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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. 41, No. 15 MONROE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1960 10c Per Copy — $3 a Year Conference Held It Savannah SAVANNAH — Clergy from the entire Savannah Diocese met in the See city Tuesday morning for a special confer ence convened by His Excel lency Bishop McDonough. The conference heard an ad dress by the Rev. Walter Schmitz, S.S., noted authority on the Liturgy and a member of the faculty of Catholic Uni versity of America. Purpose of the diocesan wide gathering was to fa miliarize priests with the Rub rics (Directions) concerning the recent revised Roman Mis- al and Breviary. The much heralded changes in the Church’s Liturgy an nounced this year by Pope John XXIII become effective January 1, 1961. @ss©$ Church Saint Bernadette Jenkins County Now Has Catholic Church SAINT BERNADETTE CHURCH, MILLEN Bishop McDonough Blesses Saint Michael’s Convent SAVANNAH BEACH — On Thursday, December 8, the Feast of Our Lady’s Immacu late Conception, the Most Rev. Thomas J. McDonough, Bishop of Savannah, dedicated the new St. Michael’s Convent, on First Avenue between Eighth and Ninth Streets, at Savan nah Beach. The new convent is a one- story, brick, six-bedroom, all electric home erected by the John W. McDonald Builders, of Augusta. Its outstanding feature is the'beautiful walnut panelled chapel which contains the first Georgia Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. The Franciscan Sisters, : whom it houses, belong to a community whose official title is Missionary Franciscan Sis ters of the Immaculate Con ception. This community was founded in Minnesota in 1873 by Mother Mary Ignatius Hayes, O.F.M., who had been an Anglican nun originally. After her conversion, she was encouraged by Pope Pius IX to begin a new missionary order. Her Sisters now number over one thousand and staff mis sions in New Guinea, Austral ia, Egypt, Canada, Italy, and Book Reviews 3 Editorial Comment 4 Marriage Notices 3 Obituaries 6 Question Eox 4 Doris Answers Youth 5 Calendar of Feast Days : 7 Ireland as well as in the United States. In the Savan-. nah area, they also teach at St. Pius X High School, St. Benedict’s School, St. Mary’s School and St. Anthony’s School. The five Sisters now at St. Michael’s Convent are Mother Mary Celine, O.S.F., Sister Mary Leonissa, O.S.F., Sister Mary Cormac, O.S.F., and Sis ter Mary Terence, O.S.F. The last named is the first Savan- nahian to be received into the community. They staff St. Michael’s School, an eighth grade parish elementary school at Savannah Beach, with an enrollment of about one hun dred boys and girls. Rather John Cuddy, pastor of St. Michael’s Church, an nounced that the old convent building, which the Sisters have occupied as their temp orary convent since coming to Tybee in 1948, will now be known as St. Michael’s Hall. Addresses Holy Name AUGUSTA—An enthusiastic meeting of the Holy Name So ciety of St. Mary’s on the Hill Church was held in the Parish Hall on last Sunday evening. The members heard an elo quent address by Father Felix Donnelly on the potential of zealous Catholic laymen. Officers were elected for the coming year: President, Dr. Thomas E. Bailey; Vice Presi dent, Dr. Michael J. O’Brien; Secretary, Daniel Bowels, Sr.; Treasurer, Thomas F. Toomey; Marshall, Harry Best, Sr. CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE There is no other evening just like this one; for even now, almost two thousand years after it first thrilled to the angelic voices, announcing the birth of the Saviour, the whole world waits in hushed expectation. The noises of the day begin to die away and a quiet peace seems to envelope all. Then, as the day draws close to its final seconds, the minds 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 the angel voices which some how seem to linger still, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace to men of good will!” As the clock strikes midnight, signalling the beginning of Christ’s birthday, men, women and children through out the Diocese will fill our Churches to attend the Mid night Mass and to receive into their hearts the Redeemer, whose birth they celebrate—to bring Him their homage of praise and adoration and to take with them the Peace of Christ which surpasseth all understanding. 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, His Excellency, Bishop McDonough; Assistant priest, Msgr. T. J. McNamara, P.A.; Deacon, The Reverend Herman J. Wellmeier; Subdeacon, The Reverend Joseph Stranc; Deacons of Honor, Rev. Timothy Dwyer, S.M.A., Rev. Brendan Dooley, O.S.B.; Master of Ceremonies, Msgr. Andrew McDonald; Assistant Master of Ceremonies, Rev. Robert J. Teoli. Christmas Day Masses: 6:15, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:15 and 12:15. ST. MARY'S AUGUSTA Christmas Eve, Midnight Solemn High Mass: Celebrant, The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Daniel J. Bourke; Deacon, The Reverend Ralph Seikel; Subdeacon, The Rev. Kevin Boland. Christmas Day Masses: 6:15, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00 and 12:15. HOLY FAMILY, COLUMBUS Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass: Celebrant will be Rev. Lawrence Lucree. Midnight Mass will be offered at the School Chapel with the Rev. John Fallon, celebrant. Christmas Day Masses: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, 11:30, 12:30 and at 6:30 p. m. Mass will be offered at the school at 9:00 a. m. MILLEN — This Christmas, as never before, Christ will come to Millen. A Catholic church is now a part of the Jenkins County seat, most of whose 4,000 residents can tell a visitor where the new church is. Only recently, His Excellen cy, Bishop McDonough, dedi cated the new little Saint Ber nadette Church. Vested in Ad vent purple, he then offered Mass. Likening this. segment of his flock to the early Chris tian communities which the Apostles founded, the Bishop reminded them of their re sponsibility for the growth of the Church in their own coun ty. Christ has come to Millen for many years. Since the ear ly 1930’s, in this Southeast Georgia community, the Sac rifice of the Mass has been of fered, the Savior of the world has been really, truly present in His Eucharistic Body. Small groups of Catholics have gath ered many a Sunday in a home or hotel or community center. For the first years, the de voted priests of the Cathedral in.Savannah made the journey to this mission outpost. Having offered Mass here early Sun day morning, the missioner /tfbteVded to Saint Joseph’s in Bay Branch to offer Mass for that congregation. When Bethlehem is relived this year in Millen, when the Christ Child will be as really present in the Mass as He was in the Cave, it will be not the first presence-ing of the Divine Infant; but it will be the first in His own home, a Catholic church. Milien’s few, but loyal, Cath olics will gather around the altar and mangel'. There will be a heavenly warmth in their souls, a grateful beat in their hearts, such as only the shep herds could experience. Now with !. e eyes of faith they will see their Infant God brought down on the altar — not on a dining room table, even so carefully arranged and spotlessly clean; not on the stage of a community house, even so awesome and orderly — but in His own Catholic church, so simple, fresh, and truly home-like. Some will say that the Mil len Catholics deserve a church. It is not so with the members themselves. They know they deserve nothing as Catholics, except to suffer with Christ crucified, to remain loyal to their Infant God, to gather about His altar each Sunday and Holyday no matter where it be. The Millen Catholics, how ever, are grateful; grateful to God for their treasured Christ mas gift, grateful to Saint Ber nadette for this memorial to her, grateful to the Bishop and people of the Diocese of Sav annah. Saint Bernadette’s and Mil len are but a beginning. Coun ty after county in the Diocese of Savannah is without even a Catholic chapel. A resident priest in each of our 88 counties? In God’s plan, this may be in the distant fu ture. A fitting piace for the redemptive re-presentation of Calvary in the Mass in every mission county? This can be come a reality in the near fu ture. How near that is depends upon how every Catholic in the Diocese of Savannah meets his missionary responsibility. It depends upon our sup porting the Confraternity of the Laity to the point of sac rifice; it depends upon our praying that chapel donors elsewhere invest in God’s Kingdom in Southern Georgia. Please God, Southern Geor gia will soon be dotted with numerous Saint Bernadettes. INVESTITURE CEREMONY—Newly invested Rt. Rev. Msgr. John D. Toomey, S.T.L., receives Bierttum from Bishop Thomas J. McDonough. The Savannah pastor was recently named a Domestic Prelate by His Holiness, Pope John XXIII. The ceremonies took place at St. James, December 15th. PEOPLE HAVE CHOICE m PASTING LAWS FOR CHRISTMAS VIGIL The Vigil of Christmas is a day of fast and abstinence. However, Iiis Holiness, Pope John XXIII, last year granted to all the faithful the privilege of anticipating the obligation of fast and abstinence of December 24th on December 23rd. Hence the obligation may-be fulfilled on either day. The people have a choice. They may determine for themselves on which of the two days they will keep the obligation, but they must fast and abstain on one of these two days. Catholics are reminded, however, that since December 23rd is a Friday this year, total abstinence will oblige on that day in any event, whether the obligation of the Vigil is observed cn the 23rd or 24th. All Catholics over the age of 7 are bound to abstain from meat throughout whichever day they elect to observe the Vigil; all over the age of 21 and not yet 59 are bound to observe also the laws of fast. Fasting means that one full meal is allowed. Two other meals sufficient to maintain strength may be taken according to each person’s needs. TO THE PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND LAITY OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH: MAY THE BABE OF BETHLEHEM BRING EVERY PEACE AND JOY ON CHRISTMAS DAY. AND MAY MARY, HIS IMMACULATE MOTHER AND SAINT JOSEPH GUIDE YOU TO 1HS HOLY MANGER. DURING THIS HOLY SEASON YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES WILL HAVE A SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE IN MY MASSES AND PRAY ERS. IMPARTING TO YOU MY BLESSING, I AM DEVOTEDLY YOURS IN CHRIST BISHOP OF SAVANNAH PRAY FOR OUR PRIESTLY DEAD REV. JOHN A. MORRIS Dec. 24. 1957 REV. M. J. RICE Dec. 26, 1381 O God, Who didst (jive to thy servants by their sacredotal office, a share in the priesthood of the Apostles, grant, we im plore, that they may also be one. of their company ; forever in heaven. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. BREAK GROUND FOR NEW SEMINARY—Bishop Thomas J. McDonough breaks ground for the new Seminary building to be erected in 1961. The building will house dormitories, classrooms, library and priests living quarters. The building is expected to be ready for occupancy by next September.—(Carroll Burke Photo).