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PAGE 6—THE BULLETIN, August 18, 1962
Was Patient At St. Joseph’s, Augusta
Letters Tell Of
Mira Oensel’s Death
tt*********
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, who staff St. Jos
eph's Hospital in Augusta, have asked that we publish these
letters telling of the death of little Mira Oensel. Mira’s case
was followed with great interest by many throughout the area.
She was visiting Augusta with her father, a retired Army
Engineer, when she was stricken with a brain tumor. She was
a patient at St. Joseph's from September 7th 1960 until Septem
ber 28th 1961, when she was flown by army plane to Tokyo,
Japan, where the Oensel’s make their home. The first letter
is from the girl’s teacher, written to her mother, Takako, on the
day Mira died. The second letter is from Takako and was
addressed to Sisters at the Augusta hospital.
******
* * * *
University of
the Sacred Heart
1 Miyashirocho
Shiguya-ku
Tokyo, Japan
July 13, 1962
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Oensel,
Please accept my very deep,
prayerful sympathy in the death
of our much-loved Mira. How
lavish God has been in His
gifts and graces during her
brief life; for, it seems to
me, she has fulfilled a long
life in a short span, living
fully and richly in a way we
shall only completely un
derstand in Heaven. As one who
had much to do with Mira, es
pecially dirung her last year
at school, I watched with deep
reverence God’s great work of
love in her beautiful soul. She
was always very pure and gen
tle, indeed I was in admira
tion at the way you had very
evidently shielded her from
every breath of sin; but what
struck me that last year was
the utter unselfishness, the pa
tience and moral courage in
suffering, the depth of her gra
titude to you which was far be
yond her years. Her delightful
sense of humor and dear
thoughtful ways made her much
loved by all her companions, and
when, at the end of the year,
she was named the "best sport”
of her division, it was very
evident by the genuine enthu
siasm of her hundred com
panions that she had truly won
the hearts of all. They knew
that though many could beat her
at games, yet her unselfish
ness and sportsmanship had
been outstanding and they have
never forgotten it. Though she
has been away from school for
so long, she has not been ab
sent from the minds and hearts
of her class. She has been
constantly in their prayers and
sacrifices, and any news of her
has been very precious. Even
those who have moved to another
country constantly write back
asking for news. One in Argen
tina wrote only a month ago,
saying, "All our family say a
Hail Mary together every night
for Mira”; another from Cana
da, "We are all still praying
for Mira”; while another wrote
that she has become a Catho
lic, surely Mira’s suffering has
helped to win for her this great
grace. The new children have
quickly understood the love of
the class for this special mem
ber. Only last month we were
asked for the exact number in
the class, and one new child
counted each and said, thinking
aloud, "35, and of course Mira,
so we are really 36”. I thought
immediately, "How 1 wish her
parents could hear that!”
What a treasure God entrust
ed to you to cherish and pre
pare for the everlasting hap-
BRUNSWICK
piness of heaven, and how whole
heartedly you have fulfilled that
trust. I pray that you will be
just as generous in returning
to Him this beautiful gift of
His Heart and yours for the
gentle radiance of her life has
brought all who knew her closer
to God, has it not? Again of
fering you my deep sympathy
and promise of prayers, and
with deep gratitude for the pri
vilege of having known and loved
your child so very specially.
Yours very sincerely,
B. Moriarty, RSCJ
My dear Sisters,
Mira death July 13th AM 1:30
at hospital. Nurse called tele
phone to us past 12 o’clock
middle night and we go to hos
pital by car but too late to
see her last. Doctor, nurse,
and Sister said very easy gone
her life. Tube way off clean
out so Mira face was beauti
ful and more comfortable look
ing.
I dressed her up, wear First
Communion dress. It is white
silk satin and high neck style
and long veil on head and white
flowers too. She was just little
angel!
We talked Mother Mary of
present hospital and everything
hold a funeral at hospital cha
pel. Mira born at and death
was same chapel of Francis
cans.
Sister, I tell Frank I do not
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like to cremate so we did bury |
her at Internationsl Foreign
Cemetery of Yokohama. There
are bay for always foreign ships
coming and going and we arei
reminded Augusta cemetery be
cause it is just same like
America. Frank found west
place and he want Mira lay
on ground see sunset and he
believe Christ comes from west
at last world. There are Ca
tholic chapels around cemetery
and chapel bell ringing morn
ing and evening.
And Sacred Heart School Mo
ther see Mira and sending us
nice letter. Futaba Catholic
School Madams, St. Paul Sis
ters and Fathers also very
kind to us. We also very thank
ful God’s blessings to our lit
tle family. And any time dont
forget Augusta and our friends
sweetness to us.
Sisters, I came back to Japan
about 9 months now and some
days rain, cloud, and storm
come into my heart but I am
Japanese and a baby Catholic
But now God knows only my
heart! And also Sisters, you
may understand me.
We are just tired, thinking
nothing, but I must stand up
for Frank until we go to hea
ven. Please pray for both!
Please tell our friends about
Mira - death. I hope my poor
letter please understanding,
Takako
Grant To Support
Microfilm Project
ST. LOUIS, (NC) - St. Louis
University has received a Nat
ional Science Foundation grant
that will support a study of
its microfilm collection of Vat
ican Library manuscripts.
The one-year grant provides
$12,600 for two graduate assis
tants to analyze mathematical
writings within some 11 mil
lion manuscripts that are pre
served in the Vatican micro
film collection at the univer
sity’s Pius XII library.
Principal investigator and di
rector of the project is Father
John F. Daly, S. J., assistant
professor of mathematics.
Father Daly began his study of
the rare manuscripts two years
ago and has uncovered more
than 1,000 mathematical works
dating from Greek antiquity.
General Casualty Insurance
Fire and Allied Lines
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J. R. TUTEN
General Contractor
Cardinal Bea Attends
British Catholic,
Anglican Leaders
Hold Unity Meeting
Oldest Priest - Father
Thomas McCormick, C.S.V,
believed to be the oldest Cath
olic priest in the U.S., died
on his 102nd birthday in Des
Plaines, Ill., of complications
from a broken leg. An English
scholar who was ordained in
1894, he served as director of
the Viatoriac Fathers Semin
ary in Washington and from
1929 to 1942 he was chaplain
of Chicago’s Ephpheta School
for the Deaf. Father McCor
mick retired as an active
priest in 1948. - (NC Photos)
By Manfred Wenzel
(N.C.W.C. NEWS SERVICE)
HANOVER, Germany, - This
predominantly Protestant city
will watch its Catholic popu
lation triple this month. The
event will be viewed not with
alarm but with enthusiastic ap
proval.
Germany’s national Catholic
convention, the Katholikentag,
will bring 200,000 delegates
here from August 22 to 26.
An appeal for housing has been
made in the city’s Lutheran
churches.
This is in keeping with Pro
testant - Catholic relations in
recent years. Catholics have
had the use of more than 1,000
Protestant churches as sites
for parish Masses. One of the
reasons for bringing the Kath
olikentag here is to express
special thanks to the Protestant
congregations for this help.
Hannover, an ancient city best
known for its international trade
fair, is in a North German area
that is about 13 per cent Cath-'
olic, in contrast to the 45 per
cent total throughout West Ger
many.
The president of the Katholi
kentag is a layman, the West
German Housing Minister Paul
Luecke. He has summarized its
importance by stating that it
is an event of interest to the
whole nation, and thus must
face up to current national prob
lems and come up with work
able Christian solutions.
Referring to the existence of
the wall in Berlin, ever-present
in the German consciousness,
he has stated: "We are placing
the world of faith against this
world of militant atheism and
liberalism.” The convention
theme is "Believe-Thank-
Serve,” with emphasis on the
element of personal sacrifice in
the service of the world-wide
Church.
Germany’s Catholics have
left tangible memorials after
their conventions’ deliberations
have ended. In Berlin in 1958,
for example, they left funds to
HEYTHROP, England, (Ra
dio, NC) - One of the most
important conferences ever
held in Britain to discuss un
ity between Catholics and
Anglicans was held at the
Jesuit college here.
Among those present was Au
gustin Cardinal Bea, S. J., Pres
ident of the Preparatory Secre
tariat for Promoting Christian
Unity for the coming ecumenical
council.
Also attending the talks, end
ing August 10, were five bi
shops and 70 priests, two from
each of the country’s dioceses
and major religious orders.
Primary aim of the con
ference was to instruct priests
in the nature of ecumenical work
in Britain.
It is not known whether the
discussion at the private
meeting will be made public
or if a statement will be issued.
build a church. This year a
collection will be held to build
a social center for the
thousands of Spanish and Ital
ian workers now living in the
Hannover area.
The Katholikentag is a trad
ition going back to 1848. Nor
mally held every two years,
it was omitted in 1960 in def
erence to the Munich Internat
ional Eucharistic Congress that
year.
It is not known whether any
delegate from the communist
zone in East Germany will be
permitted to come to Hannover.
The head of the local
committee has said: "It is prob
ably a matter of hoping against
all hope. But we are doing
everything we can to be ready
for them and attempting every
thing we can to make their par
ticipation possible.”
A number of cultural events
have been scheduled for this
79th Katholikentag. A Berlin
dramatic group will present
Werfel’s “Song of Bernadette”
each day. The Berlin Cathed
ral Choir, accompanied by the
Hannover radio orchestra, will
sing at the convention close. A.
French priest - composer,
Father Pierre Cocagnac, O.P.,
will give two recitals.
Local movie houses are lin
ing up a special program that
combines “Francis of Assisi”
and a full-length movie on the
Munich Eucharistic Congress
with such popular films as
“High Noon” and "The Great
Caruso.”
Prince Ernst August, head
of the royal house of Hannover,
has offered to place several
rooms of his state residence
at Calenberg at the disposal
of Katholikentag visitors.
Bishop Heinrich Janssen of
the local diocese of Hildensheim
will preside at the formal open
ing ceremony. On the second day
there will be several large
public meetings on the subject
of German Catholic responsi
bility in public life. About 500
delegates from the various
But the points discussed were
expected to emerge at a press
conference being arranged
during the talks and later on
a television interview conduct
ed by Archbishop John Heenan
of Liverpool, chairman of the
British Hierarchy’s committee
on Christian unity and organiz
er of the meeting here. The
television program, on which
Cardinal Bea and others taking
part in the conference will
speak on how Christian unity
appears to Catholic thinkers,
will be shown over the national
commercial network, probably
before the opening of the Sec
ond Vatican Council in October.
Cardinal Bea was asked when
he arrived in Britain for the
conference (Aug. 2) if he fore
saw unity between Catholics
and Anglicans. He answered:
"One cannot say today. Good
preparation is needed on both
sides.”
He added that the ecumenical
council could help clear up
several essential points of dog
ma on which the two churches
differ.
He was also asked if he
thought the council will pro
mote Christian unity. He re
plied that he felt it would create
an atmosphere which could lead
to a greater possibility of find
ing a solution in regard to
unity.
Cardinal Bea was the
luncheon guest (Aug. 5) of An
glican Archbishop Arthur
Ramsey at Lambeth Palace, the
Anglican Primate’s London
headquarters.
WILL PROVIDE
CATHOLIC THOUGHT
COURSE
PHILADELPHIA, (NC) - A
course in contemporary Cath
olic thought will be offered in
September in the newly estab
lished department of religion
at Temple University, a pri
vate institution here.
Open to graduate and under
graduate students, the course
will „be conducted by Harold
R. Bronk, Jr., assistant pro
fessor of theology at LaSalle
College conducted by the Chris
tian Brothers here.
Bernard Philipps, chairman
of Temple’s religion depart
ment, said the course is
designed to cover work of 20th
century intellectual life among
Catholics in literature and the
arts as well as in theory and
philosophy, and to provide a
basic introduction to the con
tent of Catholic religious
thought by readings and lec
tures. He said the course may
be taken for scholastic credit.
Catholic groups in Germany will
get together to discuss common
tasks for Church, State and
society.
On Saturday, August 25, there
will be special events for ref
ugees, youth and the special
ized men’sand women’s organi
zations. The convention will
close on the following day with
a Pontifical High Mass and an
address broadcast from Italy
by His Holiness Pope John
XXIII.
German Protestants Aiding
Nation’s Catholics Prepare
For Congress Of 200,000
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BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA