The bulletin (Augusta, Ga.) 1920-1957, July 01, 1920, Image 24

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24 THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA know is anti-Catholic doctrine. But for some un known reason my blood has boiled at hearing a criti cism against the Catholics. I would like to get first hand information from you, and by some means con nect myself with that grand and unconquerable or ganization—Roman Catholics. Thank you kindly. NO CAUSE FOR CATHOLIC SELF- COMPLACENCY. (From America, April 3, 1920.) The number of Catholics in the United States, as recorded in the latest “Official Catholic Directory,’ published by P. J. Kenedy and Sons, is 17,733,533. About 10,000,000 more are to be found under the American Flag in our various possessions. The in crease during the past year has been 186,229. While the editor considers this “worthy of notice’’ in so far as large numbers of Catholics of foreign extraction have returned to their native countries and few im migrants have come to us, it is hardly an increase on which we have particular reason to congratulate our selves. We have really not begun to carry on an active apostolate and have been entirely too much contented with simply holding our own. It is to be hoped that this spirit will at last be cast off by American Catholics, as indeed a more energetic at titude is already being taken in many parts. Our purpose should be to make of every Catholic an apostle. The times are ripe for this apostolate. The number of new parishes erected during the past year, we are told, was 148, lifting the total to 10,608, and there is an attendance of 1,701,213 in our parochial schools. We have done some good work, but we have decidedly no reason for vanity. We may well apply to ourselves this little bit of advice given by The Epworth Herald to its Methodist readers, who have been far more active in their cause than we in ours. Says the editor: But what doth it profit, my brethren, to be everlastingly bragging about these things? The success of yesterday gives no guarantee of achievement today or tomorrow. Indeed, if we do not move more swiftly than we did yesterday, we shall fall sadly behind. We live in a new world. We face new conditions. We grapple new problems. Even now we are in the pres ence of appalling obstacles. We are fighting old enemies in new forms. Glorying ourselves for past achievements, and burning incense on the altar of statistics will not help us to get any where. We must quicken our pace. We must aim higher, build larger, and strike harder. We must become more flexible—adaptable. We must take off every brake. We must turn on every pound of steam. We must open the throt tle wide. We must be Christianly in earnest as we have never been. A Church of 20,000,000 members and adherents has no excuse for put tering with little enterprises. We must do big business! Let us reflect on this for a quarter of an hour, and then begin to act upon it in all good earnest not leaving the work to some one else to do. It is our work. NEW CHURCH AT MOULTRIE. The Observer, of June 1 9th, announces that the Moultrie Catholics have let the contract for their new Church, to be built on Southern Terrace, in a pine grove, G. W. Milligan being the contractor. Work has already begun. The foundation is brick, the walls hollow tile, with a white stucco finish from the belt course upwards, rough from the belt course down to the ground it will be Kellastone granite finish. The belt course will be white stucco smooth. The roof is to be of metal shingles. The size of the building will be 50x30 feet, with a sacristy 1 1x22 feet. The style of the building will be Spanish Mission, which is well adapted to small churches. The windows will be Florentine glass, doors and interior woodwork is to be of clear white pine finished in walnut. The altar, given by the Right Reverend Bishop, is simple, but beautiful, Scagliola, a composition man ufactured by Daprato & Co., Chicago and New York. We are working hard to have it free of debt when dedicated. This means that we must raise about $1,500 within the next sixty days. Moultrie has a future full of promise, and this little building will make the Catholic Church a real factor in the development of the town. Rev. Emmet M. Walsh is pastor of the Albany Missions which include Moultrie and something like 1 5,000 square miles, which is considered a large parish, even in Georgia. CHRISTIAN BROTHERS’ STATISTICS ISSUED. Washington, D. C., May 28. Nearly 400 Christian Brothers died in battle or of disease while serving in the armies or with Red Cross contingents of the va rious countries engaged in the world war. More than 2,000 members of the family of St. De la Salle were in the conflict. As Germany had excluded the Brothers from her borders before the war, that coun try is not represented in their roll of honor. These and other interesting facts about the Broth ers are contained in the statistics of the order for 1919, just issued by the motherhouse. The report shows that the Brothers have 784 houses throughout the world. Of these, 356 are in the countries, except Germany, which were in the war. Ninety-seven are in the United States, sixty-two in Canada, and ninety-six in Central and South America. The city having the largest number of establishments is Montreal, with fifteen. New York and Vienna have each eleven. Constantinople has as many as Philadelphia seven. Since the war the new government has permitted the Christian Brothers to return to Germany. Seven schools have been opened in different German cities. Several of these have been established especially for the benefit of the orphans of the war.