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VOL. V No. 5.
AUGUSTA, GA., MARCH 16, 1929.
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American’s Device in Vatican.
Cleveland..— Vatican authorities
have called upon Cleveland inventive
genius to -ard them in preserving the
priceless manuscripts and printed
boohs continued in the Vatican li
brary. An electrical device which
will keep the air in the famous li
brary moist enough to prevent man
uscripts from cracking has just been
shipped to Vatican. Frank Hill,
electrical heating specialist of an
electrical supply company, is the de
signer of the apparatus?
Influenza Hits England.
London.—The influenza epidemic
in Ihis country has led nine Bishops
to cancel the Lenten latvs of fast
ing and abstinence. The usual Fri
day abstinence, however, is main
tained.
Blishop Hartley Honored.
Columbus, O.—At a solemn pontif
ical high Mass in St. Joseph's Cathe
dral recently the Papal Brief pro
claiming the Rt. Rev. James J. Hart
ley. Bishop of Columbus, an Assist
ant to the Papal Throne, was read
by the Most Rev. John T. MeN’icho-
las. Archbishop of Cincinnati. Bish
op Hartley had planned to observe
the twenty-fifth anniversary of his
consecration privately but, yielding
to the entreaties of his brother
Bishops of the Province, he agreed
to this public recognition of the
bestowal of the Papal honor. He is
a native of Columbus.
Te Deum Marks Treaty.
Santo Domingo.—The President of
the Dominican Republic, Gen. Hora-
cio Vasqucz, has announced the
signing of a treaty between this
country and Haiti, settling a long
disputed boundary question that
some years ago had been submitted
to the Holy See for arbitration. Re
ceipt of the news was celebrated
here by the siinging of a Te Deum.
. Capitol Church Burns.
Washington, D. C.—Damage esti
mated at $10,000 was caused by a
spectacular fire February 24. whiclt!
destroyed the roof and ruined much
of the interior of St. Michael’s
' Church here. The fire broke out
shortly before the 7:30 o’clock Mass
was to begin. A crowd of 10,000 per
sons was attracted and watched the
work of firemen extinguishing the
blaze. The church is in the care of
the Dominican Fathers, with Very
Rev. Walter G. Scanlon, O, P., as
pastor.
Fixed Easter Discussed.
London.—If the proposal to fix
the date of Easter should meet with
general ecclesiastical approval, the
Anglican Bishops favor the adop
tion of the first Sunday after the
second Saturday in April. The mat
ter was discussed at a meeting of
both Houses of the Convocation of
Canterbury here, and the Bishop of
Truro moved the resolution which
was adopted unanimously.
Former Slave Retires
Clarksville, Md.—Born-tr slave and
claiming now to be more than 100
years old, “Aunt" Contee has just
retired from her post as housekeep
er at the Catholic rectory here. She
had been housekeeper for many
pastors since long before the Civil
War. Her last period of service ex
tended over 28 years.
Protestant Chief Chaplain of Navy
Denies Naval Pennant is Catholic
Commends Georgetown
Secretary Kellogg Praises
Georgetown’s Services
Country Owes It a Debt of
Gratitude For Its Foreign
Service School He Asserts
(BY N. C. W. C. NEWS SERVICE.)
Washington—Speaking at the
ceremonies marking the tenth an
niversary- of the founding of the
School of Foreign Service of George
town university here, when he re
ceived the honorary degree Doctor
of Laws, retiring Secretary of State
Frank B. Kellogg declared that “the
state department and our country
(Continued on page 4)
Absolutely Non - Sectarian
Episcopalian Says in State
ment Read Into Senate
Records Before Adjourning
(By N. C. W. G. News Service).
Washington, D. C.—An official dec
laration from Chief Chaplain C. If.
Dickins of the Navy Department that
the Church pennant of the Navy is
not the pennant of any church or
denomination, that it is absolutely
nonsectarian and undenominational
and that it is flown only during di
vine services to indicate to near-by
vessels that religious services are be
ing conducted on board, was intro
duced itno the record of the proceed
ings of the senate before adjourn
ment.
The introduction of the statement
by Chief Chaplain Dickins was made
by Senator David I. Walsh of Mas
sachusetts after Senator Bingham of
Connecticut had protested against
the use of the senate forum “for
stirring up religious hatred.” Senator
Bingham’s protest followed a long
debate on the recently defeated
ment which would forbid the flying
of the chaplain’s pennant above the
Stars and Stripes.
“The church pennant,” said Chief
Chaplain Dickins, “flies on a sepa
rate halyard from the American flag
which is lowered about two feet from
the top of the staff.- At the end of
the service the church pennant is
drawn down.
“The same church pennant of
white with a blue I-atin cross is
flown during all religious services,
whether the clergyman- conducting
the service is a priest of the Roman
Catholic Church. a Presbyterian
minister, or a rabbi. That it is en
tirely nonsectarian is proved by the
fact that the i Corps of Army Chap
lains is composedof members of ev
ery one of tlie recognized major re
ligious denominations. At present
the corps comprises 80 members, of
whom 11 are Roman Catholics, 18
Presbyterians, 15 Methodists, 10 Epis
copalians, 2 Congregationalists, 2 Lu
therans, 4 Disciples of Christ, 2
Christians, 1 Reform, and 3 rabbis
All conduct services under the same
flag according to their own church
customs.”
(Continued on Page 5)
Bishop of Moscow, An Exile and
III, Forced to Reside in Slums
Leaving Russia to Recover
Health Would Bar Prelate
from His See Forever
c.
BY M. MASSIANI
(Paris Correspondent, N. G. W.
News Service)
Paris.—The painful and humiliat
ing position of the Catholic Bishop
of Moscow, Msgr. Ncveu, is describ
ed by him in a letter to Msgr.
d’Herbigny, Titular Bishop of Ilio,
dated January 18, which has been
Religious Vacation Schools Will
Be Opened This Summer in South
(By N. C. W. C. New3 Service)
Washington. D. C.—Plans for the
opening, of GO religious • vacation
schools in the missionary dioceses
of the south and southwest were
made at a meeting of officials of
the Catholic P.ural Life Conference
held here March 5. These schools,
sessions of which will be held chief
ly during the month of July, will
be conducted in accordance with the
system established In the northern
dioceses, where there are now many
hundreds in session annually. The
Southern Dioceses in which they are
to be conducted are not announced.
Funds for the establishment of
the schools in the missionary dio
ceses were provided by the Ameri
can Eoard of Home Missions and
the meeting was arranged for the
distribution of the funds. The Rev.
W. Howard Bishop, of Clarksville.
Md.. president of the Catholic Rural
Life Conference, appointed the fol
lowing as members of a committee
to supervise the establishing of the
schools: The Rev. Joseph Schmidt,
of Harrisburg, Diocesan Director of
the Society for the Propagation of
the Faith; the Rev, EL V. O’Hara,
Director of the Rural Life Bureau
of the Social Action Department of
the National Catholic Welfare Con
ference, Miss Margaret Lynch, As
sistant Executive Secretary of the
National Council of Catholic Women,
and Father Bishop.
The schools are to be establish- *
in the missionary dioceses, from one
to four in each diocese, at the re
quest of their respective Bishops.
Fifty religious vacation schools al
ready have been requested in these
missionary dioceses and the Confer
ence has funds sufficient for ten
more. Local communities will ar
range the place for the holding of
the schools and the assembling of
the children. The funds of the Ca
tholic Rural Life Conference will be
used exclusively to pay the expenses
of the teachers employed.
Religious instruction chiefly will be
given, including Catechism, Church
History and the Lives of the Saints.
There will be at least two teachers
to each school and these mostly will
be members of religious orders, al
though some lay teachers and semi
narians are being recruited. There
will also be some recreational and
health work done by the classes.
given to La Croix for publication.
Msgr. Neveu, a Frenchman, was
installed as apostolic administrator
for Moscow by Msgr. d’Herbigny
some years ago and is the Titular
Bishop of Kitros.
In his letter Msgr. Neveu declares
that he is too ill to care for him
self properly and that he can not
leave Russia to seek aid elsewhere
since the Soviet government would
not permit him to return; that he
is living under conditions as de
fective as they are onerous and has
to submit to the most offensive
promiscuities. But he also gives
evidence of further charity and cour
age and submission to the will of
God,
“If it were possible for me to
relate pleasant things,” he wrote, “I
should not hesitate to use my pen
oftener; but, alas, I can scarcly
speak of the suffering, and I prefer
to keep my silence so as not to
silence you.
“First, with regard to my physical
state, I am not well. I have acquired
heart trouble and frequent and pain
ful attacks of nephritis afflict me.
As my income is very modest, it is
difficult to care for myself here.
For that reason it would be better
for me to visit France, where I have
not been since 1912. I could con
sult skilled physicians and, possibly,
seek the water-cure. I would also
(Continued on Page Seven.)
France Makes Bishop Lava!
Member of Legion of Honor
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
Paris.—The Journal Officiel
has just published a decree of
President Doumergue conferring
the Legion of Honor upon the
RL Rev. J. M. Laval, Auxiliary
Bishop of New Orleans, Louisia
na.
The honor was bestowed upon
Bishop Laval on the recommen
dation of the Minister of For
eign Affairs.
Bitter Antagonists of
Church Among Leaders
of Mexican Revolution
laetare Medalist
L
II
11
Honor Which Went to Jack J.
Spalding in 1928 Awarded
Noted New Yorker This Year
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
Notre Dame, Ind.—Alfred E. Smith,
four times governor of New York
and an outstanding figure in Amer
ican governmental circles, will be
the recipient of the Laetare Medal
for 1929, administrative authorities
of the University of Notre Datne an
nounced officially last Sunday.
The Laetare Medal, one of the
most notable distinctions that can be
conferred upon a Catholic of the
United States, is presented annually
by the University of Notre Dame on
Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday
in Lent. It is comparable to the
Golden Rose, which is conferred by
the Pope at Rome each year on
some Catholic who has distinguished
himself in world affairs.
A time and a place for the offi
cial presentation of the medal will
be set after university authorities
(Continued on Page 5)
Revolt Has No Organized
Catholic Support—Jailer of
Father Pro a Rebel Leader
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
Mexico City.—All information ob
tainable here regarding the revolt in
Mexico, whiph in the beginning
threatened to assume formidable pro
portions, but now according to lat
est reports, appears to be disinte
grating. indicates clearly that the
origin of the rebellion was due en
tirely to dissatisfaction within the
military forces of the government
and that the rebels have received
no Catholic support whatever. In
fact, latest developments indicate
that Catholic leaders in Mexico were
in total ignorance of plans of the
former Obregonista chieftains who
have led the attempted coup.
To strengthen the evidence at hand
that there was no Catholic participa
tion in the events leading up to the
revolt is the word of the federal
government itself, which, up to the
very day of the rebellion, was issu
ing bulletins telling the number of
priests and bishops who were regis
tering their addresses in compliance
with the order of Provisional Pres
ident Portes Gil. Latest announce
ments on this subject were to the
effect that more than 1,500 priests
and no less than six bishops resi
dent in Mexico had registered with
the federal authorities.
Further, it was pointed out that
there could not possibly be any Cath
olic alliance with such a man as
Roberto Cruz, one of the most, bit
ter of the persecutors of the church
in Mexico. Cruz is known to be def
initely a part of the rebel movement
and is reported to be leading their
forces in the West in the vicinity
of Mazatlan. He was in charge of
the federal prison at the time of
the execution of Father Pro and in
formed observers characterize as ri
diculous any suggestion that Catho
lic support would be given a move
ment with which he was identified.
Attempts on the part of the rebels
to enlist Catholic support and to
give out the impression that Catho
lics were favorable to their uprising
were noted in announcements ema
nating from insurgent headquarters.
One of these was to the effect that
the rebel command would reopen the
churches in Sonora and Jalisco. This,
of course, received no credit what
ever, since it was realized that the
churches of Mexico had not been
closed by the existing government,
but by order of the Catholic hier
archy and could be reopened only
by direction of the Bishops.
Further evidence of the misinfor
mation spread by the rebels was
contained in a dispatch which said
that Bishop Navarette of Sonora had
returned to that state and was pre
paring to reopen the churches there.
This is known to be untrue, Bishop
Navarette being in fact at present in
Ei Paso, Tex.
Napoleon's Uncle Revealed as
Founder of Spring Hill College
(By N. C. W. C. News Service.),
Mobile, Ala.—Researches into ar
chives necessitated by the celebra
tion next year of the 109th'anni
versary of the founding of Spring
Hill College have brought to light
many interesting facts in connection
with the oldest college in Alabama
and one of the oldest in the entire
south.
Among the arresting bits of infor
mation almost forgotten and now
brought to light is the fact that
Cardinal Joseph Fesch, the uncle of
Napoleon Bonaparte, the founder of
Spring Hill College, sharing the dis
tinction with Bishop Portier, Mo
bile’s first bishop.
When Bishop Portier, who be
came bishop of Mobile in 1825, vis
ited his immense diocese stretching
at that time from the northern
bounds of Arkansas to the southern
most parts of Florida, he perceived
the urgent need existing within the
diocese for an institute of higher
learning. Unable to obtain suffi
cient financial assistance at home.
lie went abroad during the latter
p.jart of 1928 aud sought tiie aid of
Cardinal Fesch, who was then re
siding in Rome, having been banish
ed from France on an uncle of Na
poleon by the Bourbon government.
Cardinal Fesch was enthusiastic
concerning the establishment to
Spring Hill and donated 30,000 francs
as a foundation with which to com
mence the institution. He accom
panied the gift with a magnificent
oil painting still in the possession
of the college. The name St. Jo
seph’s was bestowed upon the in
fant college, -Joseph being the cardi
nal’s Christian name, and is all of
ficial documents Sipring Hill still
carries on as St. Joseph’s college.
Cardinal Fesch was born at Ajac
cio in Corsicano, Januady 3, 17f>3, _
and died at Rome May 13, 1839.
Early in life lie became commissa
ry of war under Napoleon, and iater
rose to the command of the Armee
d’ltalie. When religious harmony
was established, he entered eccle
siastical life, becoming archbishop of
Lyons and later cardinal.