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!; Serving !; Georgia's 88 Southern Counties Vol. 42, No. 9 DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH EDITION OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1961 Published By The Cat-holic Laymen's Ass'n of Georgia 10c Per Copy — $3 A Year GOAL OF THE GONFRATERNITV DRIVE OCTOBER, 1961 1. St. John Vianney Minor Seminary and the education of young men for the Sacred Priesthood: Beyond any doubt, the most critical need in the Diocese of Savannah is the need for priests. The Church in this Diocese can extend its influence over the souls of men only through a numerous and holy group of priests. Over the last four years, prayers and sacrifices as numerous as the sands of the sea shore have risen to God in behalf of this great need. Nor has God turned a deaf ear to our plea. In 1959, St. John Vianney Minor Seminary in Savannah opened its doors to the young men of the Diocese who heard Christ say to them, “Come, fol low Me and I will make you to be fishers of men.” Not only in its expanded physical plant, but also in its numbers and qua lity of students, the seminary has been successful beyond our fondest dreams. Right here in our midst, we have the cradle of the priests who will serve us in the future. Including the generous beneficence of the Catholic Community Center of Savannah, we have not had to have a major drive for funds to support this program. The funds necessary have come to us through the Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity. For no other reason, than the seminary itself, you should open your heart and your purse to the support of the Bishop’s Confra ternity of the Laity. $30,000.00 2. The orphans and dependent children of the Diocese of Savannah: “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven,” said Our Divine Savior. In every part of the world today, children bear the brunt of suffering and misery caused by irresponsible parents. This little flock must always be close to the Shepherd of souls in a Diocese. Our dependent girls receive the loving care of the Sisters of Mercy and shelter at St. Mary’s Home in Savannah. Our boys receive the care they need from the Sisters of St. Joseph and are sheltered at St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Washington, Georgia. No one can turn a deaf ear to the plea of a homeless child. Your support of the Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity is your an- answer to the plea of these homeless children. $15,000.00 3. The Bulletin: With the advance of science in modern times, men are at tempting to reshape the civilization of the world. Unfortunate ly, those who control more than one third of the population of the world are determined to draw all men away from God. Truth is the outstanding deterrent to these men. Did not Christ Himself say, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life?” Armed with the truth, the Catholic of today can participate in the re shaping of the world. He can bring all men to the light and knowledge of Christ Himself. He need not shrink from the challenge that atheism presents to him. In our Diocese, we are fortunate to have a Catholic Newspaper, a current exponent of the truths of Christ as they apply to the problems of modern man. Your support of The Bulletin through the Bishop’s Con fraternity of the Laity gives you an opportunity to spread the truth of Christianity to all who sit in the shadows of darkness. $10,000.00 4. The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist—the Mother Church in the Diocese of Savannah: Any one who visits the city of Savannah is immediately inspired by our Cathedral Church. In recent years, a great transformation has taken place in its exterior. Not only have the outer walls been cleaned, but a new plaza and entrance have been completed. There is still much work to do on the Cathedral. The parishioners of this parish, while few in num ber, have contributed heroically to its beautification. Since it is a symbol of our Diocese, it is only fitting that every Cath olic should participate in its renovation. Your contribution to the Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity will give you an oppor tunity to participate in this renovation. $30,000.00 5. Mission Churches: If you have never lived in an area where there is no Cath olic Church, you cannot begin to appreciate the blessings that come to a Community when the first Catholic Church is erect ed in that area. During the past several years, Waynesboro, Millen, Glennville, Sylvania and Claxton have had this ex perience. Under construction are Mission Chapels in Lyons, Vidalia, Louisville and Camilla. Your contribution to the Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity enables you to participate in the joy and inspiration of bringing a House of God into a churchless area. $25/000.00 6. Contingency Fund: There are many areas in the Diocese which do not have enough Catholics to make it possible for them to support the spiritual programs of the Church. We who live in areas where we have our priests, our churches and our schools must be rea dy to help those in need. From this Contingency Fund, the Bishop is able to assist with minor repairs, the purchase of au tomobiles, and the payment of insurance in the small Mission areas. $25,000.00 7. Carmel: Some three years ago, the Diocese was blessed with the contemplative order of Carmelite Nuns, located at Coffee Bluff outside the city of Savannah. If anything will change the world and the course of events, it is prayer. These nuns day and night pray for the spiritual welfare of our Diocese and for all of the people in it. In establishing this foundation, the Car melite Sisters accepted a debt of almost. $100,000.00. The pres ent debt amounts to $90,000.00. They depend exclusively on the generosity of our Catholic people. In thanksgiving to God for the spiritual benefits of the presence of these nuns, we ask $5,000.00 a year towards the liquidation of their debt. $5,000.00 BISHOP LAUDS WORK OF SAVANNAH BENEDICTINES Diocesan Program Impressive As a result of the successful 1960 fund raising campaign of the Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity, mission chapels have been erected during the past year in Millen, Waynesboro, and Glennville, and three more chapels are under construction at Lyons, Vidalia, and Louis ville. A building contract was recently awarded for a chapel in Camilla. The church at Lyons, Sacred Heart, will be dedicated on October 8th. Dedication cere monies for the Chapel of St. Joan of Arc, in Louisville will be held on November 12th. Plans are underway for mis sion churches in Americus and Quitman. Immaculate Conception Church, Dublin has been re furbished in preparation for its 50th anniversary, which will be celebrated on Novem ber 5th. The chuhch of St. Wil liam at St. Simon’s Island has recently been enlarged and ad ditions have been made for Pacelli High School in Colum bus. A new church for St. Bene dict’s, Columbus, was complet ed during the year. Ground-breaking ceremonies for the Aquinas High School Gymnasium will be held in Augusta on October 15th. High point of the Diocesan building program for 1961 was the construction of the new buildings at St. John Vinney Minor Seminary, Savannah. The new structures provide housing, dining, library and laboratory facilities for the seminary’s fifty students, as well as living quarters for two priests and office space for the seminary rector. Aquinas Lists 8 Georgians On Faculty AUGUSTA — Eight of the Religious on the faculty of Aquinas High School, Augusta, are native Georgians. For the first time since the opening of Aquinas, two Mar- ist Brothers who are native Georgians have been assigned to the faculty. They are Bro ther Richard Aloysius and Brother Anthony Richardson. Brother Richard came to Aquinas from St. Joseph’s Academy in Brownville, Tex as and Brother Anthony from the Philippine Islands. Both these Brothers are graduates of the Marist School for Boys which was formerly in Sav annah. The entire Religious faculty of the girls’ division is native to Georgia. Sister Mary James McDon ald, Sister Mary Raymond Mc Mahon, Sister Victoria Marie Ogilvie are all graduates of St. Vincent’s Academy, Sav annah. Sister Mary Bernard Schweers and Sister Anne Richard Brotherton are gradu ates of the former Mt. St. Jos eph Academy, Augusta. Sister Mary John Dillard is a graduate of the former Sac red Heart High School, Atlan ta. Editorial Comment 4 Book Reviews 2 Backdrop 4 Obituaries 5 Marriages 2 Challenge U. S. "To Sufferings" 5 Question Box 4 Savannah DCCW Moats Oct. 8th SAVANNAH — The Fall meeting of the Savannah Deanery Council of Catho lic Women will be held Sunday, October 8th, at 4:15 p. m. in the Cathedral Day School. SAVANNAH — His Excel lency, Bishop Thomas J. Mc Donough, has expressed “great joy” in the establishment of an independent Priory of the Benedictine Fathers in the Diocese of Savannah. An election was held by the Benedictine Community in Savannah on September 14th, and the Rev. ' Bede Lightner, O.S.B., principal of Benedic tine Military School was elect ed Prior of the community. “The Benedictine Fathers,” the Bishop said, “have given generously of themselves to the development of the spirit ual life of the city of Savan nah. The young men who have been privileged to attend Ben edictine High School in the See city have been the recipi ents of an education which will be of inestimable value in their vocational pursuits. Consequently our priests and our people who have recogniz ed the contributions of the Benedictine Fathers for fifty- three years are especially pleased to behold the new rec ognition for devoted and sac rificial service. “In the days ahead we are confident, with God’s help, that the Benedictine commun- (Continued on Page 6) “WE MUST BUILD FOR TOMORROW” BISHOP'S OFFICE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH 225 Abercorn Street Savannah, Georgia My dear People: With a joyous heart I come before you to announce the annual Bishop’s Con fraternity of the Laity Campaign. The happenings of the past year by way of building up the faith in the Diocese of Savannah, both spiritually and materially, are directly attributable to the supreme generosity of our people to this appeal. The new churches established; the sites for future parishes acquired; the establish ment of catechetical centers, are a great source of inspiration to all of us. Undoubtedly, however, the most articulate progress has been made in build ing up our native priestly vocations climaxed in the construction of our new Sem inary of St. John Vianney. The response of our people with their prayers has been unprecedented. Then, too, my trip to Ireland for students and priests, this summer, exceeded my greatest expectations. In all of these ventures I have been sustained and greatly encouraged by your devotion, your understanding and, above all, your prayers. We of today must also build for tomorrow. The better we provide our people with the tools of our Ruth, thf; most assured will we be of the future of the Church in our Diocese. When you are asked to contribute to the forthcoming Bishop’s Confraternity Drive, think in terms of the needs of the Church and be sacrifically generous. When you are traveling through the State look at the new chapels which have been erected and you then, with me, will thank God for the Bishop’s Confraternity Drive. It is impossible for me to tell you adequately of my deep appreciation of all the help which you have given me since my appointment as your Bishop. The best way I know is to assure you of a daily memento in my Mass and prayers. Imparting to you my blessing, I am, Devotedly yours in Christ, Bishop of Savannah. Independent Priory For Savannah Benedictines Bishop's Letter Cites Increased Vocations, New Seminary Building SAVANNAH — Sunday, October 1st is “kick-off” day for the third annual campaign for funds, conducted by the Bishop’s Confraternity of the Laity. A letter from the Most Reverend Thomas J. McDonough will be read at all the Masses throughout the diocese on Sunday and follow-up announcements will be made at Masses on Sunday, October 8th. SAVANNAH — The Bene dictine community of Savan nah, affiliated for over 50 years with Belmont Abbey, Belmont, N. C., is now an in dependent conventual priory. This is the first step toward the formation of a Benedictine Abbey in the Diocese of Sav annah. The Sacred Heart Pri ory is no longer under the direct jurisdiction of Belmont Abbey. The Very Rev. Bede Light ner, O.S.B., principal of Ben edictine Military School in Savannah, was, on September 14, elected by the community as the first conventual prior. Abbot Walter Coggin, O.S.B., of Belmont presided over cere monies marking the independ ence. Archabbot Denis Stritt- matter, O.S.B. of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pa., pre sided at the election of the prior. Archabbot Strittmatter is the president of the Ameri can Cassinese Congregation of Benedictines to which Sacred Heart Priory will belong. The move will bring full monastic life to the new con ventual priory and will enable the monks there to concentrate on their work in the diocese. Savannnah men entering the Benedictine Order will be able to remain in their native dio cese. Plans are underway for a new monnastery to be built along with the new Benedic tine School. Each parish will organize teams of workers, who will be instructed in the system of making a door-to-door solicita tion of parishioners. These workers will call on all Cath- MOST REV. THOMAS j. McDonough, d.d., j.c.d. olic homes of the Diocese be tween 1:00 p. m. and 5:00 p. m. on Sunday, October 15th for contributions. Each wage earner will be asked to contribute a mini mum of $25.00. It is expected says Bishop McDonough, “that those who are blessed by God in a very special way are ex pected to give larger contribu tions.” The annual campaign for funds was instituted three years ago, as a means of avoid ing large scale, long term fund raising drives, such as the 1955 drive for more than one mil lion dollars. The goal of the campaign is $140,000.00. Beneficiaries will be St. John Vianney Minor Seminary and a vocational fund for the tuition and sup port of Savannah seminarians at St. John Vianney and other Seminaries; the orphans and dependent children of the Dio cese; The Bulletin, diocesan newspaper; the renovation fund of the Diocesan Cathe dral; the Mission Church building program; the Carmel ite Monastery at Savannah; and a contingency fund to aid small mission parishes, too small to provide for their own needs. The contingency fund provides for minor repairs, the purchase and maintenance of automobiles, and the payment j Seminary j Dedication | SAVANNAH — The new • St. John Vianney Minor Seminary will be formally dedicated by His Excellen cy, Bishop Thomas J. Mc Donough on Sunday, Octo-§§ fiber 1st at 2:30 p. m. The new Seminary build ings will provide living quarters, dining room, lib rary and laboratory facili ties for the fifty students now in attendance. They will also house administra- tive offices of the Seminary. Included with this issue of THE BULLETIN is a spe cial section devoted to St. John Vianney Minor Semi nary. of insurance premiums in these small mission areas. $30,000.00 will be allocated for St. John Vianney Minor Seminary and the education of young men for the priesthood. There are presently 50 stu dents at St. John Vianney Sem inary in Savannah, and 30 stu dying for the Savannah Dio cese in other seminaries, in this country and in Ireland. It is estimated that tuition costs alone will reach $50,000.- 00 dollars during the 1961-1962 school year, due to increased seminary enrollment. The dio cese pays tuition costs as well as living costs for seminarians whose families are unable to pay. Dependent children of the diocese, living at St. Mary’s Home in Savannah and at St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Washing ton, Georgia, will receive $15,- 000.00. $10,000.00 is earmarked for the diocesan newspaper, The Bulletin. This paper is sent into every home in the Diocese and is supported principally by an annual collection, taken up throughout the diocese. The allocation from the Confrater nity of the Laity is added to enable the paper to meet its annual costs. An extensive renovation pro gram at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was begun two years ago. It is estimated that the total cost of the pro ject will be $250,000.00. The Diocese has pledged $150,000.- 00 over a five year period. The Cathedral’s yearly allocation from the Confraternity Drive is $30,000.00. At a clergy con ference on September 15th, Bishop McDonough reminded priests that for many years, Cathedral parish had “borne the brunt of the cost of mis sion activity in this Diocese. The diocese is only repaying what the Cathedral has, in the past, given to the Diocese.” It is the announced policy of the Savannah Diocese to build Mission Chapels in rural areas where there are even a small number of Catholics. During the past four years, chapels have been erected at Waynesboro, Millen, Glenn ville, Sylvania and Claxton. Chapels are presently under construction in Lyons, Vidalia, and Louisville, and contract was recently awarded for the building of a chapel in Ca milla. The Mission Church fund will receive $25,000.00. The Carmelite Monastery in Savannah is a beneficiary of the Confraternity Drive for the first time. In establishing their foundation, the Carmelite Sis ters accepted a debt of almost $100,000.00. The present debt amounts to ninety thousand dollars. The Diocese will con tribute $5,000.00 yearly toward the liquidation of their debt. The Contingency fund will receive $25,000.00. Bishop McDonough has ex pressed confidence “that God will abundantly bless the work of the Confraternity of the Laity this year, as He has in past years.” “On the whole,” he said, “our people have ac cepted this yearly drive and look upon it as a comparative ly easy way of meeting the expenses of the Diocese, and it is certain that if everyone in every parish participates to the best of his ability, and from a real love for God and His Holy Church, we will greatly exceed our goal of $140,000.00.” MEMBERS OF THE NEW BENEDICTINE PRIORY — The Benedictine community priests are (seated, first row) Father Norbert McGowan, Father Prior Bede, Archabbot Strittmatter, Father Stephen Dowd; (standing, second row) Father Aloysius Wachter, Father Terence Kernan, Father Peter Trizzino, Father Timothy Flaherty, Father Damian Muldowney; (third row) Father Christopher Johann, Father Luke Bain and Father An drew Doris.—(Photo Robert McDonald).