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DIOCESE OF
Serving
Georgia's 88
Southern Counties
SAVANNAH EDITION
♦
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH
Published By The
Catholic Laymen's
Ass'n of Georgia
Vol 40, No. 9
MONROE. GEORGIA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1959
10c Per Copy — $3 a Year
DEVELOPMENT AND NEEDS OF CHURCH IN DIOCESE TOPIC
Parish Clergy of Diocese Convene in Savannah
3 Deaneries
Pledge Full
Cooperation
The Right Reverend Monsig
nor T. James McNamara, P.A.,
V.F., Pastor of St. John the
Baptist Cathedral and Dean of
the Savannah Deanery:
We, the priests and the de
voted laity of the Savannah
Deanery pledge to our Most
Reverend Bishop our faithful
support and unstinting eoopera-.
tion in the Confraternity of the
Laity drive. The spiritual and
temporal progress of the Dio
cese bear eloquent testimony of
the willingness of our people to
paritcipate in this highly im
portant program calculated to
bring our faith into every area
of South Georgia. We ask God’s
blessings upon this program
and beg Mary, His Immaculate
Mother, to intercede in our be
half. With the help of all we are
highly optimistic that the Sav
annah Deanery will oversub
scribe its goal.
The Right Reverend Monsig
nor Daniel J. Bourke, V.F., Pas
tor of Saini Mary's Church and
Dean of the Augusta Deanery:
The spread of the holy faith
in the Diocese of Savannah has
assumed tremendous propor
tions which in turn will require
many sacrifices from all of us.
These sacrifices must be made
generously. We in the Augusta
Deanery pledge our Bishop our
full support in the Confra
ternity of the Laity Drive.
Through the Confraternity of
the Laity campaign we will,
please God, be able to meet new
horizons in our Diocese. All of
us pray most fervently for its
success.
The Right Reverend Monsig
nor Herman J. Deimel, V.F.,
Pastor of Holy Family Church
and Dean of the Columbus
Deanery:
Our Catholic growth in the
Columbus Deanery is continu
ing rapidly. With this growth
we have been expanding our
church and school facilities. All
of this expansion program is
adequate proof of the great
need for the organization of the
Confraternity of the Laity drive
BISHOP CALLS FOR ACTIVE
CONFRATERNITY OF LAITY
SAVANNAH — A clergy Conference convoked by His
Excellency, Bishop Thomas J. McDonough, brought scores
of Secular and Religious clergy from every parish and mis
sion in the Diocese to the See city of Savannah on Tuesday,
September 22.
The Conference was called
to discuss the present and
future needs of the Diocese and
to consider future Diocesan De
velopment.
Bishop McDonough called
upon all the pastors to rejuve
nate the Confraternity of the
Laity in every Parish and Mis
sion of the Diocese, pointing out
that “Unless we make use of
the willingness and Apostolic
Zeal of our good lay people we
cannot hope to strengthen our
Holy Faith where it is already
established and to implant it in
other fertile fields of South
Georgia, so ready to receive it.”
He pointed out that in the
past few years, many new
Churches and Schools have
been erected throughout the
Diocese, some in places where
there are few Catholics and
which rely on the Diocese for
at least partial support. Speak
ing of the new Seminary of St.
John Vianney, Bishop Mc
Donough said, “Undoubtedly it
will contribute, far more than
any other single factor, to a
more rapid growth of native
clergy. Studies made in other
parts of the country show that
in Dioceses which have their
own Minor Seminaries, native
vocations are three times more
numerous than in Dioceses
which do not have such Semi
naries.”
“It is my ardent and prayer
ful hope that within a very few
years we will be able to build a
Seminary worthy of this great
Diocese, which will educate our
Seminarians from the first year
of high school through the sec
ond year of their Philosophical
studies.”
Other pressing needs of the
Diocese were outlined, such as
adequate care of orphans and
dependent children of the Dio
cese, more mission churches
and financing of the Savannah
Bulletin.
"FREELY YOU HAVE
RECEIVED-FREELY GIVE."
Funds for the present needs
of the Diocese and its future
development will be raised by
an annual drive for cash dona
tions. “Our people are contin
ually being asked to contribute
to many and varied worthy
causes and I am deeply aware
of this. But I know, too, that
our people are deeply aware of
the many benefits which they
have received through the gen
erosity of their fellow Catholics
from many, many Dioceses
throughout the country. And I
am confident that they need
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only be reminded of the Di
vinely inspired words of Sacred
Scripture, “Freely you have re
ceived, freely give” and they
will respond in the spirit of
true, Christ-like sacrifice,
which we ask of them.”
In the course of the drive
which will take place on Sun
day, October i 8th, every wage
earner in the Diocese will be
asked to contribute at least
twenty dollars, it was an
nounced.
“Those who have been bless
ed with more of this world’s
goods than the average wage-
earner should be asked to give
more,” said Bishop McDonough,
“and I know that their gener
osity will not be overshadowed
by the sacrifice of those with
less.”
Commenting on the closing
of Mission Churches in Georgia
in past years, the Very Rev.
John Toomey, pastor of St.
James Church, Savannah said,
“In returning to Savannah from
the priest’s retreat at Gonyers,
I drove 254 miles without once
passing through a town with a
resident priest.
“But I passed through Green
ville (now in the Diocese of
Atlanta) where there used to be
a Church. It was sold years ago.
Then I passed through the little
town of Sardis. This, too, is a
town where once there was a
Catholic Church. It is a town
which produced two vocations
to the Priesthood in the Society
of Jesus. Today there is no
Church, only a plot of land and
a cemetery.”
The three Deans of the Dio
cese, the Rt. Rev. Msgr. T.
James McNamara, P. A., of the
Savannah Deanery; the Rt. Rev.
Msgr. Herman Deimel of the
Columbus Deanery; and the Rt.
Rev. Msgr. Daniel Bourke of the
Augusta Deanery pledged to
the Bishop the wholehearted
support of the priests and peo
ple of their deaneries.
Said Monsignor Andrew J.
McDonald, Chancellor, in an
interview after the conference,
“We know that this drive will
certainly be a success. We
know, and our people know,
that the precious gift of Faith
was not given us to keep but to
spread. Our people also know
that if the Faith is to spread in
South Georgia, then the goals
of the 1959 Confraternity of the
Laity Drive must be achieved.
And I am sure every Catholic
in our Diocese will have just
one motto during this Drive, “I
must, I can and I will.”
AT SAVANNAH MEETING — His Excellency, Bishop McDonough, addresses
Priests and Seminarians after Clergy Conference held in Savannah.
222 East Harris Street
Savannah, Georgia
Dearly beloved, in Christ:
Please permit me to speak intimately with you about the Diocese of
Savannah — the present growth and the anticipated growth. Although we represent
one of the smallest Dioceses in the United States, we are nevertheless blessed
with Catholics who are militant in the practice of their faith and most responsive
in their obligations to Holy Mother Church. Because of such spiritual dedication
we are fortunate in having an inspiring sense of solidarity which exists not only in
every parish and mission but throughout our total area of 37,000 square miles.
Since we are so small in numbers and so scattered in area, we are obliged to make
many sacrifices for the expansion of our faith in this portion of God’s vineyard.
Such charity for the love of our faith and the building up of God’s House will not go
unrewarded but will be blessed a thousandfold.
In order to meet the financial obligations of our Diocese and to carry
forward the various programs, it has become imperative to reinaugurate the
Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity. This Confraternity is composed of every
Catholic in the Diocese of Savannah who will be requested annually, during the
month of October, to make a financial contribution to support the many worthy
projects in South Georgia. Many of you may feel that your financial contributions
should be limited to your own parish. But you and I know that charity is the very
lifeblood of our faith and extends to all who need God’s help.
The attached brochure will point out to you the purpose of this year’s
collection. All of these causes are most deserving — all of them worthy of every
sacrifice conceivable. Your good pastor, who is my personal representative, will
convey to you more fully the workings of the Confraternity of the Laity. We
anticipate that your parish will respond to this apepal one hundred per cent.
Our Divine Savior has. blessed our Diocese with new parishes; new
churches and new schools. Perhaps the crowning achievement has been the opening
of St. John Vianney Minor Seminary which was received with much enthusiasm
by our faithful priests and devoted laity. This work represents the Confraternity
of the Laity in action. With ail of our priests and all of our good people working
together, I am confident that the Confraternity of the Laity drive will be an
overwhelming success.
Asking your prayers during the campaign and assuring you of a continued
remembrance in my Masses and prayers, I am,
Devotedly yours in Christ,
Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah
in the Diocese of Savannah. We
assure our Bishop that the Col
umbus Deanery will respond in
great measure. All of the needs
mentioned are most worthy and
we pray that God will shower
His choicest blessings upon our
endeavors.
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AS CLERGY GATHERED AT SAVANNAH
GOAL OF
THE CONFRATERNITY DRIVE
As outlined in Drive Brochure by His Excellency the Most Rev.
Thomas J. McDonough, D. D. J. C. D., Auxiliary Bishop of the
Diocese.
1. Si. John Vianney Minor Seminary and the education of
young men for the Sacred Priesthood.
With the opening of St. John Vianney Seminary it has become
quite obvious that there is a concerted effort in our Diocese to
obtain native vocations to the Sacred Priesthood. In great measure
we count heavily upon the prayers of our people begging God to
send many more laborers into the harvest of this Diocese. The new
seminary and the education of young men to the Priesthood re
quire a large outlay of money. It is conservatively estimated that,
in addition to the annual collection taken up for seminaries, we
will need an additional $25,000. What greater cause could be placed
before you than the education of young men for the Sacred Priest
hood?
2. The orphans and dependeni children of the Diocese of
Savannah.
During the past five years we have been faced with a deficit
in providing facilities for the orphans and dependent children of
this Diocese. These are Christ’s own children. We need at least
$15,000 additional each year over and above the usual Easter and
Christmas collections to take care of these children. Remember
what our Divine Master said: “Suffer the little ones to come unto
Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” These children look to
you and to me for help.
3. The Bulletin:
Our Diocese is most fortunate in being able to publish a Cath
olic newspaper, which is sent into every Catholic home. Through
the medium of this Catholic newspaper we are able to keep our
people up to date on matters pertaining to our holy faith and the
progress of the Church throughout the world. A Catholic news
paper is a source of great strength in every Diocese. Unfortunately,
however, we lace a deficit each year in the amount of $10,000. Be
cause of our small numbers we are unable to gather enough funds
from our subscriptions and advertisements. The Catholic press is
the voice of the Bishop and the priests in our Diocese. We do not
want to silence our paper. In fact, we would like to present new
features and make it even more attractive and more interesting.
4. The Cathedral Parish of St. John the Baptist—the Mother
Church in the Diocese of Savannah:
Our Cathedral is undoubtedly one of the most imposing church
structures south of Baltimore. The charity of our people in the
past is reflected in this monument which they raised to God in
honor of His Holy Name. Recently we have discovered that much
deterioration has taken place in the Cathedral structure. The peo
ple of the Cathedral Parish have already contributed generously to
a successful campaign to help with the restoration and renovation
of the Cathedral. Alone, however, the people of the Cathedral
Parish cannot assume the whole responsibility. The Cathedral
Church belongs to every parish in the Diocese. It was originally our
plan to conduct a large financial campaign throughout South Geor
gia. However, I would prefer now that your contributions to the
restoration and renovation of the Cathedral be made through the
annual Confraternity of the Laity campaign. To help our Ca
thedral we would like to designate $30,000 a year for the next five
years. This is only a small amount to protect the large spiritual and
material investment of the Cathedral Church, a landmark of our
Catholic faith and Catholic heritage in the Southland.
5. Mission Churches:
Every year we are called upon to secure funds for the con
struction of mission churches in certain areas ot this Diocese. Our
people again have been most generous but, to assure some sort of
continuity in this matter, it is suggested that we set aside out of the
Confraternity $10,000 per annum towards construction of mission
chapels. Wherever a mission chapel is established we know that
the. Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered and God will come
to the people in all His sacraments.
6. Contingency Fund:
From time to time it becomes necessary for the Diocese to help
many of our mission parishes with minor repairs, the purchase of
automobiles, payment of insurance and many other things involv
ed in the administration of parishes. Likewise in the setting up of
new missions we must buy property. These missions look to the
Diocese and the Bishop for financial help. We in turn beg your
charity. It is estimated that this Contingency Fund should be
$25,000 per year.
☆ ☆ ☆
Mechanical Operation of the Confraternity of the Laity
Drive:
The Confraternity of the Laity Drive will be announced in all
the churches of the Diocese on Sundays, October 4th and 11th.
These announcements will consist of acquainting our people more
intimately with the needs contained in this brochure. At the same
time the parish priests will organize teams of workers and instruct
them in the method of making door to door solicitations of our
Catholics. The actual campaign for funds will be held October 18th.
Every Catholic parishioner in every parish of the Diocese is re
quested to remain at home on Sunday, October 18th, during the
hours of 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. On Sunday, October 25th, the follow-up
will be made in an endeavor to secure the contributions of those
Catholics who could not be contacted on Sunday, October 18th.
This campaign can be carried on effectively if everyone works in
cooperation with the pastor.
Donations made to the Confraternity of the Laity are to he
on a cash basis. This will eliminate constant and repetitious an
nouncements from the pulpit. In other words, this appeal will be
made annually during the month of October. Usually people ask
what they are expected to contribute. Again, we refer to the word
“sacrifice.” We are requesting a minimum cash contribution of
$20.00 per wage earner. Of course, we expect that many of our
Catholics will give much larger contributions because God has
given so much to them.
ememoer
that d^acrij^ice id the oCi^eLlood oi the Cdhurch
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