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PAGE 2—THE BULLETIN, September 17, 1960 EDITOR EXILED BY CASTRO The Catholic In America By Rev. Peier J. Rahill, Ph.D. This is one of a series of articles revincing the position and experience of the practicing Catholic in the life of the American community from Colonial times. The author holds a doctorate in American Church History has taught in various universities, and is pres ently Archivist and Historian of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. THE LIBERTY BELL RINGS OUT FOR AMERICAN CATHOLICS That God can and does draw good out of evil is proved over and over again. A striking in stance of this Divine Prov- idence is found in the Quebec Act of 1774. Ini tially it seemed that this legislation, in permitting Catholicity to be freely pro fessed and practiced by Cana dians, would cause laws against the church in the 13 colonies to become even more coercive. Instead it afforded the Cath olics in the colonies an oppor tunity to demonstrate their loyalty as a group for the first time. To this day the Church in the United States benefits from the valor of the Catho lics of ’76. As the breach between mo ther country and colonies wid ened, it was apparent to every leader of the patriots that all the help available would be needed. Historians agree that only one-third of the colonists resisted Great Britain, then the strongest military power of the world. For any who were willing to shoulder a musket, in the words of Saint Paul, “There is neither Jew nor Greek; There Opening GERALD DUDDY Complete Interiors • Furniture • Lamps • Tables • Wall Decor • Carpeting • Bedding THIRTY YEARS IN METROPOLITAN NEW YORK AREA Now Located at 4061 Peachtree Rd., N. E. Brookhaven Atlanta, Georgia Phone — 233-8884 "GOOD FURNITURE MODERATELY PRICED" — Store Hours ■— 9 a. m. — 5:30 p. m. Friday evening til 9 is neither slave nor freeman; there is neither male nor fe male” (Gal. 3:28). In the Eng lish colonies for the first time it could be said that Catholics were truly welcomed. On two occasions Catholic efforts to assist the American Revolution were hampered by the prior colonial anti-Catholi cism. The Indians of Maine, long since converted to the Faith, volunteered on condi tion that General Washington provide them with a chaplain. The commander-in-chief re ferred the request to Massa chusetts, of which Maine was then a part. Laws more than a century old prohibiting the presence of a priest in the colony showed their effect. Not only was the colonial govern ment not able to call upon a priest in that vast territory, but no idea was had where one might be found. Finally the request of the Indians was fulfilled through an exchange of prisoners for a priest who had been a chap lain aboard a French ship tak en as a prize of war. Father to the north was an other disappointment which was of much greater conse quence. After berating King George III for the freedom granted to the Catholics of Canada, the First Continental Congress had besought these same Catholics to join their cause. When war actually broke out a commission was chosen to plead in person. Anti-Catho licism had kept Maryland’s “First Citizen,” Charles Car- roll of Carrollton, from partici pating in the assembly. But he* was readily named as one of the three members of the delegation to appeal for aid from the French Catholics to the north. The same Continental Con gress asked Father John Car- roll, cousin of Charles, to ac company the mission. From letters to his mother it is evi dent that Father Carroll had little hope of success. Yet he willingly did his best to con vince the Canadians that the previous diatribes against the Church did not represent the true American spirit. Bishop Jean Oliver Briand, however, was so grateful for the freedom already bestowed by the British government that he kept Canada loyal to the Crown. Charles Carroll was due to exert still more influence for the patriot cause, and this time most effectively. The colonial leaders were ready to make a complete break with the moth er country. One of the signers EMILY FINOCCHIO'S KUT 8c KURL SHOP AUDREY, JUNE, NORMA EMILY 3675 Claiimont SM. - GI.. 7-4580 <IHAMBI.EE SURE! Y BO N D ED TERMITE CONTROL CA U w THE ORKIN MAN SINCE 1901 CONSULT THE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY FOR THE ORKIN OFFICE NEAREST YOU WORLD'S LARGEST NORTHWOODS AUTO SALES, INC. “WE SPECIALIZE IN EXTRA CLEAN SECOND CARS” ACROSS FROM WINN DIXIE 5200 BUFORD HWY. DORAVILLE GL. 7-4384 Georgia State Savings Bank of Savannah Bull and York Streets — Savannah, Ga. Established 1890 Chartered State Bank 1909 Savannah's Largest and Oldest Savings Bank We Specialize in Banking by Mail 3% Per Annum On All Deposits Deposits Insured to $10:000 by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation BANK LOANS For Executives, Supervisors, Salaried Workers, Etc. CALL CE. 7-1641 For Complete Banking Facilities, Serving Entire Northeast and Northwest Area of Greater Atlanta ASK FOR ANY LENDING OFFICER DeKalb National Bank of Brookhaven 4021 PEACHTREE RD. — Member FDIC TRUST COMPANY OF GEORGIA GROUP of the Declaration of Inde pendence was Charles Carroll, who brought honor to the Church in being the sole Cath olic. Moreover, he had another distinction which was convinc ing proof of his patriotism. The richest man in the colonies, Carroll risked that fortune as well as his life in proclaiming openly his full adherence to the Revolution. To his clearly legible signature he added “of Carrollton.” It is said that his purpose in so doing was that there would be no mistake as to his identity should the re volt fail and the signers be punished. Fifty-three years later Car- roll, then the only surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, told the adopt ed son of George Washington that the love of his religion as well as of his country had prompted his action. Referring to the freedom to practice his Faith he said of his signing: “I had much at heart this grand design found ed on mutual charity, the basis of our holy religion.” His cou rageous venture paid immedi ate dividends to the forces led by George Washington, for the Catholics of Pennsylvania and Maryland followed his exam ple in their whole-hearted sup port. The valor of the patriots and the leadershhip of Washington would not have been success ful had foreign aid not been secured. It was to Catholic France that the first appeal was made. In the beginning a few leaders protested dealing with “Foreign Papists,” but the danger from the British forces was too imminent for them to be heeded. Supplies absolutely essential had been sent by France long before the Treaty of Alliance was signed in May of 1778. Congress was elated! To the credit of that body it showed its gratitude consistently throughout the war. Occasion ally individual members de murred, but as a group the Congress divested itself entire ly of anti-Catholic expressions of any kind. Eibridge Gerry of Massachu setts did marvel at the “mirac ulous change in the political world.” If not strictly miracu lous, the effects of this alliance —with later aid from Catholic Spain—truly were monument al in history. It is not surprising that the Tories — one-third of the Americans who supported England in the struggle—took horrified umbrage at the al liance of the colonies with “Papist France.” In their eyes the specter of the Pope was seen hovering above every French soldier. All previous canards seem ingly refuted in the exemplary conduct of the French troops who passed through Philadel phia in 1781. Nonetheless, one loyalist writer construed the good behavior as absolute proof that the “French Pap ists” were awaiting a more suitable time to disclose the cloven hoof. Help from Spain was not of the same magnitude as that of her sister Bourbon power France, but again the Ameri can Congress broke completely with tradition in showing ap preciation. Not the words of a friend but those of a bitter en emy describe the action after the 1778 death of the Spanish representative in Philadelphia, Don Juan de Miralles. The most infamous of all American traitors, Benedict Arnold, wrote: “Do you know that the eye which guides this pen lately saw your mean and profligate Congress at Mass for the soul of a Roman Cath olic in Purgatory?” The Sol emn Requiem had been cele brated in Saint Mary’s Church in Philadelphia. The patriot newspapers of the colonies were as consis tent in supporting the alliance with France as was Congress. Formerly loud in their denun ciation of anything which had even a Catholic flavor, the newspapers then became posi tively enthusiastic in their re ports pertaining to our ally. Equally noteworthy was the complete acceptance of the military union by the Calvin ist clergy. Once the King of France had rivaled the Pope as an object of denunciation. That attitude had been completely abandoned when the Reverend George Duffield, from the pul pit of the Third Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, called for an end to detraction; in herited prejudices should give way to cordial affection. There is surprisingly little to quote from Catholics in praise or in endorsement of the league with France. In 1777 the French Consul at Balti more observed that the Mary land Catholics “feared an al liance with France, lest they be persecuted, and lest their priests be expelled.” The rack and rope of anti-Catholicism were retained in the minds of the faithful longe after others Jose Rivero, editor and publisher of Diario de la Marina, published daily in Havana until silenced by Castro early this year, looks over the first edition of the paper now being published in exile, in Miami, as a weekly. Opposition to the Castro regime and to communism in the Americas is the objective of the publication which will be sent to Cuba and the Latin American countries, as well as sold on newsstands in South Florida.-—(NC Photos). had renounced these instru ments of torture. To the outcome of the strug gle Longfellow’s words may be applied: “You know the rest. In the books you have read . . .” God indeed had drawn good out of evil for the long suffering Catholics of 18th Century America. While the tradition of anti-Catholi cism had not been shattered, undoubtedly its previously un broken front had been pene trated. The American Revolution brought liberty to the colonies; moreover it brought to the American Catholics a real hope of freedom of conscience. For most of them the shackles would not vanish immediately or completely. But never again would the outlook be as bleak, nor the very survival of Cath olicism in America as threat ened. FEDERAL RELIGIOUS EQUALITY NOT REALIZED IN ALL THE STATES As long as there is a United States of America Catholics will be proud of the glorious part taken by their forefathers in the American Revolution. During the Colonial period anti-Catholicism had kept their numbers so small as to be almost insignificant. Yet in the struggle Catholics con tributed a part ail out of pro portion to their percentage of the total population. Martin I. J. Griffin of Phil adelphia has contended, more over, that no Catholic of note was a loyalist, or a supporter of Great Britain. Truly the record is remarkable! INDIVIDUAL LAWS What was the reaction of the non-Catholic majority, most of them churchgoers, to this im pressive Catholic particicpa- tion? When the Revolution be gan Catholics did not possess religious, social, or political equality in a single one of the colonies. Among the courag eous signers of the Declaration of Independence Charles Car- roll of Carrollton has been the sole Catholic. Years later the venerable Marylander had declared that he had envisioned religious liberty as well as political free dom from the successful de fense of this document. Indeed Carroll was right, but the ac tual attainment of it was to be delayed — in some cases for many, many years. Why? It must bee remembered that the War of the Revolution was fought by a very loose political union. All the erst while colonies were represent ed in the Continental Con gress. That body, however, had no power to enforce its wishes, and as a unit it expressed none regarding religious freedom for all. Each of the seceding colo nies operated under its own individual laws. Inasmuch as all of these had contained anti- Catholic provisions prior to the outbreak of the fighting, the legal position of Catholics would remain unaffected un less the characters or constitu tions were altered. Some, as Connecticut, were content with the original col onial charter; aside from eras ing a few English names, no change was made. South Caro lina, on the other hand, promptly adopted a new con stitution which contained no provision regarding religion. In 1778, the year that Catho lic France gave its invaluable assistance to the Americans, a revised constitution made Protestantism the religion of South Carolina. In addition anyone not a Protestant was ineligible for the upper or low er house of the legislature. In New York the incongruity of fighting for liberty and de nying it to some was recog nized in the Constitutional Convention. But John Jay, lat er the first Chief Justice of the United States, was an in- vesterate foe of Catholicism. Failing to block the article granting religious freedom, he succeeded in securing an amendment which deprived immigrant Catholics of any participation in the political life of the new state. NOMINAL' EMANCIPATION Previously it has been not ed that the majority of Cath olics were living in the area close to the boundary lines of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The constitutions of these states reflected their pre sence in not excluding the faithful from the provisions for religious liberty. The few Catholics in north ern Virginia profited from the challenge by Baptists and Presbyterians to Anglicanism as the established religion. The controversy was not settled during the Revolution; yet Catholics benefited when full religious freedom was adopted by Virginia in 1785. Two years before Rhode Island had drop ped “except Papists” from her guarantee of religious eqaulity. While the military and fi nancial aid of Catholics was everywhere welcome, only four states had given them the right to vote. Even in Mary land, in the opinion of the Reverend Jonathan Boucher, a prominent Loyalist minister from that state, “their emanci pation . . . has been nominal rather than real.” Hanging the Pope in effigy had been banned by George Washington at the very begin ning of the Revolution. Once the struggle had been success ful, however, such carnivals were revived in New England and continued for another cen tury. In his 1785 participation in a lecture series given annually in Cambridge, the Reverend Joseph Willard, Congregation- alist President of Harvard University, declared that the spirit of the Church of Rome was “hatred, malice, and per secution.” By no means had the American Revolution over turned the persistent anti- Catholic tradition throughout the 13 states. Originally proposed by Ben jamin Franklin in 1755, nation al union may be said to have come into existence with the adoption of the Articles of Confederation in 1778. Mary land was the last state to give her adherence to this confed eracy of the former colonies. Again it was a Carroll, in this instance Charles’ cousin Dan iel, who was the sole Catholic signer. While the Constitutional Convention was in session the government under the Articles of Confederation issued the re nowned Northwest Ordinance. Therein for the first time in the history of our nation the principle of religious freedom tor all was enunciated for states to be formed from this territory. EMERGENCE FROM 'CATACOMBS' A little over a month later the Constitutional Convention adopted a resolution which had been proposed by Charles Pinckney of South Carolina; this resolution is in Article Six of the Constitution. It read: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualifi cation to any office or public trust under the United States.” The only state voting against Pinckney’s resolution was North Carolina. That was in keeping with the tenor of the state’s Constitutional Conven tion. The Mecklenburg dele gates, for instance, were in structed to oppose “the tolera tion of popish idolatrous wor ship.” Nonetheless, while still excluded from most state and local offices, Catholics were recognized as first class citi zens on the national level! In place of the one signer of the Declaration of Inde pendence and of the Articles of Confederation, there were two representatives of the Faith among the Founding Fathers of the Constitution. One was Daniel Carroll, and the second an Irish immigrant who had helped to finance the Revolu tion, Thomas FitzSimons of Pennsylvania. While the anti-Catholic tra MARRIAGES o- -o | BERTINO-LAPP | O O SAVANNAH — Miss Lorna Lillian Lapp, daughter of Mrs. Harry LaBerte Lapp and the late Colonel Lapp, and Mich ael Anthony Bertino, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Bertino, of Valley Stream, N. Y., were married September 3rd with a nuptial mass at the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Rev. George C. James offici ating. O- -O FLOOD-KING O- -O SAVANNAH — Miss Nancy Elizabeth King, daughter of Mr. David Wilson King, Jr., and Mrs. Frances Barrett King and Daniel Joseph Flood, Jr., were married August 10th at the Church of the Most Bless ed Sacrament, Rt. Rev. Msgr Thomas A. Brennan officiating. O- -O | BESSMAN-ORLANDO | O— O MACON — Miss Mary Ann Orlando, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Celeste A. Orlando of Macon, and Mr. John William Bessman, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Bessman of Au gusta were married August 27th with a nuptial mass at St. Joseph’s Church, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Thomas I. Sheehan offi ciating. O- -O | CASTORNIA-LONCON | 6- O SAVANNAH — Miss Mary Dale Loncon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russel D. Loncon of Port Wentworth, and Salvador A. Castorina, son of Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Castorina, of Pensacola, Fla., were married Stptember 3rd at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Rev. Francis Donohue officiating. O O | BROWN-BARFIELD | O O SAVANNAH — Miss Marie Theresa Barfield, daughter of Mrs. William Edward Barfield, of Savannah Beach and Tho mas Lynch Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Kenneth Brown were married August 27th with nuptial mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Bap tist, Ref. John J. Cuddy offi ciating. dition was being shivered if not shattered, the Church be gan to emerge from its Ameri can catacombs. Though some authority definitely was need ed, the clergy still opposed the naming of a bishop lest that arouse renewed antagonism. As a compromise Father John Carroll was named Pre fect Apostolic in 1784. In his initial report to the Holy See he estimated 25,000 as the Catholic population of the United States. He had heard that there were Catholics along the Mississippi River, where in truth the “Patriot Priest” Pierre Gibault had been of sterling assistance to George Rogers Clark in the conquest of the West. With the help of a thousand dollars from King Charles of Spain, the first church in New York was dedicated in 1786. But there was not a single Catholic Church or congrega tion in all New England nor in any state south of Virginia. THE FIRST BISHOP The United States was a small nation in population the year that George Washington was inaugurated as the first President. Catholics composed an almost insignificant group in the total of 4,000,000. Yet among them were men of na tional stature and prominence, so that a letter of congratula tions to the President was gra ciously acknowledged. The fa ther of His Country wrote in part: “I presume that your fellow- citizens will not forget the pa triotic part which you took in the accomplishment of their Revolution, and the establish ment of your Government: or the important assistance which they received from a nation in which the Roman Catholic Faith is professed.” How greatly had the position of the Church improved over what it had been a century before! It was vastly better than during the furor over the Quebec Act. Many outside the Church retained their old pre judices, but the substantial number had come to accept Catholic fellow Americans in all social relations. Legal disabilities remained for the most part. Inspiration and leadership in triumphing over many of these obstacles was to come from John Car- roll. Consecrated the first bishop of the United States in 1790, he was a worthy con temporary of George Washing ton. As truly as Washington was the father of his country, the first Bishop and Archbish op of Baltimore was the father of the Church in the United States. Next Issue: “Catholic News papers Established to Combat Printed Abuse.” Obituaries Atlanta Services Charles Lawson ATLANTA — Funeral serv ices for Charles Lee Lawson were held September 8th at the Sacred Heart Church, Rev. Lawrence J. Biggers offici ating. Survivors are his wife, the former Mrs. Beatrice Mc Gregor, stepson, Louis. A. Mc Gregor, Pompano Beach Fla.; brothers, Jessie Lawson, Chamblee, and Oscar W. Law- son, Norcross, sisters, Mrs. James Stephens, Mrs. Quill Youngblood and Mrs. Tom Ivy, all of Norcross; and Mrs. Claude Mills, Atlanta. Services For M rs. Koniecki ATLANTA — Funeral serv ices for Mrs. Stanley J. Kanie- cki were held September 2nd at St. Anthony’s Church in Jersey City, N. J. She was a former resident of Avondale Estates. Mrs. Kaniecki was the for mer Stella Kowalski. She was 83 years old and was born in Poland. Survivors are four daugh ters, Mrs. Helen Ciecinch, Jer sey City, N. J.; Mrs. Irene Maier, West Simsburg, Conn.; Mrs. Jean Dagosto, Teaneck, N. J.; Mrs. Sally Malonowski, Fairlawn, N. J.; a son Leon S. Kaniecki, Avondale Estates. Services For Mrs. Susie Leary MADISON, WIS. — Funeral services . for Mrs. Susie Leary were held September 9th at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Madison, Wis., Msgr. F. L. McDonnell officiating. Mrs. Leary was born in Gratiot, Wis.; she was the for mer Susie O’Donnell. She had been an Atlanta resident three years. She was a member of St. Thomas More Church. Survivors are a son, L. W, Leary, Milwaukee, Wis.; a daughter, Mrs. J. L. Eichman, Decatur, and a brother, W. J. O’Donnell, St. Paul Minn. Savannah Services For Mrs. Cullum SAVANNAH — Funeral services for Mrs. Elizabeth Sutton Cullum were held Sep tember 1st at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Savannah Services Joseph Hohnerlein SAVANNAH — Funeral services for Joseph Hohnerlein were held August 29th at the Cathedral of St. John the Bap tist, Rev. Herbert Willmeier officiating. Services For Mrs. Hubner SAVANNAH — Funeral services for Mrs. Theresa Ken nedy Hubner, 86, a guest of the Little Sisters of the Poor were held September 3rd in the Chapel of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Survivors are one niece, Mrs. Cleo B. Mahler of Brook lyn, N. Y.; two nephews James F. Kennedy, Jersey City, N. J.; and Preston Herbert, Briar- cliffe Manor, N. Y. HEADS YCS — Greg Cu sack, (above) was elected na tional president of the Young Christian Students, during the national study week, held at St. Joseph’s College, College- ville, Ind. 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