the end of hostilities, the structure was finished. Pews were built by John and James O’Kelley, two young Confede rate veterans, shortly after their return from Virginia. These same pews were used for many years, being replaced after the turn of the century when the church was remodeled. The records of St. Teresa’s reveal that Albany obtained its first resident priest in 1876, but due to the hardships of life in the mission wilderness, and to the scourge of yellow fever, sev eral priests died or were re lieved of duty here due to ill ness, and it was not until 1882 that the church was dedicated. This ceremony coincided with the golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. John Valentine Mock, in whose home was prob ably said the first Mass in (Continued on Page Eight) SAVANNAH DEANERY LUNCHEON Break Ground For New Albany Church ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Day School Of Religion Feature Of Camp Villa Marie Modern Plant For Historic St. Teresa’s ALBANY —- His Excellency, the Most Rev. Thomas J. Mc Donough, D.D., J.C.D., auxiliary bishop of the Diocese was the principal speaker at ground breaking ceremonies for the new St. Teresa’s Church. A contract signing ceremony was held in the auditorium of St. Teresa’s school. His Excel lency officially signed the build ing contract with the A. C. Samford Construction Co. Those assembled were addressed by the Rev. Marvin J. LeFrois, pas tor of St. Teresa’s, with the wel come being given by Mr. Rob ert McCormack. Mr. Asa Kelley acted as master of ceremonies. The signing followed the bles sing of the site and breaking of ground for the new building. In addition to the Bishop and Fa ther LeFrois, those participating in the ceremonies included Sis ter Miriam, principal of St. Te resa’s School and presidents of all parish organizations. These included Mrs. J. L. Rau, Mrs. John M. Wolfe, Jr., Mrs. William •J. Kaiser, Mrs. Fred Mills, Ray Mock, Ray Dwornik, J. W. Mock, Jr., John Ross and William Mock. The new church structure, which is of contemporary de sign, will be located on Edge- wood Lane, adjacent to St. Te resa’s Convent. The building is to be constructed of masonry units exposed on both the in terior and exterior. Eight lami nated wood arches, decked with Western white fir, will span the nave. This portion of the church, which seats 400, will feature windows glazed with plastic panels laminated over curls of hardwood. 42-FOOT TOWER To the left of the front en- (Continued on Page Eight) Savannah Deanery Sponsor Of Day Of Recollection SAVANNAH — Nativity par ish was host to the meeting of Savannah Deanery, D.C.C.W., Wednesday, March 26th, at St.- Mary’s home on East Victory Drive. It was a combined Day of Recollection, Report on the newly formed St. Mary’s Home Guild, and meeting. Rev. John Tracy, O.M.I., of Washington, D. C. opened the day with a conference at 10:30, after which h i s excellency, Thomas J. McDonough, Bishop of Savannah was celebrant of a Dialogue Mass. A Lenten lunch eon was served at 12:15 followed by the meeting. Officers elect ed for the coming year are: President, Mrs. Owen Porter; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Joseph M. McDonough, Mrs. John Phillips, and Mrs. Arnold Seyden, Sav annah Beach; Secretary, Miss Veronica Elliott; and Treasurer, Mrs, G. H. Bignault, Jr. Mrs. Walter Crawford report ed that 485 members and $2,- (Continued on Page Eight) ARCHITECT'S DRAWING OF N EW ST. TERESA'S, ALBANY. EASTER GREETINGS SAVANNAH—Their Excellencies Archbishop Gerald P. O'Hara, and Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. McDonough lake this occasion to extend to the priests, religious and faithful of the Diocese of Savannah devoted greetings and blessings on the feast of ihe resurrection of our Divine Saviour. ★ ★ ★ ★ FORTY HOURS DEVOTIONS Mt. St. Joseph Convent, Augusta, April 13, 14, 15. Our Lady of the Assump tion, Sylvania, April 13, 14, 15. Little Sisters of the Poor, Savannah, April 20, 21, 22. St. Theresa, Cordele, April 20, 21, 22. ★ ★ ★ ★ Msgr. O'Connor To Address Diocesan Youth Conference AUGUSTA — Right Reverend Monsignor Patrick J. O’Connor, Pastor of the Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Atlanta, will be the principal speaker at the Breakfast of the Savannah Youth Conference, on Sunday, April 20, at the Bon Air Hotel, in Augusta. The Youth Conference is a special feature of the Convention of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. Msgr. O’Connor was born and reared in Savannah. He is a graduate of Benedictine College, in Savannah, and of the Catholic University of America, in Wash ington, D. C. He made his stu dies for the Priesthood at St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland. Msgr. O’Connor was ordained May 25, 1933, in the Cathedral of St. John the Bap tist,, in Savannah. In the summer of 1933, he became a member of the staff of Preachers’ Institute of the Cath olic University and taught at that Institute every summer for twenty-three years. He served as an assistant in the then Dio cese of Savannah-Atlanta, at St. Anthony’s Church at West End, Atlanta. He served for a short time as an assistant at St. Mary’s on the Hill in Augusta. In 1936 he became a permanent member of the Faculty of the Catholic University of America, MSGR. O'CONNOR teaching Sacred Eloquence in the School of Sacred Theology. Along with his work as a pro fessor, Msgr. O’Connor served as Dean of Men at the University, University Director of the Alum ni Association, Procurator of the Catholic Sisters’ College, and in 1950 he was apopinted by the Archbishops and Bishops of the country as the fourth Director of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. In that same year he was elevated to the rank of Domestic Prelate by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, in recognition of his work in the vocational program of the Dio cese of Savannah-Atlanta. Msgr. O’Connor is serving at the present time as the Presi dent of St. Mary’s Seminary Alumni Association, Roland Park, Baltimore, Maryland. In 1956 Msgr. O’Connor re turned to Georgia, and became the Pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in At lanta, in the new Diocese of At lanta, and in this capacity he now serves. He is a member of the Board of Consultors of the Diocese, the Director of the Mission Apostolate, and Direc tor of Vocations. Augusta Holy Week Mission AUGUSTA — The Rev. Nor- bert Sharon of Holy Trinity, Alabama is conducting a Holy Week Mission at St. Mary’s church here. Evening services are being conducted each evening at eight o’clock. In urging attendance Father Daniel J. Bourke, V.F., pastor of St. Mary’s, reminds his par ishioners “There is no more ap propriate time for a Mission than Holy Week.” Recollection Day For Combined Communities SAVANNAH — His Excel lency, the Most Reverend Tho mas J. McDonough, sponsored a day of recollection for the Sis ters of all the religious com munities of the Savannah area on Saturday, March 15. The ex- recises which were conducted by the Reverend Edward Mary Cas ey, O.P., were held at St. Vin cent’s Academy. Bishop McDonough addressed the assembled communities at 11:30 a. m. His Excellency wel comed the Sisters and emphasiz ed the extent of the missionary work in the Diocese of Savan nah and the need for religious vocations. Father Casey who is from Our Lady of Springbank, Kingstree, South Carolina, gave two con ferences in the morning and con ducted a Holy Hour from 2:30 to 3:30 in the afternoon. Buffet luncheon was served to the sis ters in the high school cafeteria. Eighty-three sisters from the following communities attended the day of recollection: Sisters of St. Joseph, Sisters of St. Francis, Carmelites, Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Little Sisters of the Poor, and Sisters of Mercy. Savannah Girl Wins Contest Prize SAVANNAH — Gloria Wil liams, 12, a student at St. Ben edict’s School, has won third prize in a national letter-writ ing contest sponsored by the Catholic Boy magazine pub lished by the Holy Cross Fa thers at Notre Dame, Indiana. Gloria’s name, picture and prize winning letter appear in the current March issue of THE BOY. Her letter in this nation al contest was written on the magazine article, “Medical Knights in Africa” whis ap peared in the November issue of THE BOY. Catechetical Session Will Open June 25 SAVANNAH — Camp Villa Marie, Diocesan recreation and Religious Education center, will feature a Day School of Reli gion as well as recreational and Catechetical camping sessions. The Day School will operate from August 13th to August 29th. Classes will be held Mon day through Friday with chil dren reporting at 9:30 and re turning home at 4:00 p. m. While the objective of the Day School is Religious Education, all the facilities of the camp, including the swimming pool, will be at the disposal of the children. It is expected that the August sessions will ease the housing problems of the camping ses sions. Due to alterations at the camp, only 120 children can be accommodated at the Catecheti- (Pictures on Page Eight) cat Camp, but Rev. William V. Coleman, director of Villa Marie expects more than two hundred requests for registration. Camp Villa Marie will open with two general sessions. The first will be for children not attending Catholic schools. This will be a two week Catechetical Camp beginning on June 25th and ending on July 12th. The Recreation Camp will open on July 20th and will con sist of three one-week camping sessions. The last of these ses sions will begin August 3rd and continue to August 10th. In a letter to the Pastors, Fa ther Coleman urged early reg istration in view of the limited facilities of the camp. Registra tion wil be on a first come, first served basis. Folders and reg istration blanks for the recrea tion session have been sent to all parishes in the Diocese. Pilgrimage Leaves Apr, 22 SAVANNAH — The Savan nah Diocesan Lourdes Centen nial Pilgrimage sponsored by Most Rev. Thomas J. McDon ough, Auxiliary Bishop of Sav annah, will depart New York on April 22 via Trans-World Air lines. Monsignor T. James Mc Namara and Father Daniel J. Bourke will serve as the Spirit ual Directors of the pilgrimage. Six countries—Ireland. Eng land, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal — are featured on the official itinerary. Reservations are being received by all travel agents and at American Express Travel Service, 121 Peachtree St., N. E., Atlanta, Ga. In Lourdes the group will par ticipate in the year-long cere monies of The Year of Jubilee which was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. They will assist at Mass in the Mirac ulous Grotto on the very spot where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette.