Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 9 EDITORIALS THE BULLETIN. This is the first and tentative issue of The Bulletin. It is several weeks late because delay has been un avoidable. Its purpose is to keep the Catholics in close touch with the work of the Association and to keep them informed of the trend of Catholic lay activities in the country at large. The idea we put into practicality three years ago has borne such good fruit that even those who* know its value best are surprised. But what has been done is just a faint portrayal of our possibilities. That our mutual en* deavor shall not lag is the aim of The Bulletin. We hope you’ll like it, but whether or not, please let us know your opinion and send in suggestions for improvement. Your own individual idea may be worth more than the combined thoughts of the whole publicity committee. Candidly we are not as satisfied with The Bulletin as we had hoped when we con ceived the idea. It has been prepared piecemeal, be tween more pressing labors and activities and, there fore, it bears the mark of its fragmentary nature. But such as it is we submit it to the Catholics of Georgia. CATHOLIC READING. Each member of the Laymen’s Association, inter ested in its success can give further help by making himself, or herself, a committee of one to increase the reading of Catholic literature. Certainly every Cath olic home should see that among the periodicals com ing into the family circle the majority should be of a strong Catholic tone. There are today publications for Catholics in this country that are a credit to Catholicity and should be read. It is not a question of supporting the Catholic Press. That is a secondary consideration. Our main duty lies in keeping our selves abreast of the best Catholic thought and pre venting our reading, and especially that of our chil dren, from drifting too far afield. On every reading table in the Catholic home one should find publica tions like America, Truth, Preuss’s Fortnightly Review, The Extension Magazine, The Missionary, The Ave Maria, The Sacred Heart Review, and at least one Catholic newspaper. One of the crying needs of the American Catholic laymen today is a well-edited daily newspaper that will keep the world informed of the trend of Catholic thought as well as news events of interest to Catholics. Only one familiar with the secular press must realize that a tendency of its editors is to minimize the importance of Catholic news items. Despite the fact that there are twenty millions interested in the doings and affairs of Cath olic organizations at home and abroad, we find the daily newspapers dismissing them with a scant para graph and a bold-face heading no larger than the ordinary body type of the paper. We do not believe in flaunting our religion in the face of any, but we do believe in a firm, consistent maintenance of recognition of principles. It is our duty not to cringe and accept as favors those things we have a right to. A sturdy independence is the best aggressiveness. We cannot expect the non-Catholics to do our work for us. We must help ourselves. THE LATE VICAR-GENERAL. In the death of Very Reverend P. H. McMahon, D. D., Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Augusta, and Vicar- General of the Diocese, the Laymen’s Association has lost a very good friend; the Diocese one of its leading Pastors, the State a good citizen and earth a good man. In the early days of the Association when it was feeling its way, his guidance and counsel were of the greatest benefit, and at all times his strong ad vocacy of the layman’s work has been a help and an inspiration. Practically his last public work was assistance in the Augusta Campaign. Father McMahon’s was one of those blessed natures that made friends for Catholics of all with whom he came in contact. He was loved and respected by those of high and low degree, without respect to creed or race. He passed away in his sleep without a struggle, or, as one of his friends expressed it, “He went to sleep on earth and awoke in Heaven.” He is the kind of priest we can ill spare. May God rest his soul. NOT TOO MANY PAMPHLETS. The various booklets issued by the Association have been prepared for specific purposes. They have been printed according to conditions in the State, and treat of subjects in a way not covered by any other publication known to the publicity committee. But there is a limit to the scope of this kind of publica tion. It is not expedient to duplicate nor to trespass upon the field of the prayer book. Recently a prominent and earnest Catholic wrote advising issuance of a booklet explaining the mass, using illustrations. The idea has merit, but it is only necessary to think a moment for Catholics to realize that there are many editions of prayer books containing this feature. They are to be found in the pew of every church, and, when missing, can be obtained from any Catholic supply house in simple form costing a few cents up to special editions in rare bindings. It would be a waste of money for the Association to print any such booklets as well as an impropriety.