Bulletin (Monroe, Ga.) 1958-1962, August 08, 1959, Image 1

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Bulletin, August 08, 1959, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextDIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION Serving Georgia's 88 Southern Counties Published By The Catholic Laymen's Ass'n of Georgia OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH Vol. 40, No. 5 MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1959 10c Per Copy — $3 a Year Savannah Priest, Youth Die In Camping Tragedy Sixteen Year Old Loses Life Seeking Help SAVANNAH — Heat and ex haustion claimed the life of young Walter J. Mahany Jr., one of the two youths who ac companied Father Gavigan on the cross country camping trip. Walter and his compan ion, John Manson Owens, III both saw the priest fail from a cliff to the ground more than 200 feet be low. Knowing that he was either dead or seriously injured, the boys began to call for help. . r ears tnat their cries might go unheard led the boys to split up in an attempt to find aid. But lack of food and water and the torrid temperatures of the bar ren canyon proved too much for 16-year-old Mahany. His body was discovered by Park Rangers who had received reports of dis tress calls from other tourists, early Sunday. Death had come quietly on the rock where he lay down to rest. Most Rev. Michael J. Keyes, S. M„ Former Bishop Of Savannah, Dies WALTER J. MAHANY, JR. Young Mahany, who had just finished his sophomore year at Benedictine Military School, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Mahany Sr. of Coffee Bluff, Savannah. He was described by Father Alcuin Baudermann, O. S. B., as an “Outstanding boy.” A Requiem Mass was cele brated on Friday morning, July 31st at St. James Church, Savan nah, where the boy had been a parishioner. Celebrant was Father John D. Toomey, Pastor. The absolution of the body was given by His Excellency, Bishop Thomas J. McDonough. The Rev. Bede Lightner, O.S.B., principal of Benedictine Military School, delivered the sermon. Said he, “This seemingly drastic way of calling His life to Himself, is not the end of life, but the begin ning. For Christ who called him said ‘He who believes in Me shall never die.’ We have the necessity of accepting these words and this acceptance will enable us to transcend the heart aches of the moment.” Ten of young Walter’s friends served as pallbearers while uni formed classmates formed a guard of honor. Burial was in the Greenwich section of Bon- aventure Cemetery. WASHINGTON — Solemn Pontifical Requiem was offered for the Most Rev. Michael J. Keyes, S.M., at 10 a. m., Tues day, August 4th, at St. Gabriel’s Church here. Eisnop Keyes, for mer Bishop of the Diocese of Savannah, died July 31st. Celebrant of the Mass was the Most Rev. Egidio Vagnozzi, Apostolic Delegate to the Unit ed States. His Excellency, the Most Rev. Philip N. Hannon, auxiliary-bishop of Washington, gave the absolution of the body. A group of lay people and priests from the Diocese of Savannah, including Rt. Rev. Msgrs. Andrew J. McDonald, T. James McNamara and Thomas I. Sheehan were led by His Ex cellency Bisnop McDonough, auxiliary-bishop. When informed of the death of Bishop Keyes, his predeeces- sor in the Diocese of Savannah, Archbishop Gerald P. O’Hara, Archbishop-Bishop of Savannah and Apostolic Delegate to Great Britain, cabled his tribute to “my revered predecessor” for his “goodness, kindness, pa tience, and splendid work for the Church in Georgia.” EARLY CAREER Bishop Keyes’ service to the Church was predominantly in pastoral, administrative, and scholarly lines. After a highly successful course of teaching in Ireland, he came to the United States in 1896. Pursuing his vo cation as teacher, the future pre late became a professor at All Hallows College, Salt Lake City, Utah, staffed by the Marist Fa thers. Here he made his first acquaintance with the Society of Mary and in 1901 became a member. His ecclesiastical stud- Austrian Leader Pledges Freedom Of Religion VIENNA, (NC) — Austrian Chancellor Julius Raab said here that Austria’s new govern ment will “be guided by the principles of freedom of relig ion” in its relations with re ligious denominatons. In a statement to Parliament, Chancellor Raab said the gov ernment would seek “to settle pending problems” in regard to its relations with the churches “without delay.” Among the questions on which the government intends to act soon, he said, are the reestablishment of a concordat between Austria and the Holy See, the establishment of new legal bases for government re lations with Protestant sects, and equitable compensation of the Jewish community for dam ages suffered before and during World War II. ies were brilliantly made at the Marist College and the Catholic University of America in Wash ington, D. C. MADE CANONIST AND THEOLOGIAN TO DELECATE Bishop Keyes was ordained to the priesthood June 21, 1907, by the saintly Alfred Curtis, Auxil iary Bishop of Baltimore. The theological acumen of the young priest merited his appointment as Professor of Moral Theology and Canon Law at Marist Col lege in 1909. Because of his striking abilities in these sub jects he served as canonist and theologian to Archbishop (later Cardinal) John Bonzano, Apos- tolate Delegate to the United States. Bishop Keyes served in these responsible capacities from 1912 to 1922, when ne was nam ed president of Marist College. BISHOP OF SAVANNAH Four months after his appoint ment to tne presidency of the College came the announcement of Bishop Keyes’ elevation to the hierarchy in 1922, as the Ordi nary of tne Diocese of Savannah. On October 18 of the same year he was consecrated in the Ca thedral of St. John the Baptist, Savannah, by Archbishop Mich ael J. Curley of Baltimore assist ed by Bishop Dennis J. O’Con nell of Ricnmond and Bishop Patrick J. Barry of St. Augus tine, Florida. In his episcopal administra tion, the new ordinary aimed at substantial and lasting results. Always enchewing the limelight, Bishop Keyes did his work silently and well. Only on very Bishop McDonough's Statement “This (finding of John Man- son Owens III) is certainly a most wonderful example of the power of prayers, for without question the rinding of the boy is an answer to countless pray ers. I wish I could personally thank the Priests, Sisters and people, Catholic and non-Cath- olic of the Greater Savannah area, whose prayers brought consolation to the parents of young Walter Mahany, to the family of Father Gavigan and to Father Toomey, his pastor and to me. Needless to say, we also thank God for the courage and perseverance of Chief Ran ger Lynn Coffin and his men and the Army helicopter pilots, who daily risked their lives to find Father Gavigan and John Owens. And, I am sure, every one likewise deeply appreciates the interest and wonderful work of the newspapers, radio and TV stations of Savannah in keeping us all informed of de velopments.” rare occasions would he allow his picture to appear in THE BULLETIN. During his thirteen years as Bishop of Savannah, Bishop Keyes supervised the construc tion of nine churches, four schools, seven rectories, three convents and an orphanage. One of the greatest achieve ments of the years of Bishop Keyes in Georgia was the erec tion of the new St. Joseph’s Home for Boys at Washington. Also during this period, St. Jos eph’s Infirmary was renovated with the addition of the Chapel. St. Joseph’s in Savannah saw great improvements with the addition of a home for nurses. MORAL THEOLOGIAN Like his . predecessor, Bishop Benjamin J. Keiley, Bishop Keyes resigned the see of Sa vannah. This was in 1935, on September 23rd of that year he was appointed Titular Bishop and on October 8 he was named to the College of Bishops, Assist ants at the Pontifical Throne. Retired from administration, but not from his first love, teach ing, Bishop Keyes had been Pro fessor of Moral Theology at Mar ist College since 1938. Catechetical Session Ends At Camp Villa Marie SAVANNAH—O n e hundred and twenty children have re turned to their homes in various areas of rural Georgia after seventeen fun-packed days of study and play at Camp Villa Marie. The diocesan camp staff, un der the direction of Rev. Wil liam D. Coleman, attempts to supplement the religious educa tion of children unable to attend Catholic schools by conducting four religion periods daily inter spersed among recreational ac tivities. So between softball games and swimming instruc tions the children attend special ized Confraternity of Christian Doctrine courses conducted by six seminarians and eight Sis ters of Mercy of the Province of Baltimore under the leadership of Rev. Mr. Eusebius Beltran and Sister Mary Fidelis, R. S. M. All sections of Georgia were represented as many campers claimed Dublin, Moultrie, Thomasville, Bainbridge, Al bany, Cairo, Douglas, and Tifton as their homesites. Still others hailed from Ludowici, Pooler, Camilla, Leslie, St. Mary’s, Nash ville, and Chula. Jane Austen and Robert Jackson of Perry, Caroll McDonald of Braxton, and Thomas Maley of Baxley re ceived their First Holy Com munion as a fitting climax to the catechetical session. Father Eugene Gavigan Dies As Result Of Canyon Fall SAVANNAH—A camping trip accident at Grand Canyon, Ari zona claimed the lives of a Sav annah priest and one of his two young companions. The third member of the trio was found alive after a six day search by Park Rangers and Arm;' heli copter pilots. Killed in a 200 loot fall was Father Eugene A. (Father Stephen O.C.S.O.) Gavigan, as sistant pastor of St. James Church, Savannah. One of his companions, Walter J. Mahany Jr., of Coffee Bluff, Savannah, died from heat and exhaustion in a vain attempt to find help for the fatally injured Father Gavigan. The other member of the camping trip, which was to take the three to California, is John Manson Owens III, 15, of 721 E. 51st Street, Savannah. He was found alive and well July 31st. MOST REV. MICHAEL J. KEYES, S.M. Bulletin To Present First-Hand Reports On World Youth Festival Three first-hand reports on the World Youth Festival, now being held in Vienna, Austria, will appear in THE BULLETIN beginning next issue. They will- be written by Vincent J. Giese, editorial director of Fides Pub lishers in Chicago and author of books on Catholic Action. Held every year since 1947, the World Youth Festivals are sponsored by Communist youth organizations from over 59 coun tries of the world. This is the first festival to be held outside the iron curtain. Vincent J. Giese, who is in Vienna to observe the festival and report on it for THE BUL LETIN and other Catholic dio cesan papers, has long been ac tive in the Young Christian Workers (YCW) and the Young Christian Students (YCS), spe cialized Catholic Action move ments. He represented the Con fraternity of Christian Doctrine in October, 1957, at the Second World Congress of the Lay Apostolate in Rome. To date, he has authored three books on Catholic Action—The Apostolic Itch, Patterns for Teenagers, and Training for Leadership. He is executive editor of the bi monthly “Apostolic Perspec tives,” published by Fides, and he does free-lance writing for the Catholic Press. Giese holds degrees from St. Joseph's College, Indiana; Mar quette University; University of Notre Dame. Triduum Marks Death Of St. John Vianney ARS-EN-DOMBES, France, (NC) — A triduum ending Aug ust 4 was the principal event of this year's celebration of the 100th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, the Cure d’Ars. The Apostolic Nuncio to France, Archbishop Paul Marel- la, opened the three-day cele bration by offering an open-air Mass. On August 3 a pilgrimage of priests from France and abroad honored the saint as the patron of pastors. In the afternoon Fa ther Chanel, present pastor of Ars, offered Mass in the pres ence of the Nuncio and Bishop Rene F ouf rey of Belley, in whose diocese Ars is located. On August 4, the anniversary day of St. John Vianney’s death, His Eminence Maurice Cardi nal Feltin, Archbishop of Paris, presided over the day’s cere monies and celebrated Mass. REV. EUGENE GAVIGAN Father Gavigan, 30, son of Patrick J. Gavigan of Racine, Wisconsin, was born in Dodge- ville, Wise., May 31, 1929. In 1946 he entered the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Ghost, Augusta Reception To Honor Jesuits AUGUSTA — A reception honoring the Rev. John E. O’- Donohoe, S.J., „pastor of Sacred Heart Church, will be held on the evening of August 13th at the parish hall. Father O’Dono- hoe has been transferred to Im maculate Conception Church, New Orleans. Also being honored at the re ception will be the Rev. Edward Shields, S.J., newly named pas tor of Sacred Heart and the Rev. Peter F. O’Donnell, S.J., former pastor at the church. Fa ther O’Donnell will be in Au gusta to conduct a retreat. Father O’Donohoe has been pastor here since August of last year. During this time extensive repairs have been made to the interior of the church. Also in stalled during this period were railings on the side church steps and one which aides those need ing assistance in climbing the steps to the communion rail. Conyers, Georgia. He was or dained there in 1954 by the Most Reverend Archbishop Gerald P. O’Hara. His name in Religion was Father Stephen O.C.S.O. Father Gavigan was granted an indult to leave the Monastery on a leave of absence because of ill . health. He taught in a seminary in Guatemala for about six months. He left there because of continued ill health. Then about ten months ago he was assigned as assistant pastor at St. James, where, in addition he became very active in youth work. About three weeks ago Fath er Gavigan and his two young companions set out on a camp ing trip which was t,o take them to the home of some of the priest’s relatives in California. They stopped at Grand Canyon, Arizona to explore the scenes of a similar expedition carried out by Father Gavigan thirteen years ago when he was 17. But there the trip ended in tragedy. The young priest's body was discovered about 3:00 p. m. EST on July 27th and flown out of the canyon by helicopter short ly afterwards. Young Mahany’s body had been discovered by rangers early July 26th. In formed of the death of the Savannah priest, Bishop Thom as J. McDonough, auxiliary Bishop of Savannah, said, “The tragic deaths of Father Eugene Gavigan and Walter Mahany Jr. fill us with much sorrow. We are most grateful to all our devoted friends, Catholic and non-Cath- olic, who have offered prayers and words of consolation while we anxiously awaited the out come of this disaster.” The Bish op then appealed for prayers “for Manson Owens, who has yet to be found.” Funeral services for Father Gavigan were held August 1st at the Monastery where he was ordained. Celebrant of the sol emn Requiem Mass was Father M. Patrick O.C.S.O., a brother of the dead priest. Presiding at the obsequies was Bishop Mc Donough, assisted by the Very Rev. John Toomey, pastor of St. James, Savannah, and the Rev. Felix Donnelly, pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Church, Thunderbolt, who acted as chap lains. The absolution of the body was given by the Right Rever end Abbot Augustine Moore, O.C.S.O. Abbot of the Monas tery of Our Lady of the Holy Ghost. In attendance were Fath er Gavigan’s relatives and sev eral priests from Savannah. Bu rial was in the Monastery ceme tery. Besides his father, Father Gavigan is survived by an aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Coffey, of Bloom ington, Wisconsin, and other rel atives. A memorial Mass was cele brated on Monday morning, August 3rd, at St. James Church. Celebrant was Bishop McDon ough. FIFTEEN YEAR-OLD ’Cod Kept Him Alive" SAVANNAH — Harold Estey, Assistant Chief Ranger at Grand Canyon, Arizona could offer no encouragement in an swering the telephone queries of a Radio News Director .in Savannah. They were still look ing, but there was no news of young John Manson Owens III, lost for six days in the rocky vastness of the trecherous gorge. Director Cameron Cor nell of Radio Station WSGA in Savannah was about to hang up after thanking Mr. Estey when the ranger said, “Wait a min ute! Stand by!” He spoke for a moment to an Army helicop ter pilot from Fort Huachuca and then announced the start ling news that young Owens had been found alive and com paratively well after six days in the searing 120 degree heat of the canyon floor. For almost a week the boy’s family had waited prayerfully and fearfully for some news of their son, strengthened in their ordeal by the prayers of count less others, and the presence of the Rev. Edward Frank, assist ant Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church, who had been with them almost constantly since the news of the deaths of Fa ther Eugene Gavigan and young SURVIVES GRAND CANYON DISASTER JOHN MANSON OWENS III Walter J. Mahany Jr- and the disappearance of their own son had shocked and saddened the city. When they heard that “’Man- son” was alive and well, fear fulness gave way to joy, but prayerfulness remained. They greeted the news on their knees, with Father Frank lead ing them in prayer. Young “Manson,” 15, had left almost three weeks before, bound for California on a camp ing trip, with Father Eugene M. A. Gavigan, assistant pastor of St. James Church, Savannah, and young Walter J. Mahany Jr. 16, of Coffeee Bluff, a classmate at Benedictine Military School. On July 25t,h Father Gavi gan was fatally injured in a 200 foot fall from a cliff in the Grand Canyon, which the three were exploring. Fearing their cries for help would not be heard, the boys split up in an effort to find help. Young Wal ter succumbed to the terrible heat. Rangers found his body early the next day on the rock where he lay down to rest and had quietly slipped away from the rigors of his awful ordeal. But there was no sign of John Manson Owens III. The search continued and so did the pray ers. Then, on what was to the last day of the search, a Ranger and a pilot in an Army helicopter from Fort Huachuca spotted him on a sand bar in the Colorado River. Among the friends who quickly filled the house to re joice with the Owens family were Mr. and Mrs. Walter J. Mahanay, who bad just return ed from the funeral of their son. Tears of joy and tears of sorrow mingled. But both well ed up from hearts which thank ed God for His goodness. Pres ent, too, were His Excellency, Bishop McDonough and Msgr. Andrew J. McDonald, who like- be wise had just returned from young Mahany’s funeral. As the joyful news quickly spread sober faced youngsters, friends of the rescued boy, spontaneously entered Sacred Heart Church next to Benedic tine Military School. They came alone, in pairs, in quiet groups. They all offered prayerful thanks to God who had pre served the life of their friend. And as details of “Manson’s” ordeal became known, these questions crossed more than one mind—“What made him choose to go down the river? In his weakened state why was he not drowned when his pitifully in adequate “raft” broke up in the wild rapids? How is it that by this accident at the rapids he came to a sand bar which pro vided him with food? Why, on this last day of search, was the helicopter searching an area which had been thoroughly ex plored day« before?” The an swer rose quickly to many lips, “It was only by the design and the goodness of God.” Said young “Manson” in a telephone conversation with his parents, “I prayed all the time— I never prayed so much in my life.” And perhaps his grand mother summed up the amazing rescue as well as anyone, “The prayers of everyone caused a storm in Heaven. God heard them and kept him alive.”