PAGE EIGHT — THE BULLETIN, February 22, 1958.
Savannah Valentine
Dance Well Attended
SAVANNAH — More than 250
attended the Cabaret Valentine
Dance of the newly organized
Catholic Single Adult Society
held Thursday night, February 13
in the Main ballroom of Savannah
Council 6V3, Knights of
Columbus.
The new Catholic Adult Society
was organized three months ago
by His Excellency, The Most Rev.
Thomas J. McDonough, Auxiliary
Bishop of the Diocese of Savan
nah to create a keener interest
amongst the single adults of the
Savannah Parishes and to train
the group in leadership.
Dean Hudson, “The Moon Over
Miami Man,” and his nationally
famous orchestra, featuring Care-
lin Darden, vocalist, the Guest
Maestro Contest; Hudson Glee
Club and the Dixieland Six, were
brought to Savannah to play the
affair.
The dance was under the gen
eral chairmanship of Chris E.
Hernandez, chairman of the ad
visory council, who was assisted
by Miss Mary Quarles, Marie
Ryan, Mary Sullivan, Anne Ware,
Catherine Cetti, Jesse Roland,
Dale Fuhrman and Frances Drew
on the program.
Ticket committee was under
Tony Warenzak, Joseph Graham,
Pat McGuire, George Ebberwein,
Louis Dismer, Tom Latzak, An
toinette Saraf, Billy Kilroy, Anne
Ware, Margaret Giles, Bill Carr,
Bob Sanders, Gloria Newell, Mary
Crosby, Phillip Busacca, Bill Gov-
ereau, John Broderick, Mary Val
enti, Betty Patterson, Jack Can
ty and Lillian Knear.
Dance hostesses were Mary
Quarles, Antoinette Saraf, Lillian
Knear, Gloria Newell, Joan Gross,
Mary Ann McCarthy, Dale Fuhr
man. and Mary Sullivan.
The Publicity committee was
headed by Pat Grevemberg,
Lucy Distefano, Janet Habes, Pat
McGuire and Harry McCarthy.
Decorations was under the chair
manship of Don Fitzgerald, as
sisted by Joe Semler, Joe Ebber
wein, Edwin Beranc, A1 Kinn, Ed
Krieger, Tom Donough, Rita
Harper and Sally Caire.
The large K. of C. Hall was
beautifully decorated for the af
fair and featured a Valentine
motif. The ceiling was completely
covered with an umbrella of
crepe paper. An orchestra back
drop, featuring large valentine
m heart shape, with lighting ef
fect was exceptionally attractive
to the many dancers. Indirect
lighting was installed all around
the hall allowing the large gym
lasium of the day before to take
on the hues and fanfare of a cab
met night club.
Spots were placed at opportune
places and the tables were deco
rated with candlelight and
crepe paper.
Joseph Graham, who headed
the properties and stage com
mittee, transformed the speakers
stand of the K. of C. into
double-decker bandstand detailed
to the specifications of the Hud
ion group.
Hudson, is the name of band
leader, whose colorful per
sonality, showmanship and fine
music is sweeping the nation. In
addition to their prowess on the
bandstand, Hudson’s orchestra de
livered a sock packaged show
at a fast moving pace.
The show opened wtih a clever
novelty — Musical Cocktail
winding up with five songs
played at the same time. Hudson
took over the second slot with
his “Origin of the Rhumba,” in
troducing various instruments
with history of each, blending
them all together and winding
up the production by doing
fast solo Sambi and Mambo
around the floor.
The show closed with a Dixie
land band down to the floor with
Hot New Orleans Medly. Hudson
again becomes a hoofer doing a
Charleston while waving a Con
federate flag. Band swings into
Dixie for a rousing finish.
MARDI GRAS
—(Photo Robert McDonald)
Mardi Gras At
Savannah Beach
SAVANNAH BEACH — St
Michael’s Parish, Savannah
Beach, staged its seventh annual
Mardi Gras at the Fort Screven
Variety Center on Saturday eve
ning, the 15th of February. Tra
ditionally held on the Saturday
immediately preceding Lent, the
brilliant Tybee festival drew a
capacity crowd from all over
Chatham County.
This year’s Mardi Gras was
under the direction of two Gen
eral Chairmen — Edward V.
Fahey, Jr., and James H. Powers.
Edward M. Patterson, last year’s
general chairman, served as their
adviser. The Food Committee was
headed by Mrs. William Barfield
and Mrs. Carl Meyer, Jr. Under
them, Mrs. Arnold Seyden was
vice chairman in charge of Food
and Service, and Mrs. Patrick
Roads, t h e vice-chairman in
charge of cleaning up. The Ticket
Committee was headed by Joseph
J. Hutton, Mrs. Mary Pelli Fahey,
and Mrs. Lawrence McDonough.
The entertainment was arranged
by Mrs. George Chandler. The
publicity was organized by Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph Morrissey. The
program was published under
Mrs. Thomas Reed and Mrs.
Andrew Shaw, Jr. Mr. Guy
Burke directed the Hall Prep
aration Committee. Every mem
ber of the parish and many
of their non-Catholic neigh
bors cooperated wholeheartedly
to make the affair an overw helm
ing success.
The delicious smorgasbord
menu consisted of baked ham,
fried chicken, Swedish meat balls,
imported sardines, potato salad,
baked beans, assorted cheeses,
celery hearts, relishes, olives,
pickles, peach halves, cranber
ry sauce, pickled beets, hot rolls,
assorted cakes and cookies, and
coffee.
The delightful entertainment
featured Joseph H. Hutton as mas
ter of ceremonies. Richard Bar
ry, a native of Limerick, stole
everyone’s heart with his lilting
Irish melodies. He also sang sev
eral A1 Jolson numbers. Marilyn
Elmore Wood rendered her songs
beautifully, both as a vocalist
and with her husband Cy in a
duet. Sandra Williams presented
a fine specialty tap number; the
Arthur Murry Dancers presented
a Latin American dance; and the
Sanders and Mock partners closed
with an entertaining pantomine
and comedy act. Mrs. J. O. Teger-
son, Jr., was the pianist. From
nine o'clock on, the guests danced
to the music of Rudolj)h .Jacob
son and his orchestra.
When asked to comment, Fa
ther John Cuddy, the Admini
strator of St. Michael’s Parish,
expressed his deep gratitude to
the members of the parish and to
all the good friends of St. Mich
ael’s, Catholic and non-Catholic
alike, whose generosity in time
and money made the 1958 Mardi
Gras such an inspiring success. He
pointed out that this affair is the
CATHOLIC SINGLE ADULTS PARTY—A scene from the Valentine Cabaret Dance of the
Catholic Single Adults Society’s dance held Thursday night, February 13, at the Knights of
Columbus Hall. The affair was attended by more than 250 people.
'Convent To Let
★ ★
‘Help Wanted -
By Rev. Gerard A. Moran, O.M.I.
DOUGLAS — Recently in a
Catholic magazine there appeared
an article entitled “THE STOP
GAP SCHOOL.” It was the story
of five Churches under the care
of the OBLATES OF MARY IM
MACULATE in South Georgia,
and their Summer Catechetical
School. Also, it told how they
hoped and prayed for the day
when Sisters would come to stay
permanently.
Since the writing of that arti
cle, a step forward has been tak
en. The Bishop has purchased for
the parish a future Convent. Its
location is ideally situated across
the street from the Rectory. The
rooms are adequate for a Convent
and there is ample space on all
sides of the building.
What is the next step? Find the
necessary Sisters to come and live
in the Convent . . . Sisters who
will teach Catechism to the chil
dren and visit the homes of the
distant Catholic families.
At the writing of this article
there have been no Sisters avail
able, and the sign on the front
lawn reads: “CONVENT TO
LET.’
While industrial America finds
herself with a larger labor force
than she needs to man the fac
tories, the Church has a problem
in reverse. There is plenty of
work, but a shortage of laborers.
The establishment of new parish
es, schools and catechetical cen
ters is evidence of Her growth.
The growth is encouraging es
pecially in parts of the country
which, twenty years ago, hardly
ever saw a priest. The vast mis
sion territories in our own coun
try have been so aptly called “NO
PRIESTS' LAND” -— such a place
was Douglas, and the surrounding
counties! Like other mission ter
ritories it has slowly grown into
a small active parish, until today
another advancing step is ready
to be made.
These mission territories are
not large enough for a school, but
too large to give the children the
proper religious instruction with
out the aid of Sisters who will
travel from Church to Church
teaching Catechism, visiting the
homes of Catholics in rural areas,
and in general helping the priests
bring the teaching of Christ more
frequently to the people. Un
fortunately, many such missions
have been unable to obtain this
needed assistance of Catechetical
Sisters.
Along with this encouraging
growth, there is a disheartening
note. Vocations to the Sisterhood
have not been able to stay abreast
of the needs of the Church. Va
rious communities of Sisters who
have dedicated themselves to this
work in the Church, are already
taxing their personnel in order to
meet the demand. Now, the Cath
olics of South Georgia Missions
have become one of those begging
for Sisters, thus adding to their
burden of work.
A few months ago, I personally
came in contact with the problem
when trying to obtain Sisters.
Everywhere, I met Sisters filled
★ ★
- Four Sisters’
In the face of this discouraging
situation, I am asking the readers
of this article to join with us in
praying that we will eventually
find Sisters. Pray that some place
in this land of ours there are four
Sisters who will come to Douglas.
Pray that the silent empty rooms
of our Convent will soon be oc
cupied.
The sole promise offered to our
future Sisters is plenty of work—
so varied and vast—their enthus
iasm will be boundless. The pa
rish takes in 11 counties (1,000 sq.
miles) with five Churches. Two
of them have country-folk for
parishoners. Three are in small
towns. All have one outstanding
quality. The people have a simple
goodness that is praiseworthy.
Whether .the parish-visits bring
the Sisters to a share-cropper’s
cabin, or a modest city home, they
will find a welcome and work to
be done.
The growth of the Church in
the South is certain. The only
unanswerable question is how
long will it take. Only prayers
and time will give the answer.
Will you help us with your
prayers?
In the next article from us, I
hope it can be reported that the
“TO LET” sign has been removed
from the front lawn of St. Paul’s
Convent, and that the population
of the South Georgia Missions
will have been increased by four
. . . FOUR SISTERS!
JAMES
lEIZES
holy mm
SAVANNAH — The St. James
Holy Name Society held its first
reception ceremony on Sunday,
Feb. 9. at the 9:15 a. m. Mass.
The Most Reverend Thomas J.
McDonough, D.D., J.C.D., Auxili
ary Bishop of Savannah, was the
celebrant of the Mass and the
speaker at a breakfast in the
parish hall. The breakfast was
sponsored by the St. James Parish
Council of Catholic Women.
Forty-seven men of the parish
were received as charter members
of the Holy Name Society. The
Very Reverend John D. Toomey,
pastor and dio*esan director of
the Holy Name Society, conduct
ed the reception ceremony. Of
ficers in the Society are: John W.
Stephens, Jr., president; John
Rourke, vice president; Frank De-
Meuse, secretary; Frank Mac-
Cauley, treasurer; Robert J. Bil-
ger, marshall.
Bishop McDonough in Ips ad
dress encouraged the men in their
devotion to Christ in the Blessed
Sacrament and stated that this
will inspire a greater love for
God — the basis of all Catholic
life. He congratulated them on
their splendid efforts, both spirit
ually and materially, in the rapid
development of the new parish of
St. James.
Plans were made for the for
mation of a Junior Holy Name
with zeal for the Missions, espe- ! Society foi the teen-age boys of
cially in the South. Everywhere I j ** ie par * stl * n March,
heard “Father, if only we had j ‘ ’ —
more vocations, I would give you j ”omen get credit for intuition
Sisters today ” jwhen in reality it’s nothing more
parish’s
project.
principal
Last year
fund-raising
it produced
that man’s transparency
Catholics Among
First Settlers
(Continued from Page 1)
vent on Liberty street that Father
O’Neil had built for them, large
ly at his own expense. St. Vin
cent’s Academy, which they op
ened that same year, has had an
uninterrupted record of service
down to the present time.
DIOCESE ERECTED
So flourishing was the condi
tion of Catholicism in Savannah
by 1850 that the Pope, Pius IX
decided to make the city an in
dependent see. Bishop Gartland,
the first bishop of Savannah,
showed himself an able admini
strator, but after only four years
in Savannah he died a martyr to
duty during the yellow fever epi
demic of 1854. His friend, Bishop
Barron, and several Sisters of
Mercy, also died heroically dur
ing this epidemic, as did hundreds
of the laity. Father John Barry,
the saintly pastor of Augusta, was
consecrated second Bishop of
Savannah in 1857. His contribu
tions to the progress of the church
in Savannah were the orphanage
for boys and the parochial school,
both of which he founded. But
his health failed and he died in
Paris on his way to Rome two
years after his consecration.
The disturbed condition of the
country, then on the threshold of
the civil war, prevented the im
mediate appointment of his suc
cessor to Bishop Barry. In the
meanwhile, Father O’Neill, af
fectionately called “the Nestor of
Savannah,” looked after the af
fairs of the church while attend
ing to his duties at the Cathedral.
In 1861, Bishop Augustus Verot,
Vicar-Apostolic of Florida, was
transferred to the See of Savan
nah. The War Between the States
brought a halt to the expansion
of the church in Georgia. In 1870
Bishop Verot was made Bishop
of St.. Augustine, and an Italian
missionary, Ignatius Perisco, was
installed as the fourth Bishop of
Savannah. Ill health caused Bish
op Perisco to resign. In 1873 Fa
ther William H. Gross, a priest of
the Redemptionist Order, suc
ceeded him in Savannah.
ST. JOSEPH'S ESTABLISHED
Bishop Gross, whose rule lasted
until 1885, was a great mission
ary and an indefatigable build
er. Churches and schools were
built in all parts of the state. In
Savannah he completed a new
Cathedral, the present structure
which, with its Gothic arches: and
soaring spires, has been there
generations of Savannah Catho
lics a cherished symbol of their
faith. A handsome parish church,
St. Patrick’s w r as built in 1879-82
on West Broad street, and the
Benedictine Fathers, brought into
the diocese to work among the
Negroes, established a church and
school in the eastern section of
Savannah and a trade school on
Skidaway Island. Nor in his eag
erness to strike out along new
paths did Bishop Gross forget the
Sisters of Mercy. With his en
couragement, this order establish
ed a hospital, St. Joseph’s, and an
orphanage for girls, located first
at White Bluff, later on a tract
of land on the southern outskirts
of the city, the gift of Capt.
Henry Blun.
With the transfer of Bishop
Gross to the See of Oregon City,
the Catholics of Savannah settled
down to support the institutions
he had provided. The new bishop,
Thomas A. Becker, formerly
Bishop of Wilmington, was a re
nowned scholar, who had helped
to found the Catholic University
of America. Under his conserva
tive leadership gains were con
solidated and a stability given to
A bore keeps you from being j the church in Savannah. He is
$3,300 to help renovate the par-j lonely, but makes you wish you best remembered for bringing the
ish convent. -were. ! Little Sisters of the Poor to
ALBANY SOCIETY
HEARS REPORTS
ALBANY — The February
meeting of St. Teresa’s Altar So
ciety and PCCW was held in the
CYO Hall.
Mrs. Franklin Rhodes, chair
man for the barbecue dinner,
Stated that all of the sub-com
mittee chairmen had been ap
pointed.
Mrs. M. B. Harrison, Parish
Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Relief, announced that
789 pounds of used clothing had
recently been packed and that
these boxes of clothing had been
hauled, free of charge, by Great
Southern Trucking Co., to the
NCCW Warehouse in New York
for shipment overseas.
The vice president, Mrs. J. L
Lindsey, asked for volunteers to
assist her in telephoning the
members each month to remind
them of the Altar Society meet
ing, and also of the Ladies’ Com
munion Sunday.
A letter was read from the
NCCW Headquarters, thanking
all who had participated in the
Feed-a-Family program.
As this meeting was held on
St. Blase’s Day, Father Thomas
blessed the throats of all those
who desired this blessing.
Knights Of The
Altar Invested —
(Continued from Page 1)
and what an honor they consid
ered it. But how infinitely su
perior is the sacrifice of the new
Testament, the sacrifice of the
mass. Consequently your honor
is vastly higher than the Levite.”
“Today’s ceremony has one
purpose in mind. Not just for nov
elty. Not just for show. But to
impress upon you and all here
present, what an honor is yours
—what a responsibility it places
upon you. People say “He is an
altar boy.” Let them say in the
future “He is a Knight of the
Altar.” Prove yourself worthy of
this title. Let it be reflected in
your faithfulness to appointments,
your reverence and respectful
ness about the altar, and in your
daily living. Be loyal—be true
Be dedicated to the service of
Christ your King. You are his
knights.”
Savannah. In 1890, in the former
residence of the bishop on Perry
street, a band of these self-sac
rificing women opened a home for
aged persons. Four years later,
they moved to their present spa
cious home on Thirty-seventh
street. Bishop Becker died in 1899.
Notable during the rules of
Bishop Gross and Bishop Becker
was the part played by the Catho
lic laity, both in the affairs of
the church and in the life of the
city. Capt. John Flannery, mili
tary leader, banker, and cotton
merchant, was a great benefactor
to the church. Other prominent
laymen of this era were Capt.
Henry Blun, merchant and bank
er; Domonick O’Bryne, a brilliant
attorney, for many years judge of
the Court of Ordinary of Chat
ham county; Gen. Henry Wayne,
an army officer and a convert to
the Catholic faith, and Dr. James
Bond Read, physician and rice
planter, also a convert.
FATHER MITCHELL, SCHOLAR
With the consecration of Ben
jamin Joseph Keiley in 1900 as
seventh bishop of Savannah,
Catholicism in this city may be
said to have entered into its pres
ent phase. Of distinguished ap
pearance and with decided politi
cal convictions, which stemmed
from his strong loyalty to the
ideals of the Confederacy, Bishop
Keiley soon became a force in the
community. He was ably assisted
in his ecclesiastical policies by
Father Joseph D. Mitchell, the
much beloved priest who came
to Savannah in 1908 shortly after
his ordination and whose career
as rector of the Cathedral, vicar
general and finally as a monsig
nor and domestic prelate of His
Holiness, the Pope, has been fol
lowed with affection by Savan-
nahians of all creeds. Father
Mitchell’s historical sketches of
the Catholic Church in Georgia
have been praised by professional
historians for their accuracy and
literary style.
Under Bishop Keiley new
churches were built (notably that
of the Sacred Heart). The Society
of African Missions was encou
raged to work among the Ne
groes, the Benedictine Order op
ened a military school that has
played a notable role in the life
of Savannah, and parochial
schools were established in sev
eral parishes. Resigning because
of his loss of sight, Bishop Keiley
was succeeded in 1922 by Bishop
Michael Keyes, who ably admin
istered the affairs of the church
until his resignation in 1935. Bish
op Gerald P. O’Hara, ninth Bish
op of Savannah, was formerly
auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia.
His translation to Savannah re
vived memories of an earlier
connection between the diocese
of Philadelphia and Savannah,
PRIESTS OF THE DIOCESE
Father Ralph E. Seikel is well
known throughout the Diocese.
He has been assistant pastor at
parishes in Savannah and Co
lumbus, before being assigned to
St. Mary’s on the Hill, Augusta,
as assistant pastor and moderator
of the new Diocesan High School,
St. Thomas Aquinas. Father Sei
kel has always been most inter
ested and active in youth affairs
and enjoys the affection and con
fidence of Catholic youth where-
ever he has been stationed.
Father Seikel was born October
23, 1928. He is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Seikel of Canton,
Ohio. He attended grammar
school at St. John’s, Canton and
spent two years at Central Cath
olic High School of the same city
before entering St. Charles Col
lege in Cantonsville, Md. He was
graduated from St. Charles in
1949 and entered St. Mary’s Sem
inary, Baltimore, receiving his A.
B. degree, and his S.T.B. in 1954.
Father was ordained May 28,
1955 at St. John the Baptist
FATHER SEIKEL
Church in Canton, Ohio, with
the Most Rev. Emmet M. Walsh
the ordaining prelate.
Saint Francis Xavier School,
Brunswick. Dedicated Feb. 9th
BRUNSWICK — The new St.
Francis Xavier School in Bruns
wick was dedicated on Sun
day, February 9th at four in the
afternoon by the Most Rev.
Thomas J. McDonough, D.D., J.
C.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Savan
nah. The very Rev. Andrew J.
McDonald was master of cere
monies. Chaplains to Bishop Mc
Donough were the Very Rev. D.
C. O’Mear, S.M., Provincial of
the Washington Province of the
Marist Fathers and the Rev. P. A.
Hasson, S.M., a former pastor in
Brunswick, now in Marietta. In
attendance were the Most Rev.
James J. McNulty, D.D., Bish
op of Paterson, N. J., and his
brother, the Right Rev. John J.
McNulty, Rector of Seton Hall
University, South Orange, N. J.
Chaplains to Bishop McNulty
were the Rev. J. D. Toomey of
Savannah and the Rev. G. Dillon
of Providence, R. I.
Also present were the Right
Rev. T. James McNamara, V.F.
of Savannah; and the Revs. John
Cuddy, superintendent of schools,
Savannah Beach; Felix Donnelly,
Thunderbolt; John O’Shea, At
lanta; Dennis McGranary, Fort
Stewart; William Clifford. Glyn-
co, Mass.; Francis Jordan, Hunter
AFB; Eugene MaleR, Moody
AFB; Finian Kerwin, O.F.M.,
Thomasville; Gerard Moran, O.
M.I., Douglas; Eugene Card, O.
M.I., Douglas; Paul McCartin, O.
M. I., Lakeland; Lawrence
Schmuhl, S.M., Bedford, Ohio;
Matthew Faschan, S.M., Atlanta;
George Meiluta, S.M., Wgycross;
James Cummings, S.M., Joseph
Kane, S.M., and Albert Hebert,
S.M. of Brunswick.
Following the dedicatory cere
monies Bishop McDonough con
firmed a class of seventy-seven
children and twenty adults in St.
Francis Xavier Church.
In the evening a reception was
held for the Bishop in the audi
torium of the new school.
The new school replaces the
building which has been in use
for more than fifty years. It has
eight classrooms, a kindergarten
and a library as well as a com
bination auditorium and lunch
room, a teachers’ lounge, princi
pal’s office and liqalth room.
Cafeteria! service is planned for
the 1958-59 school year. Present
enrollment is 260, but the new
building has a capacity of 500.
The new St. Francis School was
designed by Mr. Cormac McGar-
vey in the widely used contempo
rary-style and built around ».
courtyard which will be grassed
and the energy with which he
has exercised the duties of his
office recalls the rules of Gartland
and Gross. Churches have been
multiplied through the state,
schools and orphanages erected,
and great progress has been made
along many lines.
CATHEDRAL IS CENTER
But, in spite of the marked
growth of other parishes, the
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
has retained a unique place in the
affection of Savannah Catholics.
Its traditions link them with the
beginning of their faith in this
city. Its great bell calls them to
worship. And in its rector, the
Rt. Rev. Msgr. T. James McNa
mara, they have an eloquent
spokesman, who, combining cha
rity with liberality of thought,
has made the name of the church
in Savannah synonymous with
enlightened progress, especially
in matters of social and racial
justice.
When you need it most, the in
fluence you though you had is
very apt to vanish.
and landscaped. Father Cum
mings announced that a shrine is
also planned for the courtyard.
The R. F. Higginbotham Company
was in charge of construction of
the building.
Bail For Prayer
Is Yibrant Echo
(Continued from Page 1)
torchlight procession, for which
Lourdes is celebrated, and the
singing of Handel’s oratorio, The
Messiah, by a great choir.
The feast of Our Lady of
Lourdes, while opening the cen
tenary year, came as the climax
of the intense spiritual prepara
tions made by this Marian City.
For three days immediately
preceding the opening celebra
tions there was a triduum which
included daily Mass, Benediction,
recitation of the Rosary and. on
the eve of the feast, the first Ves
pers of the feast and later solemn
Matins and Lauds. Prior to this
there had been perpetual adora
tion of the Blessed Sacrament in
the parish church.
The observance at the great
shrine actually got under way
several days earlier with the un
heralded arrival at the grotto of
Bishop Theas, who introduced the
diocese’s newly appointed Coad
jutor Bishop Jean Maury to a
crowd of several hundred people
praying there. The introduction
was followed by recitation of the
rosary and the singing of the
Magnificat and the traditional
Lourdes hymn.
Bishops Theas and Maury had a
prominent role in subsequent cer
emonies. Among other prelates
taking part in the feast day ob
servance were Bishop Christopher
Weldon of Springfield, Mass., and
Auxiliary Bishop Leo R. Smith of
Buffalo, who led sizeable Ameri
can pilgrimages.
The pilgrims were thus among
the first Americans to see the
grotto since its restoration by
Bishop Theas was completed.
In the course of a century the
grotto had come to encompass an
ornate altar, an iron fence, baths
and other objects. The Bishop de
cided several years ago to restore
the grotto’s original simplicity
and first of all built new, larger
baths farther away. More recently
the grillwork was all taken down.
Finally the old white Gothic altar
was removed and replaced by a
new, almost starkly plain one—a
simple table of dark polished
marble on an open base.
Thus the grotto today looks
more like it did when Our Lady
appeared to St. Bernadette 100
years ago.
As centennial year ceremonies
opened, work on the huge new
underground church here contin
ued. Dedicated to St. Pius X, it
will hold 20,000 persons. Its in
auguration on March 25, at which
His Eminence Angelo Cardinal
Roncalli, Patriarch of Venice and
former Apostolic Nuncio to
France, will officiate, will be one
of the year’s main events.
Workmen are now completing
the church’s roof, which will be
sodded over - .
While the new five-million-
dollar church is being completed,
Lourdes has been busy in a major
clean-up and fix-up campaign
since last fall. A new airport, is
being completed, streets are be
ing repaired and hotels are being
enlarged. Later in March, when
the first giant waves of pilgrims
start to arrive—six to 10 million
are expected during the year—
Lourdes plans to be ready.
