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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
this present year, our Catholic brethren in one of our
leading Northern cities are spending two hundred
thousand ($200,000.00) dollars to provide suitable
accommodations and conveniences for the body of
Teaching Brothers who are conducting their Catholic
High School. This money is not for school purposes
it is entirely devoted to the home for the Community
of Brothers. This is a great object lesson at a time
when a wail of discontent is being wafted throughout
our broad land that our public school teachers are
not decently provided for. The Catholic Church was
never reactionary; it was ever in the forefront of
every movement looking towards the alleviation of
human ills or theimprovement of mankind, and al
though she is doubly taxed to support public schools
and her own schools, yet the people are ever ready
to sacrifice their precious savings to supply the wants
of the teachers who give up their all to educate boys
and girls and bring them up such as their good par
ents would desire to raise them.
“CATHOLICS AND THE POPE”
The pamphlet under the above title has been the
best received of any publication of the Association.
Since the last Bulletin 50,000 were printed and dis
tributed.^ It was thought this number would supply
Georgia needs and leave a few for extra-state distri
bution, but the demand from outside has almost
equalled that at home. With the entire edition ex
hausted there are now in hand applications for thou
sands, and a new lot will be printed just as soon as
the copy can be prepared. In fact, its reception has
exceeded the fondest hopes of the editors. Catholics
in Georgia have found itt^good, and Catholics else
where have found it better. Newspapers have printed
it in entirety and editors have seemingly vied with
each other in praising it. That this laudation has
been discriminating is proved by the fact that several
have suggested changes in verbiage, and the noted
lay scholar, Mr. Arthur Preuss, has challenged the
statements in two of the replies. However, even he
speaks well of it, saying the answers for the most
part are correct and to the point, and are typical in
that they fairly cover the thought of the average non-
Catholic inquirer, and he later speaks of “this useful
pamphlet.” Father John L. Bedford, of Brooklyn, a
scholarly and able priest, strongly approving, has
pointed out several phrases he thinks could well be
changed. America, the great Catholic weekly, calls
the booklet “an excellent little catechism which
should be widely scattered. The Philadelphia Cath
olic Standard and Times printed the pamphlet in full,
as did the Catholic Tribune of St. Joseph, Mo., and
one or two others whose names escape us at this
time.
The^ Daily American Tribune, of Dubuque, Iowa,
says: “What strikes us most forcibly about this
pamphlet is the fact that it is a real ‘John the Un
afraid.* It meets the objections of bigots and fair-
minded seekers for the truth about the Papacy by
fearlessly answering even the most ticklish and the
latest doubts and objections about the Pope and the
Papacy.*'
Says The Guardian of Little Rock:
“Catholics are constantly asked questions concern
ing the Pope. The inquisition is world-wide. We
have it here in Arkansas. Our well-meaning friends
would have us enlighten them on matters pertaining
to the Visible Head of the Catholic Church. Over
in Georgia the safne questions are rife and the Lay
men s Association of Georgia has issued a small and
neat pamphlet, edited carefully by able theologians,
giving the lay people the popular questions and
answers.
“The little pamphlet will fit in your vest pocket.
Send for one and be ready to answer your non-Cath-
olic friends, who frequently ask you questions, in all
good will, and they expect you, as Catholics, to be
able to answer them readily.”
The Catholic Columbian, of August 6th, had the
following about it:
“The Catholic Laymen’s Association of Georgia is
doing a work worthy of praise and emulation. They
believe in printer’s ink to convert thousands of the
misled and misguided followers of Tom Watson. They
are gradually plucking out the roots of prejudice
against Catholics fostered by the poison of The Menace
type of papers and encouraged by the vaporings of
Watson and his ilk. The latest booklet issued by the
Catholic Laymen’s Association is entitled “Catholics
and the Pope.” It is the result of four yea^s of study
and observation and 50,000 copies are being distrib
uted.
“Under the leadership of the venerable Bishop
Keiley and the militant Catholic Laymen’s Associa
tion, the fine old Southern State of Georgia is giving
all other States a plan that is proving effective and
helping to make America Catholic. Our congratu
lations to the Catholic Laymen who practice the doc
trine that the pen is mightier than the sword.”
The Belleville (111.) Messenger expresses itself thus:
“The Publicity Department of Catholic Laymen’s
Association of Georgia has issued a booklet, “Cath
olics and the Pope.” After a careful perusal by non-
Catholics it will be found to answer great, and to them
perplexing, questions in a logical way, and thus have
a tendency to reduce prejudice against Catholics.
“The work done by the Catholic Laymen’s Associa
tion of Georgia should not be confined to that State,
but the propaganda on the same subject and other
lines would do much to put an end to misrepresenta
tions and engender bitter animosities with all people
who are earnest seekers of Truth.”
The Brooklyn Tablet phrases its opinion thus:
It is unusual in its presentation, and in its sources.
It is especially designed for the non-understanding
mind. In question and answer form the work seems
to cover all the ground. The history of the Papacy
is frankly told. No attempt is made to deny historic
facts, yet unfounded aspersions are severely dealt
with. Certainly this little work should remove un
just suspicion so maliciously spread by anti-Catholic
influence in Georgia or anywhere else. In fact, there
are few Catholics who might not improve their knowl
edge of the subject from its pages. It is but another
proof of the effectiveness of laymen’s activities, since
all the questions taken from files, were submitted to
the Association during four years of campaigning.”