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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
APRIL 17, 193S
Nun, C. S. A. Major’s Daughter
Tells ot Expulsion From Mexico
Mother Semple, Whose Father Was on General Bragg’s
Staff,, Gives in Detail Story of Eviction of Sisters
From Their Convent in Mexico City .
him.
“Are you a Catholic?’ 1 asked
Anglican Bishop Resigns
As Wife Becomes Catholic
Ontario Prelate’s Request
to Retire Is Granted With
out Bitterness.
(By N. C. W. C. News Service.)*
Kingston; Ont.—The Anglican
House of Bishops of the Ecclesiasti
cal Province of Ontario has decided
to accept the proffered resignation
of Bishop E. J. Bidwell, whose wife
some months ago became a Catholic.
Mrs. Bidwell's conversion at the
time, created a profound impression
in Anglican circles in Canada Bish
op Bidwell is regarded as a brilliant
member of the Anglican House of
Bishops of the Dominion and has
held a place in the front rank of the
clergy here for more than ten years.
At the time of his wife’s conver
sion to the Catholic church, the
bishon ottered his resignation to the
Archbishop of Algonia. hut the
House of Bishops declined to accept
it. Now, however, the bishops haw
sent him an informal note saying
they acquiesce in his desire, to re
tire. The actual resignation is to
take place May 1 and soon will be
announced formally.
There is no disposition* on the
part of the Catholic Church, nor has
there been, to make religious capi
tal of the situation, says a state
ment which has been issued from
the Archbishop's residence at King
ston. Mrs. Bidwell’s was a purely- in
tellectual conversion," says the
statement, adding that she “read
herself into the Catholic church."
“She was absolutely a Catholic
before she came to us,” the state
ment continues. “She had been in
attendance at Catholic services un
known to us, and only approached
us for final instructions."
When in 1913 Bishop Bidwell was
elected to the Diocese of Ontario on
the first ballot, the honor was with
out precedent in the Anglican
Church in Canada, it is said his re
tirement now is wholly without bit
terness.
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(By N. C. W. G. News Service.)
Washington—Catholics of Mexico
are undegoing a real persecution
and look to the United State's, par
ticularly to the Catholics of this
country, for assistance, Mother Mar-
garte Mary Semple, who with 40
other nuns, was expelled from Mex
ico where they conducted the Acad
emy of the Visitation at Coyoacan
declared in a personal interview
with -the N. C. W. G. News Service
here.
Mother Semple is in this city to
visit members of her order at Vis
itation Convent, Georgetown. She
appe-arade before the House of Rep-
repsentatives Eoreign Affairs Com
mittee and told her story of rcligiou
persecution in the Mexican Republic.
Anticipating her appearance be
fore the committee, Mother Semple
told her experiences to the N. C.
W. News Service in the same form
in which she planed to relate them
to the legislators. It is as follows:
“I am: the daughter of Major Hen
ry Churchill Semple, a member of
Gen. Braxton Bragg’s staff and com
mander of the famous Semple’s Bat
tery during the Civil War. My moth
er was Emily Virginia Janies of
Montgomery. My father was a Vir
ginian by birth but for fit) years
practiced law in Montgomery, Ala
bama, which is my home. I was born
December 13, 1856 at Montgomery.
“I svas professed in the Order of
the Visitation at Mobile, Alabama,
in 1878 and on July 4. 1911, sailed
from New Orleans, to become supe
rior of an institution of the order
established by other nuns in 1898.
It was at Tepexpan, on the Mexican
Railway about 30 miles from Mexi
co City.
“I arived at the chi?c of Ma
dera’s triumphant revolution and
found that the school, although not
finished, had 56 rooms and a student
body of 50 pupils from the best
families in Mexico City.
“As" we anticipated, we' were at
tacked by some of Zapata’s band
They descended upon uS with wild
whoops, and yells, determined to
commit whatever despredalion they
might. They reckoned without the
Rui-ales, however, and a volley from
the roof heat them scurrying away,
'lhe Rurales pursued them ana
caught, a-half-dozen or so with their
horses, -
—“Ive, realized then that we could
not stav’in Tepexpan. We took our
liolongtngs and . established o'yr
schoolstat Tacubaya which is in the
envirohs' of Mexico City.
“Affair s went well ,then until
Ifcose ten tragic duy s or Mexico Cits
■ n J914 which resulted in the city be
ing filled with'bipod anil carnage'
and M^dpa. being killed.. 1
“Being an. army m«u with a
strong hacking, Huerta alcended to
the presidency, he did nl>t'iast long
however- . .....
“Veiiusfiana Carranza’s revolt pul
Huerta from the presidency and Ta-
cubaya became a city • of carnage.
The danger of living there b’ecame so
great that Archbishop Jose Moray
del Bio sent word lor us to put
on secular garb anil to .find refuge
in the houses of private families.
“This We did. But; while prepar
ing to go, police entered with the
intention of looting. I battled them,
with words only, of course, and told
them that I was an American citizen
an { | that , anything they took tliey
would have to replace. This had its
effect. -The words ‘United Stales’.
White Hopsc’, threw fear into the
Mexicans.
“They had tried to take the sacred
vessels .which they coveled. They
left without them, however, hut on
their way out pilfered whatever they
could. We were pleased with sav
ing the sacred vessels that we did
not interefere.
“We lived for three months in
private homes and finally took a
place in IBucafelli street. It was an
excellent school hut the conditions
were bad and three of our best pro
fessors did. Then he secret police
appeared and ordered us old. Again
I prevailed, and we were allowed 17
days to move.
“And then we founded our per
fectly splendid place in Coyoacan.
This was the fourth institution we
had opened the last before leaving.,
It was a perfectly lovely place.
“On February 11 -of this year five
policemen, headed by a renegade
Catholic who had studied for the
protestant ministry, appeared and
ordered as to leave.
“While the leader went through
the house the sisters stole into the
chapel and received the Blessed Sac
rament -from Sister Philoniena Con
nelly, who had feared the Blessed
Sacrament might suffer desecration
As soon as I had received, each of
us was given several hosts, I hur
ried out of the chapel to watch tj»e
soldiers.
“Finally one who had been solici
tous for my comfort approached
and said:
‘“Mother, our heart is not in this
work. We are sorry.’
‘“No, I am a prostestant!’ ‘
“‘Are you cerlain you are not a
Catholic?’
'liven lie drew from his jacket a
scapular with several medals sewed
to it and a card attesting his mem
bership in a Catholic society. ‘Yes,
I am a Catholic!’ he said. "But our
hearts are broken this day. We
would have been shot if w t 'did not
do this. Will you give us your
blessing?’
“He knelt down- before me and
the others who had formed in a
senn-circle about him also knelt, de
claring they were Catholics.
“1 blessed them with the Blessed
Sacrament which I carried in a Iurta
which had been overlooked at the
attar. I also gave each a Sacred
Heart badge.
“As t was finishing distributing
the badges, their leader, whom they
seemed t 0 fear, came Up and I of
fered him a Sacred Heart badge.
He took it and walked out.
“When wc were leaving the school
the place was crowded with automo
biles belonging to Catholics who had
come to help us.
- The sisters and our Catholic
friends realized then that the Gov
ernment was seeking to deport me
From February 13 to March 6 1 hid
in ditferent homes. Wc were already
wearing clerical garb so now 1
changed this frequently arid each
da}’ wore a different wig, today a
blonde one, tomorrow a gray one,
and never staved long at anv one
home. '
"All the while, I was trying lo es
cape deportation and trying to ar
range to take niv sisters with me.
Finally on March 6 I was able to
leave with 46 sister* on pullmuns.
lliere were 6 000 persons to see ps
off.
“The-sisters arc now i ntlic con
vent of the Visitation order at Mo
bile, Alabama. The community
would like to settle in southern Cal
ifornia where conditions are much
like those of Mexico., Personally 1
would like to go back 10 Mexico. It
really is fascinating-- But we haven’,
any money for the oreject we would
like to undertake and plans are as
yet incomplete.”
Mother Semple tells her storv in
a simple, straight-forward manner.
She thoroughly appreciates tile hu
mor of cerlain situations, which at
the time of their occurrence must
have been tragic. But now she
laughs and her auditors, although
they smile, reallize that Mother
Semple is a woman of courage and
great faith. She merely tells her
storyy as a fact* one must .look be
tween the lines for the suffering
and pathos that are there.
The-nun, after completing hep own
story, (old of a ease where the Mex
ican authorities broke into a Jesuit
Church ih Colonia Roma where
Lenten services were being held for
2 000 working girls and expelled the
worshippers. The priest, Father
Barrow liid and escaped by automo
bile with the sacred vessels.
Mother Semple also declared that
she had heard of the reported in
stances of insulting conduct on the
part of officers to nuns, but did not
personally see them.
“The laws of 1917’^. Mother Sem
ple went on, “were aimed entirely
against; property and were made by
ruffians. The makers were men of
purely Bolshevistic tendencies. So
to y Gaha, considered a lunatic, was
one of the principal framers. All of
them sal with pistols, ready to shoot
anyone in the con vent ion who op
posed their wishes.
“Religious and private instruction
has been wiped out. The people are
solely distressed and tired. It is
a real persecution. They are looking
to the United States for assistance.
They look particularly to the Catho-
lies and pricipallv t 0 the Knights
of Columbus. They begged me to
plead with the Kinghts of Columbus
here.
“To think that the labors of 27
years could he wiped out in 36 hours
in such a fashion.
Anton Hiavocek, Catholic
Artist, Dies In Austria
By Dr. Frederick Funder
(Cienna Correspondent, N. C. W. C.
News Service.)
Vienna—The great Catholic arlist
Anton Hlavacck, doyen of Austrian
landscape painters, is dead at the
age of eighty-four. He was known
all over the world for his paintings
of the Alps and Alpine lakes. There
is hardly a targe gallery in Europe
which does not have one of his
works. An outstanding characteris
tic of his life and work was his pro
found Catholic faith. Hlavacek work
ed almost up to the time.of his
death. Some of Ids best work was
done after lie. had passed his eigh
tieth birthday.
Easter Program and News
of St. Anne's, Sumter, S. C.
Special.to The Bulletin.
Sumter, S. C.—St. Anne’s Catholic
cliuch here is on of the prettiest
churches in the Diocese of Char
leston. Strictly of Gothic style and
architecture, built of Sumter brick
and granite finish, the, interior rich
ly decorated some yEars ago by Ram-
brush of New York and Paris, con
secrated to God, it is without any
exaggeration one of the finest
churches below,the Mason and Dixon
Line.
Easter Sunday it was at its best.
Rich in Easter Lilies, Salas, carna
tions, abundance of pure wax can
dles and Votive lights, her priest
clad in handsome vestments, she
presented a sight most appropriate
for such an occasion as the Solemn
Festal of Easter Sunday.
The sermon of Rev. J. I). Quinn,
pastor: “He is Risen, Alleluia” ex
plained the absolute proof from Sac
red. Scriptures that Christ is truly
risen from the dead. The Mass Pro
per was carried out according to the
strictest Liturgical functions; noth
ing was left unfinished to make the
ceremonies of Holy Church a most
fitting celebration iti lioDor of the
Risen Saviour.
The Pastor and people of St, Anne’s
are most grateful to the following
Clergy of the Diocese who came
from their own parishes during the
Lenten season to preach, not a new
Devotion, hut only a change in mode
of presentation: Rev. Henry Speis-
man, St. Paul’s Church, Spartanburg,
S. C.; Rev. Win Mulvihill, St. Anne’s
Church, Rock Hill, S. C.; Rev. Martin
Murphy, St. Francis Clnireh, Colum
bia, S. C.; Rev. N. A. Murphy, St.
Peter’s Church, Columbia, S. C.;
The musical program at High Mass
Easter morning was: Processional:
Itaec Dies. Hartimcrel; Vidi Aquani,
Witzka; Mass in B Elat, Farmer;
Kyrie; Sermon: “He is Risen, Alle
luia", Father Quinn; Credo; Offe-
tary: Regina Coelia, Werner; Sanc-
ttis; Benedictions: Agnus Dei and
Recessional: “Praise Ye The Fa
ther.” Gonnard
Easter Sunday night at 8 o’clock
at Vespers the following musical
program was rendered : Procession
al, Fry.linger; Vespers. Stearns; Do-
mine Ad Aduivandani; Dixit Domi-
nus; Laudato Pueri; Hymn: Haec
Dies, Hammerel; Magnificat; Ilegina
Coeli Dc Merlies; O Safutaris Trio,
Rossini; Tantum Ergo, Rossi; Di
vine Praises, Elliott: Laudato Domi-
num, Gregorian and Recessional,
Hackett.
Parish News.
Mr, and Mrs. H. J. Cummins an
nounce the birth recently of a lit
tle son. The parish extends to them
congratulation^.
We regret to announce that J. W.
Dolaii. who has managed McLellan’s
Store for the past three years, has
been transferred to new store just
opened at Goldsboro, N.-C. Mr. Do
lan and family, have made many
friends in Sumter. Our loss is
Goldsboro’s gain. We congratulate
him on his promotion, however, and
wish him and his family God speed
and much success
The Easier Egg Hunt Tuesday was
a great success. The slogan was
“Everybody Welcome, Everything
Free.” Those who found the prize
eggs were suitably rewarded, while
all others received eggs and candy,
they being tile guests on this occas
ion of the pastor.
The church recently underwent
minor repairs, while the rectory was
thoroughly repaired with new roof
ing and painting of exterior. Every
dollar of the debt has been paid and
was collected from our owu people.
Our Parish Slogan is: “Let us keep
out of debt."
Sister of Pope Pius X
Dies In Her 77th Year
(By N. C. W. C. News Service.)
Uomc—Anna Sarto. youngest sister
of the late Pope Pius X, is dead
after an illness of two months and
a difficult operation. Her life had
been devoted to religions and a de
nial of self. She was 76 years old.
Anna, who was unmarried, lived
for many years and died almost in
poverty in the tiny apartment facing
St. Peter’s Square. With her lived
Maria Sarto, the only surviving sis
ter of the late Pope.
From the days that Pope Pius X
was a simple chaplain at Tombolo,
Anna kept his house and followed
him through the various steps of
liig career. She was lorn between
the joy over his great honor and the
sorrow of being separated from him
when he was chosen Pope. During
his Pontificate and after his death
she continued in extreme retirement,
devoting herself to making clothes
for poor children. «
Condolences have been expressed
(o the surviving sisicr by Pope Pius
XI and the'Italian Government. Car
dinal Merry del Val, who was Papal
Secretary of State under Pius X,
was the first of a number. of dis
tinguished prelates who paid ttaei-
respects.
The fact that sandals form a part
of the bishop's liturgical dress is
held as one of the many proofs that
Church vestments are derived from
the garb of daily life. Sandals had
no place in the dress of Jewish
priests, who officiated barefoot.
DIOCESE OF
SAVANNAH
HOURS OF MASSES
SAVANNAH: Cathedral of St.
John the Baptist, Very Rev. T. A.
Foley. V. G., Rector. Sundays,
6:30-8-9:30-11. Daily, 6:30-8.
St. Patrick’s, Rev. Jos. D. Mit
chell, Pastor, Sundays, 7:00-9:30.
Daily, 7:30 (6:30 on First Fridays.
Sacred iieart. Very Rev. Eugene
Egan, O. S. B.. Pastor.' Sundays,
7-8-9-10-11., Daily, 7:00-7:30.
Confessions daily before Masses;
on eves of First Friday and Holy
Days at 4:30 and 7:30.
Blessed Sacrament, Rev. D. J.
MaChrthv, Pastor. Sundavs, 7:30
9:00 and 10:30. Dailv, ?':00 and
7:30.
St. Benedict the Moor (colored)
Rev. G. Obrecht, S. M. A., Pastor.
Sundays, 7:30.10. Daily, 6:45-
7:15.
St. Anthony’s (colored), Rev.
S'. Rilier, S. M. A.. Pastor. Sun
days, 9:30. Daily "7.
ALAPAHA: (On thc.Willachoochc
Missions). Second and fourth
Sunday at 10.
ALBANY: Rev. Leo. M. Keenan,
pastor of St. Teresa’s Church and
Southwest Georgia Missions.
Masses at Albany first and fourth
Sunday, 11. Second and fifth
Sunday, 8. Third Sunday, 8:00-
10:00. Daily, 7:30.
ATHENS. Rev. James E. King,
Pastor of St. Joseph’s Church and
Northeast Georgia Missions. Mas
ses at Athens, first Sunday, 8:30-
10:30. Third Sunday, 10:30.
AMERICUS: (Attended, from
Albany): Second and fifth Sun
day. 11:00. F’ourth Sunday, 8:00.
ATLANTA: Immaculate Con
ception Church, Rev. Emmet
Walsh, Pastor. Sunday, 7:00-9:30-
11:00. Daily, 7:00-7:30. Daily
during Lent, 6:30-7:30-8:00.
Sacred Heart, Very Rev. James
A Horton, S. M., Pastor. Sunday,
7:00-8:30-9:45-l 1:00. Daily, 6:00-
6:30-7:00-8:00.
St. Anthony’s. Rev. H. F.
Clark. Pastor. Sundays, 7:00-
9:00-10:30.. Daily, 7:00-7:30.
Our Lady of Lourdes .colored),
Rev. Peter Hess, S. M. A., Pastor.
Sunday/ 7:00-10:00. Daily, 6:30-
7:00.
St. Joseph’s: (Syrian), Rev.
Nematallali Altasah, Pastor.
AUGUSTA: St. Patrick’s: Rev. H.
A* Schoifhardt, Pastor. Sunday,
7:00-9:00-11 :00. Daily, -6:30-8:15.
Sacred Heart: Rev. Bene Mac-
ready. S."J., Pastor. Sunday, 6:30
8:00-10:30. Daily, 6:30-7:30.
St. Mary’s-On-The-Hill: Rev.
James A. Kane, Pastor. Sunday,
8:00-10:30._ Daily, 7:00.
Immaculate Conception: (color
ed), Rev. Alfred Laube. S. M. A.,
Pastor. Sunday, 7:30-10:00.
Daily, 8:15.
BAINBR1DGE: Served from Al
bany: Third and fifth Sunday at
11:00 also on Monday following
third Sunday.
BRUNSWICK and the Southcsat
Georgia Mission: St. Francis
Xaxier Church, ltey. Peter McQs-
car, S. M., Pastor.
COLUMBUS:. Holy Family
Church: Rev. Henry .Schlenke,
Pastor; Rev. Joseph E. Moylan.
Sunday, 7:30. 9:00, 11:00.. Daily
6:45. Mass also at Fort Benning
Sunday at. 9:00.
DUBLIN: Served from Milledge-
ville: Second and fourth Sunday,
11:00, and an early morning Mass
on the Monday following.
FITZGERALD: Served from Al
bany : Second and fourth Sunday
at 9:30, and Monday following.
GAINESVILLE: Served from
Athens: fourth Sunday at 10:30.
GRIFFIN: Served from Atlien^:
Second .Sunday at 10:30.
LA GRANGE: Served from
Athens: Fifth Sunday at 1Q:30;
MACON: St. Joseph’s Rev.
Thomas J. Madden, S. J., Pastor.
Sunday, 7:00, 9:00, 11:00. Daily.
• St. Peter's Claver’s: (Colored),
Rev. A. Bartlilen, S. M. A., Pastor.
Sunday, 8:00. 10:00. Daily 8:15.
Fathers of Atlanta) :J :s7: Crj
MARIETTA: (Sferved by the
Marist Fathers of Atlanta:) Rev.
Leo. F. Ziebavth, S. M., in chArge.
Second and fourth Sunday at
9:30.
MILLEDGEVILLE: and the Cen
tral Georgia Missions: Rev. T. J.
Morrow, Pastor. First and third
Sundays, at 10:30 and on some
week-days.
MOULTRIE: Served from At-
bany). First Sunday at 8;00.
ROME: (Served by the Marist
Fathers of Atlanta): Rev. Jno. A.
Emmerth, S. M., in charge. First
and third Sunday at 9:00.
SANDERSVILLE: (Served from
Milledgeville). First Sunday at
10:00 and once a month on a
week-day.
SHARON: Church of the Puri
fication: Rev.' Wm. Quinlan, Pas
tor.
THOMASVILLE: .Served from
Albany), First third and fifth
Sunday at 9:00.
VALDOSTA: (Served' from Al
bany). First Sunday at noon and
Monday following.
WASHINGTON: St. Joseph’s:
Rev. Charles Rethans, Pastor.
Sunday, 7:30. Daily, 7:00.
WAYCROSS: (Served from
Brunswick). Rev. J. J. Rietly, S.
M., in charge.
W1LLACHOOCHIE Rev. Joseph
R. Smith, Administrator. First,
third and fifth Sunday at 10.