Newspaper Page Text
OCTOBER 14, 1931
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
FIVE
Article Appearing in Dawson News
Describes Famous Canadian Shrine
Southwest Georgia Secular Paper Publishes Splendid
Sketch of the Saintly Brother Andre, and the Famed
Mountainside Oratory of Saint Joseph, Near Montreal
The Duivson News, one of the lead
ing weekly publications in Georgia,
carried in its current issue «in article
upon the noted shrine at the Oratory
of St Joseph, in Montreal.
After declaring that despite the ad
vance of materialistic thought in re
cent years there has been no slack
ening in the faith of thousands of be
lievers in the potency of prayer and
the intercession of certain saints at
certain spots hallowed by tradition
and the testimony of those who have
found relief and blessing, evidence of
a tolerant and friendly feeling toward
Catholic practices is found in the
following extract from the item:
Among modern shrines of healing
Montreal possesses in the Oratory of
St- Joseph one which shares inter-
ternational renown with the far-
famed Lourdes in France and the old
Ste Anne de Bcaupre near Quebec.
Each year thousands visit the
Oratory individually, while large
pilgrimages are organized by parish
pasters in numerous cities throughout
the United States and Canada, so that
the aggregate attendance annually
swelled by processions from local and
nearby parishes, runs into tens of
thousands.
The story of the comparatively re
cent origin of the shrine Ls an un
usual one. About 1870 Alfred Bes
sette, then 25 years of age, was re
ceived as a notvice by the congrega
tion of the Holy Ghost, a brotherhood
devoted to the education of boys, and
he served as porter, barber, door
keeper and messenger at a college
situated at the foot of the northern
slope of Mount Royal, the 800-foot
elevation which has given the name
to Montreal.
The simple piety and human sym-
pathy of Brother Andre, the name
given to Bessette in the order, en
deared him to successive generations
of scholars, and in time their elders
began to seek him to ask his counsel
and his intercession on their behalf
to his patron, St, Joseph. Brother
Andre had erected a small shrine on
the mountainside near the college,
where he retired to pray, and this
in time, became the scene of events
which were inexplicable except on
the theory that the unquestioning
faith of the little porter, and the hope
his personality inspired in those who
sought his aid had helped to bring
about remarkable cures in cases
which had failed to yield to ordinary
methods of treatment. As the news
of these events spread and more pil
grims came seeking Divine aid, a
chapel took the place of the original
shrine.
Thank offerings began to come in
from grateful supplicants and their
friends and the work was begun on
the erection of a magnificent church,
now well advanced to completion,
which will ultimately cost about $5,-
000,000, and which will be one of the
largest and most impressive ecclesia
stical structures on the North Ameri
can continent, with the rank of a
basilica Brother Andre, now in his
eighty-ninth year, still serves as the
humble ministrant at the splendid
church ceremonials held at frequent
intervals, and modestly disclaims any
credit for the cures attested and the
large organization which has grown
up as a result of his work.
But the throngs who come daily to
implore aid, and the stately edifice
which has arisen as a tribute from
those whose prayers have been an
swered, are concrete evidences of the
ardent belief which has been evoked
by his unshaken faith and his frail,
ascetic personality.
OHIO SCHOOL BILL
FAILS OF PASSAGE
Measure to Provide State
Aid for Parochial Schools
Defeated Despite Majority
Delegate Tells How
Cause of Education
Was Aided by Popes
Archbishop Cicognani Is
Speaker at Consecration of
Bishop of Seattle
COLUMBUS. — The proposal to
extend state aid to the parochial
schools of Ohio failed of enactment
in the special session of the state
legislature, when an amendment pro
viding for parochial school partici
pation in a $3,000,000 appropriation
was rejected. Previously the assem
bly had failed to pass the Goodwin
bill, which would have appropriated
$400,000 for the assistance of the par
ochial schools in 1933 and 1934 .
Although a majority of the votes
cast on the Goodwin bill were
favorable, 52 to 41, it failed to re
ceive the 68 votes required to pass
it.
The fight against the amendment
was led by Representative R. A. Pol
lock. of Canton, who is an organizer
for the Junior Order United Ameri
can Mechanics. The sessions dealing
with the school measure were char
acterized by the bitterness of the de
bate and charges of religious bigotry
were passed in the legislative cham
ber.
Defenders of the bill paid high
tribute to the Catholic schools.
Catholics of Ohio will continue to
demand a share in any state appropi-
ation for the relief of schools, the
Most Rev. Joseph Scrembs, Bishop of
Cleveland, said in a statement is
sued just after the state legislature
had adjourned without providing any
additional funds either for the relief
of parochial or public schools.
CATHOLIC INFORMATION
BUREAU IN CINCINNATI
(By N. C. W. C. News Service)
CINCINNATI.—A “Diocesan Bureau
of Information Concerning the Catho
lic Chureb” has been established at
St. Louis Church, here. The Rev. Ed
ward A. Freking, of St. Mary Semi
nary, Norwood, Ohio, has been ap
pointed by the Most Rev. John T. Mc-
Nicholas, O. P„ Bishop of Cincinnati,
as director of the new bureau.
In his letter to Father Freking, no
tifying the priest of his appointment,
and published in the Catholic Tele
graph, Archbishop McNicholas points
out that it will be Father Freking’s
duty to “encourage the establishemnt
of as many parochial or sectional Bu
reaus of Information as possible
throughout the Archdiocese.”
‘‘We have long thought it neces
sary.” the Archbishop states in his let
ter ,“to appoint a Diocesan Director
who woula help the young priests of
the Diocese in their convert work,
who would open up a new field for
the Sisters of our Religious Commu
nities in preparing women converts for
the Church, and who would give more
direction to our earnest Catholic lai
ty in helping them to make clear the
position of the Catholic Church.”
PROFESSOR HERBERT CORY
PH.D., head of the Liberal Arts De
partment of the University of Wash
ington. and one of the leading edu
cators of the country, is a recent ad
dition to the list of. distinguished
American converts.
(By N- C. W. C. News Service)
WASHINGTON—The deep and con
stant interest which the Popes have
shown in education was emphasized
by His Excellency the Most Rev.
Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, Aposto
lic Delegate to the United tates, in
an address delivered at the luncheon
Avhich followed the consecration of
“lie Most Rev Gerald Shaughness, S.
M.. as Bishop of Seattle.
■Hie Apostolic Delegate said that
“Pius XI has favored in a particular
manner thi* Catholic University of
America, the wise creation of the
Bishop* of the country.”
In the course of his remarks His
Excellency declared “Christ confided
to His Church the vast program of
spreading the truths of faith; to His
ministers He gave the command
‘Docete omnes gentes.’ The Church
fulfills this divine program by
preaching and she found in the
schools a most effective means of
diffusing her moral and reliigous doc
trine.
“Almost as soon as the Church left
the Catacombs, she opened schools,
near the homes of Bishops and the
monasteries; she found centers of
catechetical instruction, some of
which are remembered to the present
times by writings to which they gave
rise, as for example the School of
Alexandria in Egypt.
MONKS PRESERVED LEARNING
“The Church collected in every age,
the masterpieces of sacred and pro
fane teaching, of letters and of the
arts she established hundreds of mu
seums, galleries and libraries; she
availed herself of the patient and
learned work of the monks in order
to preserve these treasures. It was
the Church that founded those great
centers of learning, known first as
stadium generale, and later univer
sity. These universities were already
internationally known in the twelfth
and some £ven in the eleventh cen
tury. The University of Paris was
famous for its schools of philosophy
and theology the Univcrsitp of Bolo
gna for its school of Canon Law; even
in those difficult times, these cultural
centers enrolled students from every
nation. On the lines of these great
universities, others were established
in various countries, always by the
initiative and under the influence of
the Popes. The solicitude of the Su
preme Pontiffs for the universities is
attested by numerous Bulls and Briefs
and by the glorious annals of illus
trious names and works almost with
out end of these same institutions.
We may say that the old universities
of Europe, almost in their entirety,
were foundations of the Popes, or at
least that they were established with
their favor.”
LOSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vati
can City, has had occosion to publish
an official contradiction of a story
emanating from Geneva to the effect
that the Holy See proposed to change
the date of Easter.
Apostolic Delegate Praises
Catholic Action in America
Current Comment
I In The Catholic News, New York:
“Those enemies of religion who are
hoping that the warfare upon Catho
licity in Spain, Mexico and other
places will weaken, if not destroy, the
Church will be disappointed at the
testimony that comes from France. It
has been shown that disestablishment
in that country has not hurt the
Church. Instead, separation of Church
and State in France has infused the
Church with more vigor, given it
more of the spirity of piety and sacri
fice. Disestablishment has been in
force in France for more than a quar
ter of a century. Recently a Swiss ed
itor wrote to the president of the
French Protestant Federation. M.
Marc Boegner, asking what had been
the result of the separation as it af
fected the religious structure. M.
Boegner replies in La Semaine Reli-
gieuse as follows:
‘The separation which the anti-
clericals desired in order to ruin
the Roman Church in France has
had the effect of reawakening and
revivifying French Catholicism.
TTie active life of the Church is far
more vigorous than before 1905.
The Episcopate, to which appoint
ments are made by the Nuncio
and finally by the Pope, is more
free, and is composed of very ac
tive men, who often have a keenly
alert feeling for social reform. And
in the realm of thought and of the
spiritual life much work has been
done.”
Wherever the Church is persecuted
we get, in the long run, the same sto
ry as from France. The zeal and the
devotion of Catholics arc strengthen
ed whenever war is made upon
Christ’s Church. Sometimes, it would
seem, antagonism does the Church
more good than harm. Twenty-five
years from now Catholicity will be
more vigorous in Spain and Mexico
than today. Persecution cannot klil
Christ’s Church.”
Most Rev. James II. Ryan, rector of
the Catholic University, in sermon
delivered at consecration of Bishop of
Seattle: “No heresy has ever begun in
the American Church, and please
God, none ever shall. No notable de
fection has taken place as in some na
tions. and none snail as long as God
in His Mercy continues to favor us
with such admirable men as grace the
American hierchy.
“In the exercise of the magisterium
in the United States there presents it
self an opportunity the like of which
has scarcely ever been equalled in the
annals of the Church. Our people are
thirsty for Christ’s truth; they
would, I am confident, accept it if they
but knew it for what it really and
truly is. The difficulty is to present
it in such a way that it can be made
acceptable; and prior even to presen
tation it is. necessary to brush away
from the American mind the clouds of
ignorance and prejudice which ob
scure for it the vision of the sun of
truth.
"It is not that we have a new theol
ogy; we have a theology unparallelled
and unequalled in that of St. 'Thomas
Aquinas. We need, perhaps, a new,
a more vigorous, or a more timely
presentation of our scientific theology,
and in a fashion to meet more ade
quately the peculiar historical and
doctrinal backgrounds of the average
American of today.”
Editorial in The New World. Chica
go:
"Already Mr. Roosevelt has many
victories to his credit which may be
set down as ponderable ones. One
thing, however, which may be reck
oned with the imponderable is none
the less of surpassing value. Bigotry
has disappeared in Washington—for
all times, it is devoutly hoped. It may
not be fair to tag with bigtorty his
immediate predecessor but facts are
rather disconcerting. During his term
of four years, with possibly two ex
ceptions, no Catholic was selected for
public office. There may have been
no discrimination, conscious or other
wise, but the fact is outstanding that
Catholics seemed to be out of the run
ning for all appointments. Mr. Roose
velt is singularly free from religious
bias. His selection according to his
light, is for fitness, and no thought is
given whether a man is Jew, Gentile,
Catholic, or Protestant. In fact, so
fair is the attitude of the President
that nobody questions any religious
implications in his selections. This
was surely a consummation devoutly
to be prayed for, and it is almost too
good to have been realized. However,
it is a direct contribution to good
will and therefore, to national wel
fare.”
DEATH CALLS CATHOLIC
RESIDENT OF CAMILLA
(SpeciaL to The Bulletin)
CAMILLA.—W. E. Doucette, a na
tive of St. Celestin. Province of Que
bec, Canada, died at his heme in Ca
milla, Georgia, on October 1, after a
lingering illness.
He was a veteran employe of the
Georgia Power Company, serving in
the capacity of erector, and had lived
for many years at Tugla Camp in
Canada, later moving to New Hamp
shire. At one time he made his home
in York, Pennsylvania.
Funeral services were conducted by
the Rev. Henry Honeck, and the Rev.
Thomas I. Sheehan.
He is survived by his widow. Ella
Thornton .Doucette, and several broth -
ers and sisterr.
THE REV. THOMAS A. GALVIN.
C.SS.R., widely known as a mission
ary of great oratorical ability died in
Buffalo during the last week of Sep
tember.
BELMONT STUDENTS
GREETED BY ABBOT
Pupils of North Carolina
Benedictine School Begin
Term With Abbot's Wel
come
BELMONT, N. C.—In keeping with
the annual custom of welcoming both
old and new students, of Belmont
Abbey College, the Right Rev. Vin
cent Taylor, O. S. B, D. D., de
livered an address of welcome at the
opening of the scholatstic year.
Abbot Vincent’s talk embodied the
fundamental ideals of a Catholic
education, the producing of truly
educated young men. He stressed
the fact that students coming to Bel
mont must not expect to find an in
stitution wherein they might find
the “so-called good times” of other
seat'; of learning, or a place where
dissipation will be tolerated.
He placed emphasis upon the need
of diligent study, and exhorted the
students to be ever conscious of the
sacrifices made by their parents to
provide them with a good educa
tion.
Quoting the Latin phrase “Mens
Sana in corpore sano”. Abbot Vincent,
while giving his approval to vigor
ous play, gave the students to under
stand that athletics at Belmont Abbey
must be considered secondary to
study!
The 1933 football schedule of Bal
mont Abbey includes a game in Au
gusta on October 21, with the Junior
College of Augusta.
BELMONT YEAR BOOK
STAFF APPOINTED
Preparation for the publication of
the 1934 Year Book of Belmont Ab
bey was begun when the faculty ad
visors Dom. Cuthbert Allen, O. S.
B. f and Dom. Placid Kleppel, O. S.
B., appointed the following, students
as members of the staff: Charles F.
Lightner. Swissdale, Pa., Editor-in-
Chief; William Baran, Savannah,
Business Manager; Charles Freeman,
Charlotte, Literary Editor; James
Harte, Savannah, Sports Editor;
James Flaherty, Camden, N. J„ Edi-
gar Lewis, Washington, D. C.; Cullen
Hoffman, Mount Holley, N. C., James
Dixon, Mayville, N. C.; Martin Gass,
Charlotte, Assistant Editors; George
Albright, Belmont, N. C., Assistant
Business Manager; James Loven, of
Charlotte. Advertising Manager;
Denis Kearns, Augusta. Circulation
Manager, and Edward Sheehan, Au
gusta, Social Editor.
Charlotte Observer
on Catholic Charity
Editorial Comment Praises
Part Played by Catholics in
Relieving Distress
The Charlo'te Observer, one of
the leading daily newspapers of
North Carolina, in its issue of Oc
tober 6. paid tribute to the activity
of Catholics, as individuals, organ
izations and religious orders, in wel
fare and charitable effort.
litis editorial comment. which
was headed "The Catholics and
Charity”, is reproduced in full:
The average public is inclined to
view the Sisters of Charity as the
ali-embracing organization of char
ity as dispensed by the Catholic
Church, but as a matter of fact, the
Sisters form but a single unit in the
system. The cuurcnt meeting of
Catholic Charities in New York has
served to enlighten the public on the
scope of the charitable activities of
I he Catholics. Representatives of 100
dioceses in all parts of the country
participated and it was developed
that the Catholics, in addition to
carrying on the full church sched
ule in dispensation of charities, will
ingly assume their responsibilities in
co-operation with the National Gov
ernment in welfare and charitable
activities. The event was in cele
bration of the 100th anniversary of
organization of the Society of St-
Vincent de Paul, the first great char
itable organization the world has
ever known. Not only has this Cath
olic organization relieved the needy
in Catholic homes , but has dis
pensed a general system of relief
that has reached all classes and con
ditions of people. The Catholics are
not only maintaining their own or
ganizations for meeting their church
and family responsibilities, but are
joining in the national program and
doing so, arc exerting a mighty in
fluence as an agency in relief.
It was peculiarly fitting that the
President of the United Slates should
have lent his presence and his in
fluence to meeting of the kind that
was held in New York, Wednesday
ni«ht. It was an opportunity in de
velopment of neighborlinesj of which
he took full advantage, nor did he
fail to impress udou the minds of the
neople of the religion that is founded
in belief in God and reliance tmon
Him, and to pai amounting of the
spiritual valves above the merely
material values.
Addresses* Opening 1 Session
National Catholic Charity
Conference in New York
IB.v N. C. W. C. News Service)
NEW YORK. — "America in tlve
multiplicity of its activities has
given, anil is giving continuous,
magnificant and luminous examples
of Catholic Action,” His Excellency
the Most. Rev. Amleto Giovanni Ci
cognani. Apostolic Delegate to the
United States, said in his address at
the first general session of the Na
tional Conference of Catholic Chari
ties held here in conjunction with
the centenary meeting of the So
ciety of St. Vincent de Paul. ’Hie
first general .session was held at the
Metropolitan Opera House.
Speaking on "The Holy Father and
Catholic Action,” the Apostolic Dele
gate told not only what Catholic Ac
tion is, but also what it is not. Say
ing that the Holy Father described
Catholic Action with "marvelous
clearness” when he defined _ it as
“participation of the laity in the
apostolate of the Hierarchy of the
Church,” His Excellency also point
ed out what “Catholic lay groups or
religious associations that have not
a commission from the Hierarchy
and are not made by the Bishop of
the diocese to share in some meas
ure in his apostolate are not Catholic
Action, even though they labor under
its banner."
In the course of the address. His
Excellency declared: "The Holy
Father, charged with the govern
ment of the Universal Church, realiz
ing the prevalence of evils that
threaten the destruction of human
society, conscious of the needs of the
whole human family, issued as early
as 1923 a call to Catholics through
out the world to enlist in the apos
tolate of Catholic Action. And by
Catholic Action the Holy Father did
not mean an organization or a relig
ious activity merely requiring con
formity to the principles of the CaUi-
olic religion, but one transcending
that conformity and promoting our
Holy Faith in such a manner as to
constitute a true apostolate.
"This was in reality not a new call.
It was rather the call of the Vicai
of Christ, re-echoing throughout the
Christian centuries, urging all to
obey the precept of old: ‘God gave
to every one of them a command
ment concerning his neighbor.’
Political Action Excluded
“Political activities, as such, form
no part of Catholic Action because
the Church, though obligated to keep
ever before her children the princi
ples of social justice, and to enter
any field where men’s souls are be
ing endangered, makes it clear that
affairs strictly political are not her
concern. Her competency is above
and beyond all this. Her ends are
not political. They are of a much
higher order. While parties arc
formed and separated by politics, the
Church strives to unity all and
wishes to lead nil in the way of spir
itual safety to their estcmal destiny.”
"We cannot lay too strong empha
sis on the fact that Catholic Action
is simply a help to the Hierarchy.
Divinely constituted, the Hierarchy
cannot cede to others its powers and
apostolic functions; but it can share
with the faithful its hierarchial mis
sion. It can profitably ask the col
laboration of the laity, as has been
done from the time of the Apostles
to our own day.
Catholic Action Means Service
"Catholic Action can illuminate
society with the light that comes
from the living Gospel and can make
the Gospel the supreme code of pri
vate and public action, bringing
home to the Christian the realization
that he cannot be a Christian for
himself alone, but that like a soldier
who has given himself to the service
of his country, he has pledged him
self to a Christian sociey to labor for
its general welfare.
"Catholic Action is a law of unity.
It is a law of the Christian life, for
Catholicism is a living organism ra
ther than a regimen Led organization.
Catholic Action calls for a solidarity
of interests converting toward the
Kingdom of God. We must, there
fore, expect movement, progress, and
adaptibility to changing conditions in
Catholic Action, without, however,
changing one iota of the truths and
principles that are immutable in out
holy religion.
"Catholics of America must show
their zeal for every good work, for
every holy crusade, sanctifying others
by their examole. In his individual
life, and the life of the family, by
his observance of the sanctity of the
marriage state, by his zeal for the
education of youth and by his gen
erous co-operation in every move
ment to which he is called by his
spiritual leaders, the true Catholic
will respond to the invitation of
Pope Pius XI and thus render inesti
mable contribution to the Church
and to the nation!”
PARENTS, SON. AND DAUGHTER
ENTER THE RELIGIOUS LIFE
BRUSSEL S. -Pieter Van der
Mecrcn dc Wulchcren has entered the
Benedictine Abbey of Costcrhout.
and on the same dav his wife joined
the community of Benedictine Nuns
at D' icbergen.
Their son Ls already a Benedictine
monk at Solesmes, Fi ance, while their
other child, a daughter, is a mem
ber of a Benedictine convention In
France.