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Serving Georgia's 88 Southern Counties Vol. 40, No. 14 DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH MONROE, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1959 Published By The Catholic Laymen's Ass'n of Georgia 10c Per Copy — $3 a Year GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY'' THIS DAY IS BORN TO YOU A SAVIOUR ff TO THE PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND LAITY OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH: MAY THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM BRING YOU EVERY PEACE AND JOY ON CHRISTMAS DAY. AND MAY MARY. IIIS IMMACULATE MOTHER AND SAINT JOSEPH GUIDE YOU TO HIS HOLY MANGER. DURING THIS HOLY SEASON YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES IVILL HAVE A SPECIAL RE MEMBRANCE IN MY MASSES AND PRAYERS. IMPARTING TO YOU MY BLESSING, I AM DEVOTEDLY YOURS IN CHRIST ADMINISTRATOR DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE There is no other evening just like this one; for even I now, almost two thousand years after it first thrilled to the j| angelic voices announcing the birth of the Saviour, the whole |g II world waits in hushed expectation. The noises of the day g; 1 begin to die away and a quiet peace seems to envelope all. | I Then, as the day draws close to its final seconds, the minds | II of men begin once again to drift back to a Judean hillside to be lost in wonder at the Infinite Love of God, who gave || His only begotten Son to man. And all hearts cry out with || If the angel voices which somehow seem to linger still, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace to men of good II will!” | I As the clock strikes midnight, signalling the beginning of Christ’s birthday, men, women and children throughout || the Diocese will fill our Churches to attend the Midnight || || Mass and to receive into their hearts the Redeemer, whose §1 | birth they celebrate—to bring Him their homage of praise || p and adoration and to take with them the Peace of Christ || || which surpasseth all understanding. f§ Listed here is a schedule of Christmas Masses for the ' churches of the Vicar Foranes of the three Deaneries in the || Diocese of Savannah: CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, SAVANNAH ■ Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass, Solemn Pontifical Mass || || at the Faldstool: Celebrant and Preacher, His Excellency, || Bishop McDonough; Assistant. Priest, Msgr. McNamara; Dea- || con, The Reverend Mr. John Fitzpatrick; Subdeacon, The Rev- 11 erend Mr. Lawrence Lucree; Master of Ceremonies, Msgr. || McDonald; Assistant Master of Ceremonies, Rev. Herbert J. || !! Wellmeier. Music by the Cathedral James B. Copps Memorial If Choir. Carols will be sung in advance of the Mass from 11:30 I to 11:55. Christmas Day Masses: 6:15, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:15 and §§ 12:15. The 10:00 o’clock Mass will be a High Mass. Celebrant §§ || will be Msgr. T. James McNamara. Music will be by the Ca ll thedral Day School Choir. At the 12:15 o’clock Mass there will be Christmas carols. J ST. MARY'S, AUGUSTA Christmas Eve, Midnight Solemn High Mass: Celebrant, I The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Daniel J. Bourke; Deacon, The Reverend || Ralph Seikel; Subdeacon, The Rev. Kevin Boland. The Pietro || || Yon’s Christmas Mass will be sung by the choir under the direction of Mr. Harry Jacobs. Organist will be Mrs. Harry || Jacobs. Preacher at the Mass will be Msgr. Bourke. Christmas Day Masses: 6:30, 3:00, 9:30, 11:00 and 12:15. || The 9:30 Mass will be a High Mass sung by the Choir of Mt. |l St. Joseph’s Academy. || HOLY FAMILY, COLUMBUS Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass: Celebrant and preacher || will be the Rt. Rev. Herman J. Deimel. Midnight Mass will || || also be offered at the School with the Rev. F. X. Fallon, | celebrant. . |§ Christmas Day Masses: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30 and 12:30. II At the School, Masses will be offered at 9:00 and 11:00. Supreme Court Strikes Down Smut Ordinance (N.C.W.C. News Service) WASHINGTON — The In 1957, they defined obscenity down a Los Angeles anti obscenity ordinance on the ground that it can restrict dis tribution of unobjectionable as well as objectionable literature. The high court’s decision (Dec. 14), written by Associate Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., ruled unconstitutional a city law providing criminal penal ties for possession of an ob scene book in a place of busi ness where books are sold. Seven other justices, three of whom wrote separate opinions, agreed with Justice Brennan. Justice John M. Harlan voted with the others on one point and disagreed on another. The decision has been awaited as further clarification of the nine men’s thought on how the state may protect citizens from material judged obscene. In 1957, they defined obsceni ty and said it does not enjoy the constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and press. The court gave this test for determining obscenity: “Wheth er to the average person, apply ing contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest.” In late June of this year, however, the court struck down a New York state ban on the film, “Lady Chatterly’s Lover,” saying that the U. S. Constitu tion’s First Amendment guaran tees freedom to advocate ideas —even the film’s idea that adultry may be proper be havior. The Los Angeles case involv ed an appeal by Eleazar Smith, a bookstore proprietor who was sentenced to jail in 1957 for 30 days because he had in his store an allegedly obscene book, “Sweeter Than Life.” Justice Brennan wrote that it was evident to the majority that (Continued on Page • 8) >\ inflow m teact'eU Wean tuurcu, n.ugusta.. “And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a mul titude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying; Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another; Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us. And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger. St. Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 12 to 16. Says Lack Of Faith In God Weakening Western World ANTIGONISH, N. S. (NC) _ The western world’s effort to withstand communism is grow ing weaker because of lack of faith in God and His law, a Catholic university president warned. Msgr. H. J. Somers, president of St. Francis Xavier Univer sity here, said on a Canada wide broadcast that “our west ern way of life is not man made” and without the “saving teachings of Christ in regard to man’s dignity and worth” it never would have “come to' pass.” “Democracy is not a collec tion of man-made platitudes, but a system of government based on fundamental Princi ples which lose their meaning when divorced from the Cre ator,” Msgr. Somers said- “Man has no dignity apart from God. Our vaunted rights and privi leges as free citizens become mere conventions or rules of etiquette if man is nothing more than the product of chance.” Materialism and skepticism “have dimmed the vision of our wester world,” the priest said. He referred to communism as'“a new religion” and said that if the western world continues to lose faith in God and His law it will be unable to withstand communism’s attacks. Christmas Collection For Saint Mary's Home Need Dedication And Education To Save Freedom LOS ANGELES (NC) — Gen. Alfred Gruenther has urged a spirit of dedication and edu cation in efforts to preserve freedom. The American Red Cross president spoke at a dinner commemorating the 10th anni versary of Our Lady Chapel, situated in the heart of this city’s business district. His Emi nence James Francis Cardinal McIntyre, Arc-bishop of Los Angeles, the chapel’s founder, was the guest of honor. "I do not believe there will be World War III," the for mer NATO commander said. "But I do believe the com munist threat is greater than ever before. The communists, specifically Nikita Khrush chev, are playing their hand better than ever — the soft sell." This, he said, makes it more difficult for the U. S. to pre sent its proper image to the world. To American incentives of free enterprise and freedom must be added greater know ledge of other people and great er unity in our concept of hu man dignity, he added. The General called for more (Continued on Page 8) BISHOP'S CONFRATERNITY NOVENA A Novena of Masses will be offered this month for all contributors to the Bish op's Confraternity of the Laity. SAVANNAH—In an “atmos phere of gratitude we appeal to you to bear in mind the needs of St. Mary’s Home for children in Savannah” said Bishop Tho mas J. McDonough, Administra tor of the Diocese of Savannah, in a letter read in all Churches in the Diocese, Sunday, Decem ber 20th. Declaring that the “care and love” provided at St. Mary’s Home is “directly attributable to you, the good people of this Diocese,” His Excellency asked for “generosity, if possible, in even greater degree this year, because of the increased cost of living has affected all of us.” Special envelopes were dis tributed in all churches, to be used on Christmas Day. The full text of Bishop McDonough’s letter follows: Dearly Beloved in Christ: The holy season of Christmas inevitably brings all of us closer to the true meaning of the birth of the Christ Child. Literally it signifies the generous outpour ing of Christ’s love for every creature born into the world. The very essence of this love is contained in the words of Sa cred Scripture, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for qur salvation.” Or, to put it more suscinctly, we know that “God is love.” We, as Catholics, become more aware daily of our bound less debt of gratitude to God. We witness God’s love in our own lives in being privileged to live close to Him and to receive Him as Our Eucharistic King. We behold God’s limitless mercy for His children. We stand in awe of His universal chanty towards all. Christmas, then, is for you and for me a time to count manifold blessings which God has given to us. In such an atmosphere of gratitude we appeal to you to bear in mind the needs of St. Mary’s Home for children in Savannah. The cherished Home, over the years, has provided care and love to many children. Such care and devotion have been directly attributable to you, the good people of this Dio cese, who respond so generously each year to our appeal for St. Mary’s. We anticipate your gen erosity, if possible, in even a greater degree this year, be cause of the increased cost of living which has effected ail of us. Please use the envelopes which have been provided for this collection. A significant gift in behalf of the Orphans on Christmas Day will enable you to express more fully the qual ity of mercy—the charity of the Church, Thanking you again for the spontaneous assistance you have given me in all of the projects of this Diuce.c and as,m — you and your loved ones of a remembrance in my Christmas Masses, I am, Devotedly yours in Christ, thomas j. McDonough Administrator ‘sede vacante’. Diocese of Savannah. ST. MARY'S HOME, SAVANNAH