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DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION Serving Georgia's 88 Southern Counties OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH Published By The Catholic Laymen's Ass'n of Georgia Vol. 40, No. 13 MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1959 10c Per Copy — $3 a Year November 11th, 1959 Dear Archbishop O’Hara: The Diocesan Consultors, convoked today in the Chancery, tender to Your Excellency, our homage and devotion. With great regret and personal loss we are informed of your resignation of the Diocese of Savannah. We pray God to bless you abundantly, who administered this Diocese so wisely and so fatherly for almost 25 years. Your Excellency will always be in our prayers. thomas j. McDonough, Administrator. November 12th, 1959 Dear Bishop McDonough: Am sincerely grateful for your telegram, and deeply moved by the sentiment expressed by Your Excellency and the Consultors on the occasion of my resignation. With profound sorrow I resigned my beloved Diocese, but having become more and more convinced that my pro longed absence was hindering the normal administration and greater progress of the Diocese, resignation was indicated even though it cost me heartache after so many years of happy associations. ARCHBISHOP GERALD O’HARA. Archbishops Meyer, Muench Chosen Pope Names New Cardinals (Radio, N.C.W.C. News Service) VATICAN CITY — The decision of His Holiness Pope John XXIII to name eight new cardinals — bringing Ameri can membership in the Sacred College to a new high of six, and the college itself to 79 members — was seen here as largely guided by the needs of the coming ecumenical council. CARDINAL DESIGNATE MEYER CARDINAL DESIGNATE MUENCH A Vatican spokesman said that this is demonstrated by the fact that most of the new card inals, will serve in the Roman Curia. Actually, it is assumed that the only one of the cardinals to be created at the consistory on December 14 will serve outside Rome. He is Archbishop Albert G. Meyer of Chicago. The other American named, Archbishop Aloisius J. Muench, Bishop of Fargo, N. D., has served as Apostolic Nuncio to Germany since 1951. Customarily, papal diplomats come to Rome to serve in the central administra tion of the Church when elevat ed to the rank of Prince of the Church. If called to Rome, Archbishop Muench would be the only American cardinal serving in the curia. Three of the other choices of the Pope for the cardinalate are also non-Italians, and their inclusion as curial cardinals would bring the total of non- Italians in the Curia to eight—■ a number unprecedented in modern times. Pope John’s non-Italian choices for the cardinalitial dig nity are Msgr. William Theo dore Heard, 75, a native of Ed inburgh, Scotland, and a gradu ate of Oxford University who became a Catholic after becom ing a lawyer, and now dean of the Sacred Roman Rota; Father Arcadio Larraona, C. M. F., ARCHBISHOP STATES RESIGNATION CAUSES KEEN HEARTACHE I# SAVANNAH—“It cost me keen heartache,” said Arch bishop Gerald P. O’Hara in a cable he addressed to Bishop McDonough following his resignation from the See of Savannah. On November 11th, the Office of the Apostolic Delegate in Washington, D. C. announced the resignation of the Most Reverend Archbishop Gerald P. O’Hara from the Diocese of Savannah which he headed for almost twenty-five years. 1951 he was named Papal Nun- Most Rev. Gerald P. O'Hara, D.D., J.U.D. It is never easy to sever the bonds woven by duty and affection over so many years, and we know that the decision of the Most Reverend Gerald P. O’Hara to resign the See of Savannah was not lightly or painlessly reached, Many are the people of this Diocese who remember kneeling at the altar rail to receive the Strengthening Sacrament of Confirmation from Archbishop O’Hara—-who re member with pride his steadfastness in the face of persecution and personal danger while he was Regent of Communist Rumania. Priests and people alike will find it difficult to forget his kindness and his tireless zeal for the spiritual welfare of his “Children in God.” The news of Archbishop O’Hara’s resignation was received with deep and sincere regret throughout the Diocese. But we know that, though the bonds of duty are indeed severed, there will always be the strongest ties of affection between Archbishop O’Hara and the’Diocese of Savannah—that this Diocese will always be a special object of his solicitude and the source of countless prayers asking “The Grace and Peace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ” in the life and undertakings of one who was its shepherd for twenty-four years. Spanish-born priest who has been Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Religious since 1950, and Father Agostino Bea, S.J., German-born Scripture scholar who is consultor of the Pontifical Commission for Bib lical Studies and of the litur gical section of the Sacred Con gregation of Rites, Three of the prelates chosen are Italians. They are Archbish op Paolo Marella, Apostolic Nuncio to Finance, who once (Continued oh Page 8) U. S. Bishops Say Communism No. 1 Obstacle To Peace PRESENT CIBORIUM—Miss Kate Walsh, President of the Catholic Missionary Society of Georgia, presents a Ciborium to His Excellency, Bishop Thomas J. McDonough. The Sacred Vessel, used in ’distribution of the Holy Eucharist, was donated by members of the Missionary Society in memory of its foundress, Miss Johanna Walsh. Miss Catherine Cullum is Secretary-Treasurer. Also shown in the picture are the Right Rev. Andrew J. McDonald, Chancellor of the Diocese, and Miss Regina O’Driscoll. (N.C.W.C. News Service) WASHINGTON — Commu nism continues today as the No. 1 obstacle in the path of world peace, the U. S. Catholic Bishops asserted in their 1959 statement titled “Freedom and Peace.” The essential ingredient for world peace is “freedom under God for every man and every nation,” but fundamentally , “that peace depends on the ac ceptance by men and nations of a fixed, unchangeable, uni versal moral law,” the Bishops said in their statement drawn up at their annual meeting in the nation’s capital. The Bishops acknowledged that there are other obstacles in the path of freedom and peace — on the world scene, excessive nationalism and in human conditions; on the home front, racial injustice, laxity in home life and discipline, pre occupation with the sensual, selfishness and self-seeking in economic life, and the excessive desire for wealth and ease. But foremost “among the main obstacles to peace and freedom in our present World is obviously world communism,” the Bishop declared. “Ultimately, the problem of communism as a threat to peace and freedom will be met only when we exemplify the prin ciples that we proclaim as Christian members of a nation dedicated to God’s law,” the Bishops stressed. “There must be a searching reappraisal of our devotion to the principles we proclaim. We cannot live as ma terialists and expect to convert others to our system of freedom and peace under God.” • The Bishops gave this formu-' la to meet the challenge: “Our goal is nothing less than con version of the communist world.” “Our moral judgment is ab solute: communism is godless, it is aggressive and belligerent, it is unbelievably cruel,” said the leaders of the nation’s 39 mil lion Catholics. “Witness the commune system of China! Hungary and Tibet are but the more recent manifestations of its total disregard for human rights and human dignity. Nev ertheless, conscious of Christ’s example and the infinite power of grace, we pray for the Red persecutors and for the perse cuted. We wish no conquest ex cept that of spirit. We wish those who constructed the Iron Curtain to tear down the barb ed wire and the machine gun posts and to join us in the en- (Continued on Page 8) The statement of the Apos tolic Delegate, Archbishop Vag- nozzi said that His Holiness Pope John XXIII had “gra ciously acceded” to Archbishop O’Hara’s request to be relieved of some of his many duties. The career of Archbishop O’Hara has been a colorful one, full of duties and labors that anyone with less love for God, Church and fellow man would have found staggering. A native of “Up-state” Penn sylvania, (Green Ridge, near Scranton), Archbishop O’Hara began his studies for the priest hood at St. Charles Borrommeo in Philadelphia, being ordained in Rome on April 3rd, 1920. After ordination he remain ed in Rome pursuing higher studies, earning the degrees of Doctor of Divinity and Doctor of Universal Law. The latter de gree indicates that Archbishop O’Hara is a Doctor of both Can on Law and Civil law. Returning to the United States in 1924, the then Father O’Hara was consecrtaed as Aux iliary Bishop of Philadelphia in 1929, at the age of 34, thus be coming the youngest Bishop in the United States. After the resignation of the late Bishop Michael J. Keyes from the Savannah Diocese, Bishop O’Hara was named to succeed him in December of 1935, and was solemnly install ed on January 15, 1936. In 1937 his title was changed to that of Bishop of SAVAN- NAH-ATLANTA. During his tenure the Church in Geoergia grew from 19,300 in 1936 to more than 45,000 in 1956 when the northern half of the state was erected into the Diocese of Atlanta. In 1947 the Apostolic Nuncio to Rumania was ousted by the communist regime and His Hol iness, the late Pope Pius XII appointed Bishop O’Hara to the post of Regent of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bucharest. The Red regime had come to power after World War II, and as the Augusta Chroni cle was to editorialize three years later when Bishop O' Hara was ousted, "Bishop O'Hara, a man of courage and a true servant of God, must have known the hazards he faced in taking his life in his hands by going to Rumania in the service of his Church. , . . But Bishop O'Hara, being a true servant of God and a courageous and devoted churchman risked whatever punishment that was in store for him and went to Bucha rest." In 1950, together with seven Rumanians, he was indicted by the Communist authorities on charges of “High treason, es pionage, smuggling and helping others to flee the country.” This followed the communist pattern used in Hungary and Poland, when Bishops and Clergy resist ed efforts of Red governments to impose hand-picked “spirit ual authorities” on the people. Bishop O’Hara came back to Savannah to a hero’s welcome, after receiving the personal ti tle of Archbishop from Pope Pius XII in recognition of his distinguished service in the face of tremendous oppostion and personal danger. Though Archbishop O’Hara would have welcomed the op portunity to remain in his dio cese, his talents as a diplomat for the Holy See were still sore ly needed and in November of cio to Ireland. He served in that capacity until June of 1954 when he was named to succeed Archbishop William Godfrey as Apostolic Delegate in Great Britain, which position he still holds. Although Archbishop O’Ha ra’s devotion to the Church prompted him to accept readily any task imposed upon him by the Holy See, he remained al ways devoted to his Diocese, and whenever the press of his Diplomatic duties would per mit, he returned for a visit. But even though his visits were nec essarily of short duration, Arch bishop O’Hara utilized every moment of them in an effort to visit every part of a diocese which comprises more than 36,- 000 square miles. His face and his voice were familiar to all and will be missed. Perhaps the feelings of the people of the Savannah Diocese can best be expressed by para phrasing the Archbishop’s own words in a letter written to the Clergy and Laity on the occas ion of his twenty-fifth annivers ary as a Bishop in 1954: “With affectionate best wish es, and assuring you over and over again of our undying grat itude for your immense charity towards us, we remain, dearly beloved in Christ, your devoted children.” Franciscan Educational Conference SAVANNAH — Mother Mary Ferdinand, Provincial of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception with headquarters at Union City, New Jersey, called the first Franciscan Educational Conference for the members of her Province at St. Francis’ Convent, Savannah, on October 24. His Excellency, Bishop Mc Donough, Auxiliary Bishop of Savannah, gave the opening salutation. Reverend John Cud dy, Superintendent of Catholic Schools in Savannah, was gen eral chairman. The general top- (PHOTO ^PAGe" 8) ics were “The Personality of the Classroom Teacher,” and “Teaching the Slow Learner.” Mother Mary Ferdinand, Provincial; Sister Mary Con- leth of Mount Alvernia College, Boston; and Sister Mary Philip, Community Super visor of Schools in New York were the main speakers. The practical problems related to these main topics were the center of dis cussion in the afternoon small group forums. At the conclusion of the con ference, Father Cuddy com mended Mothers Ferdinand and Virgilius for initiating the con ference and for their great in terest in Sister Formation. He likewise, congratulated the speakers on their practical, timely but withal, entertaining presentation of their topics. Editorial THE GREAT HUMANITARIANS In recent weeks nationally read magazines, Fed eral Government Committees, Television Networks, U. N. Committees and private organizations have begun to sound the tocsin and beat the drum. “Population Explosion!” they cry in alarm and insistently call for scientific and effective methods to keep too many troublesome babies from coming into the world. They are all high-minded people, thinking not of themselves, but only of those chosen babies who shall be allowed to be born in future generations, or so they < claim, anyway. Personally, we find it hard to believe that so many people, highly placed in the world, can be genuinely concerned about the unknown future, completely altru istic and unselfish. If that were so, we could forget our fears about war immediately. We are well aware that the words of Christ, “Be not concerned therefore, with what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or wherewith you shall be clothed” are to the birth-controllers “Pious gush.” We know, too, that a great part of the Christian world which professes to find all of God’s Truth in the Holy Bible, refuses to believe that if “You seek first the kingdom of God and His Justice, all these things will be added unto you” and that “Without Him (Christ) was made nothing that was made” including little children. But we are willing to be accused of Piety and Faith and to suggest that while there may indeed be some genuine concern with future generations, the urgency of the call to contraception springs more from laziness (it’s easier to limit the population than to in crease production), selfishness (a higher standard of living is deemed of more value than the human soul), and the desire for unrestrained self-indulgence than from the noble reasons claimed by the followers of Malthus and Sanger. For our part we see babies as dear to the heart of Christ, with priceless and immortal souls made by God, and destined to be forever happy in Heaven—not as threats to world security, to be “controlled” like so many hydrogen bombs.