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m ?! m M The Bulletin .. of the Catholic Laymen's Association of Georgia .. “To bring about a friendlier feeling among Georgians irrespective of Creed.” VOLUME II DECEMBER, 1920 NUMBER 1 A CHRISTMAS GREETING During this month we will celebrate the Birth of the Babe of Bethlehem, so I wish to extend to each and every member of the ' Association the Season’s Greetings for a happy and joyous Christmas. Let us join in thanking our Infant King for the favors bestowed upon us during the year and beg of Him to bless our work in bringing about the aim and object for which we are organized, “A friendlier feeling among Georgians irrespective of creed.” P. H. RICE, State President. THE DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH The Diocese of Savannah embraces the State of Georgia and has an area of 59,4 75 square miles, and has a population of nearly three millions, of whom about 1 7,000 are Catholics. The Diocese was erected in 1850 by Pius IX. It formerly was a part of the Diocese of Charleston, and, of course, before that was included in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Its first Bishop, Francis Xavier Gartland, was the Vicar General of the Philadelphia Diocese and was conse crated on November 1 0, 1 850. There was only one qhurch in Savannah at that time. In future articles it is proposed to tell somewhat of the story of Cath olicity in Savannah. Bishop Gartland died of yellow fever on September 20, 1854. The Diocese was with out a Bishop for three years until August 2, 185 7, when Rev. John Barry, a priest of the Diocese, was consecrated second Bishop of Savannah. Bishop Barry died in Paris, France, November 21, 1859. His successor was Rt. Rev. Augustine Verot, who had been consecrated Vicar Apostolic of Florida, April 25, 1858. Bishop Verot, at the division of the Dio cese, returned to Florida and on March II, 1870, Rt. Rev. Ignatius Persico, who had resigned his See in India, and was engaged in mission work in this country, was appointed by Pius IX Bishop of Sa vannah. He resigned the See and returned to Rome, where he was created a Cardinal. On April 27, 1873, Rev. William H. Gross was consecrated Bishop of Savannah, where he remained until appointed Arch bishop of Oregon in 1885. The Holy See then trans ferred the Rt. Rev. Thomas A. Becker, first Bishop of Wilmington, Delaware, to Savannah; Bishop Becker had been consecrated with Bishop (now Cardinal) Gibbons on August 16, 1868. Bishop Becker died at Washington, Ga., July 29, 1899. On June 3, 1900, the present Bishop of Savannah, Rt. Rev. B. J. Keiley, was consecrated. Bishop Gartland had with hjm for some time Bishop Barron, a priest ordained in Ireland,' but who volun teered for the missions in the States and came to Philadelphia, where he was warmly welcomed by Bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick, then Bishop of Phila delphia, and afterwards Archbishop of Baltimore. Father Barron remained in Philadelphia for some time. When the colonization of Liberia by colored people from the United States was attempted, Father Bar ron offered his services in that deadly field. A large number of free negroes, many being Catholics from Maryland, went out to Liberia. Father Barron was afterwards made Vicar Apostolic. He was conse crated at Rome, and securing some half dozen priests, went back. Every one of the priests, save one, died, and Bishop Barron was forced to leave. He came back to Philadelphia and then went to St. Louis whose Bishop was the brother of the Bishop of Phila delphia. Bishop Gartland was a friend of Bishop Barron, as they had both been priests in Philadelphia Bishop Barron came to Savannah to help Bishop Gart land. They both died at the residence of Mrs. Michael Prendergast, as the Bishop’s house was unroofed by a cyclone while he was dying, and Mrs. Prendergast brought the two Bishops—Bishop Barron being also near death—to her house. Bishop Gartland’s suc cessor, Father John Barry, was loved and revered in Georgia, and even after his consecration was almost always called “Father Barry.” Bishop Verot is yet well remembered by the older Savannahians. He was active and zealous. Bishop Persico remained but a short time here. He was born in Naples January 30, 1823. He entered the Ca-