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VOL. IV. NO. 7.
AUGUSTA, GA., APRIL 15, 1923.
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ISSUED SEMI-MONTHLY
Execution of Vicar-General and
Archbishop’s Sentence at Moscow
Arouse Entire Christian World
United States Officially Expresses Disapproval of Soviet
Action—British and Polish Governments and Vatican
Endeavor to Save Eclessiastics—Vigorous Protests
Voiced by Many American Non-Catholic Organizations.
Washington.—Imposition of the
death sentences passed upon Arch
bishop Zcpliak, head-of the Catholic
Church in Russia, and Msgr. Butch-
kavitcli, the resentment of the whole
Christian world. The two prelates
were executed by a Bolshevist tri
bunal in Moscow on charges of hav
ing resisted the decrees of the Soviet
government providing for the con
fiscation of church property.
The American government through
Secretary Hughes officially express
ed disapproval of the Soviet action;
the Vatican addressed a note to Mos
cow calling for the release of the
prisoners; the British and Polish
governments continued their efforts
to save the condemned men; and
the National Catholic Welfare Coun
cil and other organizations both
Catholic and non-Catliolic protested
emphatically in messages to the
president of the United States and
to the Bolshevist Commissar of For
eign Affairs.
The American Protest.
Secretary Hughes in an official
Statement concerning the note con
veyed to the Soviet government
through the American Ambassador
at Berlin, said;
“With reference to the report of
the death sentence passed on Arch
bishop Zcpliak and other Roman
Catholic ecclesiastics in Russia, the
Department of State has taken steps,
through the American Ambassador
at Berlin, to give expression to the
humanitarian interest of the Amer
ican people, and their earnest hope
that the lives of these ecclesiastics
may he spared.”
Negotiations with the Moscow gov
ernment on behalf of the Vatican
regarding the condemned ecclesias
tics was placed in the hands of the
Rev. Edmund A. Walsh, S.J. Father
Walsh, a representative of the Na
tional Catholic Welfare Council ou
the American Relief Commission in
Russia, is now supervising the Papal
Relief Expedition which is engaged
in the distribution of food in the
famine districts of that country.
Polish Protest.
Premier Sikorsli”, of Poland, told
a vast assemblage in Warsaw that
the Polish government was making
every effort to save the lives of the
two men. He indicated that in this
effort his government had been sup
ported by the United States. Car
dinal Kakowski was the celebrant in
a solemn high Mass in Warsaw for
the condemned prelates and after
the Mass the congregation and thou
sands of other persons marched to
the office of the Prime Minister to
ask what steps the government was
taking to prevent the executions. A
resolution calling upon the govern
ment to make every possible effort
in behalf of Archbishop Zcpliak and
his associate was passed unanimous
ly by the Polish Chamber of Depu
ties.
Reform Rabbis Message.
The Association of Reform Rabbis
of New York have addressed a pro
test to M. Tchitcherin concerning
the imposition of the death penalty
on the Catholic prelates.
Our Bishop
By Rev. George A. Woods.
On the Occasion of the Golden
Jubilee of Rt. Rev. Leo Haid,
O. S. B., D. D., Vicar-Apos
tolic of North Carolina.
Heard you e’er his priestly voice
denouncing wrong--
Clarion-like, or brazen trumpet’s
song—■
To battle calling?
Saw you e'er the flash of fire from
out his piercing eye—•
(Paling the very lightning in the
vaulted sky).
In righteous anger falling?
Or has it been your blessed lot in
sadness’ hour to hear
His loving words of comfort and
cheer,
Tender and stilling?
Or listened to his plea for justice,
truth and love and right
And all the better things in tones of
might,
Vibrant and thrilling? d
Feeding and guiding his flock; lead
ing it ever to pastures green;
Teaching to learn from things of
earth, the things as yet unseen;
So mixed in him the elpinents—
mixed by the Master’s hand.
That c-’eu the world itself declares:
Here is the Master’s man.
Rt. Rev. Leo Haid, O.S.B., Abbot,
Vicar Apostolic, Bishop, Honored
On His Golden Jubilee As Priest
Hierarchy, Clergy and Laity Gather at Belmont to Rejoice
With Venerable North Carolina Prelate — Archbishop
Canevin, Bishop Russell, and Abbots of St. Leo’s, Flor
ida, and St. Benedict’s, Alabama Among Those Present.
Prelates Joyfully Receive Death
Sentence at Moscow Mock Trial
Correspondent of New York Herald Describes in Detail
Brutal Behavior of Prosecutor and Insults of Red Judges,
All of Which Failed to Disturb Heroic Priests.
1
Through the courtesy of Mr. Frank Munsev, owner of
the NEW YORK HERALD, the N. C. W. C. News Service,
of which The Bulletin is a member, is permitted to send out
to its subscribers the graphic story written by Francis Mc-
Cullagh, the Herald’s Moscow correspondent, describing the
trial of Archbishop Zepliak, Msgr. Butchkavitch and other
Catholic ecclesiastics. The story was printed in the Herald
preceded by an editorial statement declaring that it “gives
the first complete picture of the trials which preceded the
execution of the Roman 'Catholic Vicar-General, an event
which has shocked the peoples of two continents and disturb
ed all the Governments of Europe.” The execution of Msgr.
Butchkavitch has resulted in popular protests both in Russia
and in Poland. In Russia 340 peasants in the Ukraine were
killed by the Soviet troops for protesting against the execu
tion and in Poland a crowd of 10,000 persons surrounded the
Russian Legation in a threatening demonstration. Mr. Mc-
Cullagh's remarkable story follows:
(BY FRANCIS McCALLUGH)
ARCHBISOP ONCE PUPIL
OF BISHOP HAID ORATOR
AT TEACHER’S JUBILEE
Most Rev. Regis Canevin De
livers sermon at observance
—Pope Cables Benediction
and Congratulations.
Moscow, March 26, via London.
April 5.—Before describing the trial
of Archibisliop Zcpliak and seventeen
of his clergy at the Moscow trial,
which ended last night, I should say
1 do not describe from hearsay. 1
attended every sitting from the first
day to the last, sometimes going
without, food or sleep in order to do
so and Send telegraphic accounts af
terward. Whether any of these tele
grams ever reached my paper is for
my editor to say.
(They did not.—The New York
Herald.)
The Bolshevist Foreign Office at
first refused tickets for the trial to
all corrpcspondents, though they
were ready enough to supply admis
sion cards to Red army parades and
u Bolshevist meetings, but being an
^old hand in journalism I got in. La
ter on other corespondents obtained
admission. I should also say I am
personally acquainted with none of
the prisoners and 1 do not know a
single Pole in Moscow.
Religious Persecution.
For the last two years the Polish
policy has been antipathetic to me
and I have never called on Polish
representatives here or got a single
scrap of information from Polish
sources directly or indirectly. For
the Polish priests put on trial here
I had no personal feeling, and 1
should not have hesitated to de
nounce these priests if it had been
proven to my satisfaction they had
plotted against the Soviet Govern
ment on behalf of Poland. But hav
ing carefully listened to all the evi
dence 1 am convinced these Petro-
(Continued on page 10)
Belmont Abbey,' N. C—Never in
recent years did any ecclesiastical
ceremony in the Southern States sur
pass the glorious celebration which
took place in Belmont Abbey Cathe
dral when Rt. Rev. Bishop Leo llaid,
O. S. B., Vicar Apostolic of North
Carolina, and Abbot Ordinary of
Belmont Abbey celebrated the Gold
en Jubilee of his ordination to the
holy priesthood. The large crowd
was visibly touched by the solemn
ity and grandeur of the ceremonies
carried out with all the dignity and
sublimity of the church.
The jubilee activities began on
Tuesday evening at five o'clock,
when the large number of clergy
tendered the Jubilarian a simple but
most impressive reception in the
community room of the Abbey.
Speeches were made by Very Rev.
Dr. Felix Hintermeyer, O. S. B., V.
C. , and the Very Rev. Christopher
Detincn, of Wilmington, North Caro
lina, Dean of the secular clergy of
the Vicariate. The Right Reverend
Bishop responded in a short but
most touching speech, in which, af
ter thanking God for permitting him
to observe the distinguished and sin
gular privilege of spending fifty
years in the holy priesthood, be ex
pressed in most profound sentiments
his heartfelt happiness in being sur
rounded by priests so loyal and de
voted, who are to their people not
only educators but also edificators-
The Solemn Pontifical Mass of
Thanksgiving began at 8:30 a. m„
with the Right Reverend Jubilarian
as celebrant. The long and most im
pressive procession wended its way
from the monastery through the
monastic grounds, and entered the
church to the strains of the glad
hymn of welcome composed for the
occasion and sung by the students of
the college and Sacred Heart Aca
demy.
The Jubilarian was assisted at the
Mass by the Rev. F. Freeman as Dea
con and Rev. .1. 1*. Manly, sub-dea
con. Rev. Bernard Haas, O. S. B.,
and Rev. Joseph Wehrle were Dea
cons of Honor, and Rev. Father Mel-
chinor, O. S. B-, assistant priest.
Present in the Sanctuary .were the
Most Rev. Regis ,1. Canevin, D. I).,
formerly Bishop of Pittsburgh, now
titular Archbishop of Pelusium, with
Rev. Albert Goetz, O. S. B„ and
Rev. Father Willibald, O. S. 11., as
assistants; Rt. Rev. William Russell,
D. I)., Bishop of Charleston, S. C.,
assisted by Rev. 1). C. Woods and
Rev. .1. D. Quinn; lit. Rev. Charles
Mohr, O. S. B., Abbot of St. I.co’s
(Continued on page 12.)
Special to The Bulletin.
Belmont Abbey, N. C.—Wednes
day, April 11th, was a memorable
day in the history of the Catholic
Church not only in North Carolina
in particular but especially through
out the .Southeast, for on that day
Catholics of all ranks and stations,
as well as numerous non-Catholics,
united in tendering an affectionate
tribute to Right Reverend Leo Haid,
O. S- B., D. D., Vicar Apostolic of
North Carolina, titular Bishop of
Messene, and Abbot Ordinary of Bel
mont Abbey, who observed the Gold
en Jubilee of his ordination to the
holy priesthood. Numerous friends
from all sections of the country and
of all denominations were present
to participate in the Jubilee exer
cises, which were held at Belmont
Abbey Cathedral, when the vener
able jubilarian was celebrant of the
solemn Pontifical Mass. The affair
was one of the finest of its kind
ever held in this section of the
country, some of the most promin
ent and distinguished members of
the hierarchy being present, among
them Most Rev. Regis .1. Canevin,
formerly Bishop of Pittsburgh, now
titular Archbishop gif Pelusium, a
former student of Bishop Haid and
one of the most eloquent orators in
the country. Archbishop Canevin de
livered the jubilee sermon at the
Solemn Pontifical Mass. Several
Bishops, Abbots and all the priests
of the Vicariate of North Carolina,
as well as a large number from oth
er dioceses, assisted at the Mass on
Wednesday morning, and one of the
largest crowds that has ever filled
the Abbey Cathedral gathered to
thank God for the singular favor
conferred upon their father and
friend and to express their love and
devotion to (he aged jubilarian who
has presided as a Good Shepherd
over the flock of North Carolina
for the past thirty-five years. Thru
the help of Almighty God and un
der his wise and efficient leader
ship the Vicariate has flourished
and yielded forth fruit beyond the
fondest expectations of those who
at once saw progress ahead when
Father Leo Haid was chosen Abbot
and later appointed Vicar Apostolic.
With the same zealous spirit and
firm hope in the Providence of God
that had characterized him in his
previous undertakings, Father Leo
undertook the burden and faced ap
parent insurmountable difficulties,
after Rome had refused to acknowl
edge his petition to give the episco
pal dignity to another. He shrank
from the awful responsibility and
lie desired to spend hi.; life in the
monastery for the education of
youth and especially the training of
young men for the priesthood. How
ever, recognizing in the voice of his
superiors, the voice of God, he ac
cepted the episcopacy with special
permission to live in his monastic
home and continue his office as
teacher.
Abbot and Bishop
The added burden of Chief Shep
herd still further enhanced the many
latent qualities in the future leader
of the flock and, strengthened by
the grace of God, he fearlessly and
vigorously faced the difficulties. In
his broader scope of work he man
ifested characteristics which hithert-
to had been unknown even to his
most intimate friends. He gave to
the people of North Carolina and
to others with whom he came in con
tact a veritable, proof of the “faith
that was in him,” and with an in
domitable will and determination lie
preached in a masterful and con
vincing way the spirit of Christ and
the Church, “spending his life and
being spent for the salvation of
souls” and ‘bccomiug all things to
all men.”
In the very first years of his
episcopacy he visited towns and vil
lages where previously a Catholic
priest had seldom, or, in many cases,
never beeu seen before. He preach
ed in log cabins, in stores or houses
improvised as churches, at times his
Catholic hearers being but three, or
four in number, but whether few
or many, he expounded the dogmas
of the church in the same forceful
and eloquent manner. The seed fell
upon good ground and fruit almost
a hundred-fold sprung up.
He is remembered by the older
residents of the State for his inde
fatigable labors, as a young Bishop
traversing the State sometimes on
foot, or again by the horse and
huggy system, traveling miles thru
the wildernesses in order to bring
the consolation of Holy Mass or the
comforts of the Sacraments to a
scattered faimly in some remote
village. His strong and sturdy spirit
conquered and swept before him the
seemingly impassible barriers as he
endured the continued hardships of
a Catholic missionary in a section
misguided regarding the Catholic
Church, and, prompted by a lack of
knowledge concerning its mission, to
feci hostile toward it and to retard
its expansion in every possible way.
Gradually but surely under his vigi
lant care and ceaseless efforts the
spirit of prejudice waned and in
numerous cases disappeared entirely
so that “a friendly feeling was
brought about among all Carolinians,
irrespective of creed,” and they on
Wednesday, April eleventh, united
and rejoiced with the Right Rever
end Jubilarian as he offered up the
Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving.
Tbe Abbey's Influence.
The history Belmont Abbey is,
broadly speaking a history of Bishop
Haid, and the history of Bishop Haid
and Belmont Abbey is, practically,
the history of Catholicity in the Old
North State, for from the Abbey as
a central point emanated the spirit
of the Church, piercing and vivify
ing every section of the land. From
this center the rays of learning, vir
tue and piety spread themselves not
only with the borders of North Caro
lina but beyond ils confines into the
neighboring states of South Carolina.
Virginia, Georgia and Florida, and
many others where the Benedictines
as sturdy missioners preached the
word of God and carried the com
forts o frcligion.
In order to realize the prodigious
(ask undertaken by the Benedictines
in the South and the vast accomp
lishments effected under Bishop
Haid, it is necessary to go back to
the days of reconstruction which
followed the close of the Civil War.
and which witnessed the advent of
the pioneer Benedictines of Belmont
Abbey, self-sacrificing, missionaries
who were laboring in the large and
sparsely settled territory of North
Carolina.
The Vicariate of North Carolina
was erected in 1868 by Pope Pius
IX and claims the distinction of
having for its first Vicar Apostolic
the late lamented and eminent
Churchman, Cardinal Gibbons, who
was appointed by Pope Pius tX and
consecrated August 16, 1868. It was
during his years as Vicar Apostolie
that the Benedictiones first estab
lished themselves in North Carolina
and began the work which today
has evoked such universal admira
tion.
Pennsylvania Assists.
In the year 1876, the Benedictine
Abbey of Saint Vincent s at Beatty,
Pennsylvania, had already cilablish-
cd a wide reputation as a home of
sancity and learning, and from it
Benedictine missionaries went forth
and zeaously shared with the scat
tered Catholics of Pennsylvania and
the neighboring states their God-
given gifts of Faith and Piety. Un
der the direction of the saintly Arch-
Abbot Boniface, O. S. B„ the monas
tic home bad arisen thru the un
ceasing toil and labor of its mem
bers. Living in the spirit of prayer
(Continued on page Two)