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DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH
Published By The
Catholic Laymen's
Ass'n of Georgia
Vol. 39, No. 24
i
CATHET>nWL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST — A renovation campaign .will be .under
taken beginning May 3rd to redecorate and repair the historical structure. Begun in 1873, it was
completed in 1894. Destroyed by fire in 1898, this well known Savannah landmark was rebuilt
within the framework of the original structure.—(Andrew Bunn Aerial Photo).
Camp Villa Marie Offers
Three Recreation Sessions
SAVANNAH—With summer
around the corner Camp Villa
Marie is receiving the finishing
touches of its second year of
renovation and. redecoration.
Again this year the Camp will
provide five regular sessions and.
facilities for the laymen’s re
treat.
All of the camp program will
be under the supervision of the
Reverend William Coleman.
Assisting Father Coleman will
be members of the Religious
Sisters of Mercy of the Balti
more Province, the Sisters of
Saint Joseph, various seminar-
(See Photo Page 8)
ians and other specialists in
various areas of camp work. A
Staff of forty is planned for
the summer. This will provide
a ratio of one staff member
to every three children, a highly
desirable situation.
Medical care is under the su
pervision of the camp physician
and the director of nursing edu
cation of Saint Joseph’s Hos
pital. Two nurses are resident
at the camp. The camp kitchen
is inspected and approved by
the Chatham County Board of
Health. Swimming instructions
are given with the help and
approval of the Savannah Chap
ter of the American Red Cross.
Registration Blanks may be
obtained by writting to The
Reverend Director, Camp Villa
Marie, P. O. Box 1560, Savan
nah, Georgia.
This winter has seen the ad
dition of two new bath houses
in the girl’s area. These build
ings are equipped with hot and
cold water as well as electrically
cooled drinking water. Two of
the older buildings on the prop
erty have been renovated to
provide an additional recreation
hall and a new infirmary and
nurse’s quarters. New dock
facilities and two new ball
diamonds have also been added
this year.
The program of the camp will
include, boating, fishing crab
bing, air riflery, swimming in
the newly filtered pool, Red
Cross swimming instructions,
arts and crafts, baseball, all
sports, dramatics, singing, mov
ing pictures and other forms of
supervised recreation. Each day
children are given the opportun
ity to attend Mass which is said
on the camp grounds.
Registration for the religious
education sessions for children
not able to attend Catholic
MACON—M aeon Catholics
have launched a drive to raise
a minimum of $150,000 to be
used for a new Catholic High
School here.
The $150,000 will be used to
construct an addition to what is
now Mt. de Sales Academy. The
new facility will be merged with
existing ones into what will be
known as the new de Sales
Pligh School.
Any funds raised over the
$150,00 minimum will go to
ward construction of a gymna-
torium, combination gymnasium
and auditorium.
The seven-week fund cam
paign will continue through
May 22, with all wage earners
in the Macon Catholic Commun
ity urged to donate generously.
The new building, to be loca
ted back of Mt. de Sales Aca
demy will consist of three home
room classrooms, biology labora
tory, study hall and offices for
a priest who will direct the
new high school and for a coach.
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Thomas I.
Sheehan, rector, announced
plans for the drive at all masses
at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church,
schools has already been com
pleted.
Dates for the three recreation
sessions are as follows: July
19th to July 25th; July 26th to
August 1st; August 2nd to
August 8th. Any child between
the ages of six and seventeen
may attend the camp for one or
more weeks. Children staying
for more than one week may re
main in the camp over the week
end.
recently.
Present plans call for fresh
men boys to enroll at the new
co-ed high school this Septem
ber, sophomores next year,
juniors in 1961 with the new
school in full operation by 1962.
Men of the parish have been
recruited into teams of twos as
campaign workers for the drive.
Workers meet each Wednesday
night at the church’s social hall.
Holst Beall, Sr., is general
chairman for the fund-raising
campaign, with Val Sheridan
serving as associate chairman.
Other leaders in the drive in
clude Chris Sheridan, chairman
of memorial gifts, with William
O’Shaughnessey a s associate;
Dr. James Cassidy, chairman of
friends committee, with Joe
Genone as associate; John Sha-
heen, business manager, with
Clem Dennis as associate; Ro
bert McCrary, completion chair
man, with Joseph McGoldrick
as associate.
The fund campaign has been
approved and has the blessings j
of the Most, Rev. Thomas J. Me- j
Donough. auxiliary bishop of i
the Savannah Diocese. 'U
At Mac on
$150,000 Annex
For de Sales High
MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1959
OPENS SUNDAY
Fund Drive For Restoration Of
Cathedral Sets $225,000 Goal
PROJECT CALLS FOR
MANY IMPROVEMENTS
SAVANNAH — A fund drive
for tile Cathedral of St. John
the Baptist has been announced
by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. T. James
McNamara, rector of the Ca
thedral.
The purpose of the campaign
is to renovate and redecorate
the 86-year-old edifice, the mo
ther church of the Catholic Dio
cese of Savannah. The total es
timated cost of the project has
been set at $225,000. It is hoped
that this amount can be raised
through the efforts of a concen
trated drive within the Cathed
ral Palish and from the many
friends of the Cathedral within
the city and county.
“The Cathedral is a Savannah
landmark and a symbol of the
charm and distinctive character
that is Old Savannah, and the
aim of our renovation program
is to preserve and enhance this
beauty,’’ Msgr. McNamara ex
plained. “The ravages of time
and weather have effected
much of the original perfection
of both the exterior and in
terior of the Cathedral, making
our restoration project an im
mediate and vital need.”
The Rector revealed that Mr.
William Murphy has accepted
the position of Honorary Lay
Chairman. Mr. Daniel J. Shee
han will be General Chairman.
Under the direction of Mr.
Sheehan a committee of 200
men of the community will be
organized to carry the appeal
to the parish.
The drive will open officially
on Sunday, May 3, with a meet
ing of the committee members
to be held at the Cathedral. His
Excellency, the Most Reverend
Thomas J. McDonough, D.D.,
J.C.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Sav
annah, will be guest speaker.
Every member of the Cathe
dral parish, as well as interest
ed friends will be solicited for
their pledges to this cause.
Msgr. McNamara observed that
this was to be no casual appeal
for funds.
“This is by far the most am
bitious project we have planned
since the Cathedral was built
more than three quarters of a
century ago. However it is a job
which must be done, and it is
our responsibility, without ex
ception, to do. It will mean
sacrifice above and beyond
what we have ever been asked
to do before, but I know that
our people and our friends will
respond generously and enthus-
iatically.”
Contributions and pledges to
the campaign can be paid over
a 20-month period, enabling all
to make a gift a part of their
family budget.
Among the major improve
ments which are planned is the
complete repair of all exterior
walls. Also, the foundations un
der the steeples must be sta
bilized and the roof will be re
newed. The interior walls will
be cleaned and painted and the
murals and stained glass win
dows restored. A new heating
radiation and lighting system
will be installed.
Msgr. McNamara emphasized
that the original architecture
and decorative theme of the Ca
thedral will be maintained
throughout the entire renova
tion process.
INVESTITURE
CEREMONIES
MAY 12th
SAVANNAH — Investiture
ceremonies for five Diocesan
Monsignors will be held in the
Cathedral of St. John the Bap
tist at 8:00 p. m. May 12th. Be
fore the investiture ceremon
ies the Prelates, recently honor
ed by Pope John XXIII will be
feted at a clergy dinner ten
dered by Bishop Thomas J. Mc
Donough.
The ceremonies investing the
Rt. Rev. T. James McNamara as
Protonotary Apostolic, and the
Rt. Revs. Andrew J. McDonald,
Thomas A. Brennan, Herman J.
Deimel and Daniel J. Bourke
as Domestic Prelates will be
conducted by Bishop McDon
ough assisted by Very Rev.
John Toomey and Rev. Barthol
omew Kedhane, S.M.A., as
Chaplains. The Rev. Felix Don
nelly, Pastor of Nativity of Our
Lord Church will be the speak
er. Rev. John Cuddy, Rev. Her
bert Wellmeier and Rev. Robert
Teoli will be in charge of cere-
PRAYER
FOR VOCATIONS
O God, hear our prayer
and let our cry come unto
Thee.
Bless our Diocese of Sav
annah with many priestly
vocations.
Give the young men You
call, the light to understand
Your gift and the love to
follow always in the foot
steps of Your Priestly Son.
—-Indulgence of seven years
Mary, Queen of the Clergy,
pray for us.
St. John Vianney, pray for
us.
Imprimatur:
-(-Thomas J. McDonough
MISSION AT
STATESBORO
STATESBORO — Father
Frank Chapman, a Redemptor-
ist Missionary, will preach an
eight day mission at St. Mat
thew’s Church in Statesboro.
The dates for this mission are
from Sunday, May 3rd through
Sunday, May 10th. A mission
is an important time for a spe
cial spiritual renewal for the
souls of those present.
During the eight days of the
mission, Father Chapman will
preach at all the scheduled
Masses, both Sundays and week
days. Then each night at 8 p.m.
Father Chapman will conduct
the special program of prayer
and preaching which will serve
to revive and strengthen the
faith of the congregation.
Father Chapman was born in
Brooklyn, N. Y. and ordained
as a Redemptorist Missionary
in 1930. He served as a parish
priest in Annapolis, Md. and
then in the West Indies. He
then took post-graduate studies
at the Catholic University of
America. From 1935 to 1948 he
was a missionary priest in Ohio
and Pennsylvania. Since 1948
he has been assigned to a mis
sion house in Charlotte, N. C.
monies.
Following the investiture
there will be a brief informal
reception for the five Prelates
in the auditorium of the Ca
thedral Day School. The public
is invited to attend.
Rev. Mr. W. L.
To Re Ordained
SAVANNAH—The Rev. Wal
ter Louis DiFrancesco will be
ordained to the Priesthood on
Rev. Mr. Waller
L. Di Francesco
May 16th. A native of Philadel
phia, Rev. Mr. DiFrancesco will
be ordained for the Diocese of
Savannah.
He is the son of Emma V. and
the late Fiorindo DiFrancesco
of 1608 S. Fraizier Street, Phila
delphia. After graduating from
Philadelphia Catholic schools,
Rev. Mr. DiFrancesco attended
St. Thomas Minor Seminary at
Bloomfield Connecticut and St.
Mary’s Seminary, Paca Street,
Baltimore, where he studied
Philosophy. He pursued his
Theological studies at St. Mary’s
Seminary, Roland Park, Md.
The Ordination will take
place on May 16th at St. Col-
man’s Church, Ardmore, Penna,
with the Most Reverend Thomas
J. McDonough, Auxiliary Bishop
of Savannah as Ordaining Pre
late.
The new Priest will offer his
first Solemn Mass the following
day at the Church of the Most
Blessed Sacrament in Philadel
phia. Assisting him will be Rt.
Rev. Msgr. John J. Daly, Pastor
of Blessed Sacrament as Assis
tant Priest; Rev. James J. Kin
ney, professor at St. Thomas
More High School as Deacon;
and Rev. Joseph A. Law S. S.,
Professor at St. Mary’s Paca
Di Francesco
For Diocese
Street, Sub-deacon.
The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Martin J.
McDonough, Director of the
Society for the Propagation of
the Faith for the Archdiocese of
Philadelphia, will be the
Preacher for the first Solemn
Mass.
Rev. Mr. E.
Perot Fiero
To Be Ordained
SAVANNAH—The Rev. Mr.
E. Perot Fiero, son of Erwin
Agnew and Margaret Morris
Rev. Mr. E. Perot Fiero
Fiero of Ardmore, Penna., will
be ordained to the Sacred Priest
hood by the Rev. Thomas J. Mc
Donough, D. D., J. C. D., Auxili
ary Bishop of Savannah on Sat
urday, May 16th, at 9:30 A. M„
in St. Colman’s Church, Ard
more. Sponsor for the newly or
dained will be Rt. Rev. Msgr.
Eugene A. Kelly, Pastor of St.
Colman’s. The Rev. William F.
McDonough, Assistant Pastor
will be Master of Ceremonies
and the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Andrew
J. McDonald, Chancellor of the
Savannah Diocese will be Chap
lain to the Bishop.
Rev. Mr. Fiero will celebrate
his First Solemn Mass in St.
Colman’s Church at 11 o’clock
the next day, Pentecost Sunday.
The officers of the Mass include;
Rt. Rev. Msgr. Eugene A. Kelly
as Assistant Priest; Rev. Wil
liam F. McDonough, Assistant
Pastor as Deacon; Rev. William
B. Friend of the Diocese of
Mobile, Alabama, Sub-deacon,
and Rev. Francis X. Monville,
Assistant Pastor of St. Colman’s,
Master of Ceremonies. Rt. Rev.
Msgr. Joseph P. O'Donnell, Pas
tor of St. Peter’s Church, Read
ing, Penna., will preach the
sermon.
Rev. Mr. Fiero attended Phil
adelphia area schools for his
primary and secondary educa
tion. In 1942 he entered the
Naval R. O. T. C. Program at
the University of North Caro
lina. After service in African
and European waters he was dis
charged in 1945, resuming stud
ies at North Carolina from
which he received his A. B.. in
History in 1949. He pursued his
Philosophical and Theological
studies at Mt. St. Mary's Semi
nary, Emmitsburg, Md.
Speed was blamed for more
than 40 per cent of the traffic
deaths and injuries in the U. S.
during 1958.
PROPOSED MT. DE SALES ADDITIONS — Building in r ight foreground is three-classroom building for which the $150,000
will be raised; building, left foreground, is the gymnatorium, which will be built if more than the minimum is raised. Building in
center is Mercy Hall, where Catholic girls now attend high school and building in right background is Mt. de Sales Academy. New
high school will oe de Sales High School, dropping the Mount . . .